Article 391: Restitution after rescission of contract
Statutory text (Thai original)
เมื่อคู่สัญญาฝ่ายหนึ่งได้ใช้สิทธิเลิกสัญญาแล้ว คู่สัญญาแต่ละฝ่ายจำต้องให้อีกฝ่ายหนึ่งได้กลับคืนสู่ฐานะดังที่เป็นอยู่เดิม แต่ทั้งนี้จะให้เป็นที่เสื่อมเสียแก่สิทธิของบุคคลภายนอกหาได้ไม่ส่วนเงินอันจะต้องใช้คืนในกรณีดังกล่าวมาในวรรคต้นนั้น ท่านให้บวกดอกเบี้ยเข้าด้วย คิดตั้งแต่เวลาที่ได้รับไว้ส่วนที่เป็นการงานอันได้กระทำให้และเป็นการยอมให้ใช้ทรัพย์นั้น การที่จะชดใช้คืน ท่านให้ทำได้ด้วยใช้เงินตามควรค่าแห่งการนั้น ๆ หรือถ้าในสัญญามีกำหนดว่าให้ใช้เงินตอบแทน ก็ให้ใช้ตามนั้นการใช้สิทธิเลิกสัญญานั้นหากระทบกระทั่งถึงสิทธิเรียกร้องค่าเสียหายไม่
Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State
English translation
If one party has exercised his right of rescission, each party is bound to restore the other to his former condition; but the rights of third persons cannot be impaired. To money which is to be repaid in the case of the foregoing paragraph interest is to be paid from the time when it was received. For services rendered and for allowing the use of a thing the restitution shall be made by paying the value, or, if in the contract a counter-payment in money is stipulated for, this shall be paid. The exercise of the right of rescission does not affect a claim for damages.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified. Always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 391 governs the financial unwinding of contracts properly rescinded (whether by §386 for breach, by mutual agreement, or by statute). Three practical points: (1) money paid is repaid with interest from the date of receipt; (2) returned property must be in the same condition, with depreciation accounted for and any fruits or use-value repaid; (3) where literal restitution is impossible (the property has been consumed, sold to a third party, or destroyed), the party owes its monetary value. Recent SC decisions on brand-ambassador and hire-purchase contracts (2345/2565, 3965/2564) confirm courts will not allow either side to retain the other's performance after rescission.
Why this matters in practice
Lawyers: Rescission is distinct from termination for future breach, it restores parties to their pre-contract position. Money paid bears interest from date of receipt, not date of rescission. Drafting tip: parties may contract out of full restitution in advance (e.g., agreeing that on rescission the developer retains a deposit); such clauses are generally enforceable unless they amount to an unconscionable penalty. Laypersons: If you cancel a contract, both sides must give back what they received. You are entitled to interest on any money you paid, running from the day you paid it.
Legislative history
Part of the original Civil and Commercial Code codification; no major subsequent amendment.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Arrêt de la Cour suprême n° 3698/2561 (2018)
Parties may validly agree in advance to modify the restitution consequences of rescission under section 391; such agreement does not require mutual restitution to the pre-contract position if it does not contravene public policy.
A construction contract clause (clause 13) provided that upon the employer's exercise of rescission for the contractor's breach, the employer could retain work done but unpaid and any security provided by the contractor, to set off against liquidated damages, cost overruns, and defect rectification costs. The Court held parties may validly agree in advance to vary the restitution consequences under section 391, and clause 13 was not void as against public policy.
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Arrêt de la Cour suprême n° 3374/2559 (2016)
Where a developer's false advertising induces a lease and the promised facilities are not delivered, the tenant may rescind and recover all advance payments with interest under section 391.
The defendant advertised a commercial project with food courts, a gym, and other facilities to induce tenants to sign leases. When those facilities were never provided, the plaintiff tenants had the right to rescind. Upon rescission under section 391, the defendant was required to restore the tenants to their pre-contract position, including repaying all advance rent and deposits with interest.
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Arrêt de la Cour suprême n° 4646/2558 (2015)
A contractual clause limiting restitution on rescission to actual and reasonable costs is valid under section 391 and does not violate public policy.
A hire-purchase agreement provided that if the vehicle were lost, damaged beyond repair, or destroyed (through no fault of the hirer), the contract would end and the hirer would only be liable for costs actually and reasonably incurred by the owner. The Court confirmed that parties may agree in advance that on rescission full restitution under section 391 is not required, and this clause was not contrary to public policy.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Cited in 333 Supreme Court decisions (1965 to 2025)
Décisions de citation sélectionnées
- Decision 2276/2568 (2025)
- Decision 2658-2663/2568 (2025)
- Decision 5055/2567 (2024)
- Decision 2019/2567 (2024)
- Decision 315/2567 (2024)
- Decision 146/2567 (2024)
- Decision 129/2567 (2024)
- Decision 3837/2567 (2024)
Cette liste est sélectionnée automatiquement, en privilégiant les jugements qui reposent sur cet article plutôt que sur ceux qui se contentent de le citer lors du prononcé de la peine. Elle n'a pas encore été examinée par le cabinet.
Le plus souvent cité aux côtés de
- Article 387 41
- Art. 142 du Code pénal thaïlandais 35
- Article 224 29
- Section 7 23
- Article 383 23
- art. 249 du Code pénal thaïlandais 20
Sections qui apparaissent le plus souvent dans les mêmes jugements que celui-ci. Le chiffre correspond au nombre de décisions.
Calculé sur l'ensemble du corpus de 83 652 décisions de la Cour suprême du cabinet, de 1921 à 2026. Le décompte est exhaustif ; la plage d'années indiquée élimine les valeurs aberrantes rares afin de refléter la répartition réelle des citations. Ces chiffres sont calculés par nos soins et ne constituent pas des statistiques officielles de la Cour. Comment nous les comptons et ce que nous avons mesuré
Foire aux questions
Lorsqu'un contrat est résilié, à partir de quelle date les intérêts courent-ils sur les sommes à rembourser ?
En vertu de l'article 391, les intérêts sur les sommes à rembourser après une résolution courent à compter de la date de leur encaissement initial, et non de la date de résolution. Le créancier est donc indemnisé pour toute la période pendant laquelle les fonds ont été détenus.
Citer cette section
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Citation simple
Civil and Commercial Code, s. 391 (Thailand) -
Citation académique
Civil and Commercial Code (Thailand), s. 391. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-code/section-391/ (accessed 30 août 2026). -
Citation thaïlandaise
ป.พ.พ. มาตรา 391 -
Lien permanent
https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-code/section-391/ -
Intégrer sur votre site
<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-code/section-391/"><p>If one party has exercised his right of rescission, each party is bound to restore the other to his former condition; but the rights of third persons cannot be impaired. To money which is to be repaid in the case of the foregoing paragraph interest…</p><footer>Civil and Commercial Code, s. 391 (Thailand): <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-code/section-391/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.