Section 198 bis — Merit test for default judgment
Texte légal (original thaï)
ศาลจะมีคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งชี้ขาดให้โจทก์เป็นฝ่ายชนะคดีโดยจำเลยขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การมิได้ เว้นแต่ศาลเห็นว่าคำฟ้องของโจทก์มีมูลและไม่ขัดต่อกฎหมาย ในการนี้ ศาลจะยกขึ้นอ้างโดยลำพังซึ่งข้อกฎหมายอันเกี่ยวด้วยความสงบเรียบร้อยของประชาชนก็ได้
เพื่อประโยชน์ในการพิพากษาหรือมีคำสั่งชี้ขาดคดีตามวรรคหนึ่ง ศาลอาจสืบพยานเกี่ยวกับข้ออ้างของโจทก์หรือพยานหลักฐานอื่นไปฝ่ายเดียวตามที่เห็นว่าจำเป็นก็ได้ แต่ในคดีเกี่ยวด้วยสิทธิแห่งสภาพบุคคล สิทธิในครอบครัวหรือคดีพิพาทเกี่ยวด้วยกรรมสิทธิ์ในอสังหาริมทรัพย์ ให้ศาลสืบพยานหลักฐานโจทก์ไปฝ่ายเดียว และศาลอาจเรียกพยานหลักฐานอื่นมาสืบได้เองตามที่เห็นว่าจำเป็นเพื่อประโยชน์แห่งความยุติธรรม
ในการกำหนดจำนวนเงินตามคำขอบังคับของโจทก์ ให้ศาลปฏิบัติดังนี้
(๑) ในกรณีที่โจทก์มีคำขอบังคับให้จำเลยชำระหนี้เป็นเงินจำนวนแน่นอน ให้ศาลมีคำสั่งให้โจทก์ส่งพยานเอกสารตามที่ศาลเห็นว่าจำเป็นแทนการสืบพยาน
(๒) ในกรณีที่โจทก์มีคำขอบังคับให้จำเลยชำระหนี้เป็นเงินอันไม่อาจกำหนดจำนวนได้โดยแน่นอน ให้ศาลสืบพยานหลักฐานโจทก์ไปฝ่ายเดียว และศาลอาจเรียกพยานหลักฐานอื่นมาสืบได้เองตามที่เห็นว่าจำเป็น
ถ้าจำเลยที่ขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การไม่มาศาลในวันสืบพยานตามมาตรานี้ มิให้ถือว่าจำเลยนั้นขาดนัดพิจารณา
ถ้าโจทก์ไม่นำพยานหลักฐานมาสืบตามความในมาตรานี้ภายในระยะเวลาที่ศาลกำหนด ให้ถือว่าคดีของโจทก์ไม่มีมูล และให้ศาลยกฟ้องของโจทก์
traduction anglaise
The court shall not render a judgment or an order adjudicating the plaintiff the winning party on the ground of the defendant's default of answer unless the court is of the opinion that the plaint has merit and is not contrary to law. In this regard, the court may of its own motion raise a point of law concerning public order.
For the purpose of rendering a judgment or an order adjudicating the case under paragraph one, the court may take evidence ex parte on the plaintiff's allegations or take other evidence as it thinks necessary. However, in cases concerning the rights of personal status, family rights, or disputes concerning ownership of immovable property, the court shall take the plaintiff's evidence ex parte, and the court may of its own motion call for other evidence to be taken as it thinks necessary in the interests of justice.
In fixing the amount of money according to the plaintiff's prayer for relief, the court shall proceed as follows:
(1) where the plaintiff prays for an order requiring the defendant to pay a debt of a fixed sum of money, the court shall order the plaintiff to submit documentary evidence as the court thinks necessary in place of taking oral evidence;
(2) where the plaintiff prays for an order requiring the defendant to pay a debt in a sum that cannot be fixed with certainty, the court shall take the plaintiff's evidence ex parte, and the court may of its own motion call for other evidence to be taken as it thinks necessary.
If a defendant who is in default of answer does not appear at the court on the day of taking evidence under this Section, that defendant shall not be deemed to be in default of appearance.
If the plaintiff does not bring evidence to prove the case under this Section within the period fixed by the court, the plaintiff's case shall be deemed to be without merit, and the court shall dismiss the plaintiff's action.
Cette traduction anglaise est fournie à titre indicatif uniquement et n'a pas encore été vérifiée de manière définitive ; référez-vous toujours à l'original thaï.
Annotation de l'entreprise
Section 198 bis is the heart of the default of answer regime: it prevents default from becoming an automatic victory. Even where the defendant never answers, the court must be satisfied the plaint has merit and is not unlawful, and it may raise public order points on its own. The plaintiff generally still has to prove the claim through ex parte evidence, and in the sensitive categories of personal status, family rights, and immovable property ownership, ex parte proof is mandatory and the court may summon further evidence itself. Paragraph three tailors the proof to the relief sought: documents suffice for a fixed sum, but an uncertain sum requires ex parte testimony. Two protections close the section: a defaulting defendant's absence at the ex parte hearing is not treated as default of appearance, and if the plaintiff produces no evidence within time, the claim is deemed meritless and dismissed.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
Do not treat a defendant's silence as a free win: you still have to prove your case. Assemble your documents and, for an uncertain sum, your witnesses, because thin or missing evidence means the court will dismiss the claim, not grant it. In family and property cases the court is required to hear your evidence and may call for more, so prepare a complete file. If your dispute touches family status or divorce, expect closer scrutiny even when the other side does not answer.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 6781/2567 (2024)
Under Section 198 bis paragraph one, the court may render judgment for the plaintiff against a defendant in default of answer only where it finds the plaint has merit and is not contrary to law, and it may of its own motion raise a point of law concerning public order.
Considering the liability of guarantors who were in default of answer, the Supreme Court applied Section 198 bis paragraph one with the consumer case procedure law and held that, because the plaintiff's demand did not give the guarantors a proper prior notice, the plaint lacked the merit needed to give judgment against them despite their default.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1324/2567 (2024)
Where the court orders the plaintiff to prove the case ex parte, the plaintiff must adduce evidence supporting its allegations under Section 198 bis paragraphs one and two, and evidence proving facts outside the pleadings cannot support a default judgment.
The defendant defaulted and the court ordered ex parte proof. The plaintiff's sole witness, its own counsel, testified partly to facts outside the pleadings. The Supreme Court held that under Section 198 bis paragraphs one and two, read with Section 193 bis paragraph two, such evidence outside the plaint could not sustain the plaintiff's default claim.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 748/2568 (2025)
Even where a defendant is in default of answer, Section 198 bis requires the plaintiff to prove the claim as pleaded, so in a claim for compensation against a third party the plaintiff must still establish the required elements by evidence and cannot rely on the default alone.
In a claim for compensation against a woman alleged to have openly conducted herself as the husband's mistress, the Supreme Court held that despite the defendant's default of answer the plaintiff still had to prove, under Section 198 bis read with the juvenile and family court procedure law, that the defendant openly showed such a relationship knowing the man was married.
Décisions sélectionnées avec numéros de dossier vérifiés dans la base de données de la Cour suprême. Les versions anglaises sont des traductions éditoriales réalisées par le cabinet à des fins d'étude.
Foire aux questions
Does a defendant's default mean the plaintiff automatically wins?
No. Under Section 198 bis the court may give judgment for the plaintiff only if it finds the plaint has merit and is not contrary to law, and the plaintiff usually must still prove the case with ex parte evidence.
What evidence is needed for a default judgment on a fixed sum?
For a fixed sum, Section 198 bis (1) directs the court to have the plaintiff submit documentary evidence as necessary, in place of taking oral evidence. An uncertain sum requires ex parte testimony.
What happens if the plaintiff fails to prove the case after default?
Under the last paragraph, if the plaintiff brings no evidence within the time fixed by the court, the case is deemed to be without merit and the court dismisses the action.