Article 198 ter: Default with multiple defendants
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในคดีที่จำเลยบางคนขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การ ให้ศาลมีคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งชี้ขาดคดีโดยขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การระหว่างโจทก์กับจำเลยที่ขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การนั้นไปก่อนและดำเนินการพิจารณาคดีระหว่างโจทก์กับจำเลยที่ยื่นคำให้การต่อไป แต่ถ้ามูลความแห่งคดีนั้นเป็นการชำระหนี้ซึ่งแบ่งแยกจากกันมิได้ ให้ศาลรอการพิพากษาหรือมีคำสั่งชี้ขาดคดีโดยขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การไว้ก่อน เมื่อศาลดำเนินการพิจารณาสำหรับจำเลยที่ยื่นคำให้การเสร็จสิ้นแล้ว ก็ให้ศาลมีคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งชี้ขาดคดีไปตามรูปคดีสำหรับจำเลยทุกคน
ในกรณีที่จำเลยที่ขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การไม่มาศาลในวันสืบพยานของคู่ความอื่นมิให้ถือว่าจำเลยนั้นขาดนัดพิจารณา
English translation
In a case where some of the defendants are in default of answer, the court shall render a judgment or an order adjudicating the case by default of answer as between the plaintiff and the defendants who are in default of answer first, and shall proceed with the trial of the case as between the plaintiff and the defendants who have filed answers. However, if the subject matter of the case is a performance of an obligation that cannot be divided, the court shall stay the rendering of the judgment or the order adjudicating the case by default of answer; and when the court has completed the trial in respect of the defendants who have filed answers, the court shall render a judgment or an order adjudicating the case according to its merits for all defendants.
Where a defendant who is in default of answer does not appear at the court on the day of taking evidence of the other parties, that defendant shall not be deemed to be in default of appearance.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified. Always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 198 ter handles the common situation of several defendants where only some default. The default rule is severance: the court disposes of the case against the defaulting defendants under the default procedure at once, and continues the ordinary trial against those who answered. The important exception is an indivisible obligation, where a split result could be inconsistent; there the court must hold back the default judgment, finish the trial against the answering defendants, and then decide the whole case on the merits for all defendants together, so the outcome is coherent. The second paragraph mirrors the safeguard in Section 198 bis: a defaulting defendant who stays away from the hearing of the other parties is not thereby treated as in default of appearance.
Why this matters in practice
If you sue several defendants and only some ignore the summons, expect the court to press on against the ones who answered rather than pause the whole case, unless the claim is for something that cannot be split, such as a joint indivisible obligation. Plan for the possibility that judgment against the defaulting defendants may be delayed until the contested part is finished. Getting advice early on whether your claim is divisible helps you predict the timeline.
Foire aux questions
Que se passe-t-il si seuls certains défendeurs font défaut dans une affaire civile thaïlandaise ?
En vertu de l'article 198 ter, le tribunal tranche normalement l'affaire par défaut contre les défendeurs défaillants et poursuit le procès contre ceux qui ont répondu.
Quand le tribunal attend-il avant de statuer contre tous les accusés simultanément ?
Lorsque l'objet du litige est une obligation indivisible, le tribunal suspend le jugement par défaut, termine le procès contre les défendeurs répondants, puis statue sur le fond pour l'ensemble des défendeurs.
Citer cette section
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Citation simple
Civil Procedure Code, s. 198 ter (Thailand) -
Citation académique
Civil Procedure Code (Thailand), s. 198 ter. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-198-3/ (accessed 1 septembre 2026). -
Citation thaïlandaise
ป.วิ.พ. มาตรา 198 ตรี -
Lien permanent
https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-198-3/ -
Intégrer sur votre site
<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-198-3/"><p>In a case where some of the defendants are in default of answer, the court shall render a judgment or an order adjudicating the case by default of answer as between the plaintiff and the defendants who are in default of answer first, and shall…</p><footer>Civil Procedure Code, s. 198 ter (Thailand): <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-198-3/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.