Section 222/3 — Courts with class action jurisdiction
Texte légal (original thaï)
ศาลตามพระธรรมนูญศาลยุติธรรมที่มีอำนาจพิจารณาพิพากษาคดีแพ่ง เว้นแต่ศาลแขวง มีอำนาจในการดำเนินคดีแบบกลุ่ม
traduction anglaise
The courts under the Court Organization Act that have jurisdiction to try and adjudicate civil cases, except the Kwaeng Courts, shall have jurisdiction over class action proceedings.
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
This section fixes which courts may hear a class action. It confers jurisdiction on the courts under the Court Organization Act (Phra Thammanun San Yuttitham) that already try civil cases, but expressly excludes the Kwaeng Courts. The Kwaeng Courts handle low-value and minor civil matters with limited jurisdiction and a single judge, which is unsuited to the scale and complexity of a class action. In practice this means a class action begins in a Civil Court or a Provincial Court, not in a Kwaeng Court, whatever the individual amounts involved.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
Even a class made up of many small individual claims cannot be filed in a Kwaeng Court; it must go to a Civil Court or Provincial Court that hears ordinary civil cases. This matters for planning, because those courts follow the fuller ordinary procedure rather than the streamlined small-claims track. If you are unsure which court fits your matter, a consultation with a Thai lawyer can confirm the correct venue before you file.
Foire aux questions
Which court hears a class action in Thailand?
Under Section 222/3, the civil courts under the Court Organization Act hear class actions, such as the Civil Court or a Provincial Court, but not the Kwaeng Courts.
Why are the Kwaeng Courts excluded from class actions?
The Kwaeng Courts have limited jurisdiction over minor civil matters, so Section 222/3 keeps the larger and more complex class actions in the fuller civil courts.