Article 238 — Law-only appeals bound by trial facts
Texte légal (original thaï)
ภายใต้บังคับมาตรา ๒๔๓
(๓) ในคดีที่อุทธรณ์ได้แต่เฉพาะในปัญหาข้อกฎหมายนั้น การวินิจฉัยปัญหาเช่นว่านี้ ศาลอุทธรณ์จำต้องถือตามข้อเท็จจริงที่ศาลชั้นต้นได้วินิจฉัยจากพยานหลักฐานในสำนวน
traduction anglaise
Subject to Section 243(3), in a case in which an appeal may be made only on a question of law, in deciding such a question the appellate court must accept the facts as found by the court of first instance from the evidence in the case file.
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 238 fixes the factual basis for a law-only appeal: the appellate court is bound by the facts the trial court found from the evidence, and confines itself to the legal questions raised. The provision is expressly subject to Section 243(3). The same principle is applied at the Supreme Court level through Section 247, so that where a further appeal lies only on a question of law, the Supreme Court must accept the facts as found by the Court of Appeal. This is why parties in law-only appeals cannot reopen factual findings, and framing the appeal correctly as a question of law becomes decisive.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
In a law-only appeal, you are locked into the facts the trial court found, so your appeal must win on the law applied to those facts, not on a different version of events. Attempts to re-argue the evidence will be rejected as raising questions of fact. When drafting, state clearly which legal question you are appealing and accept the found facts as your starting point. The distinction between a question of law and a question of fact is often decisive on whether the appeal is even admissible, so get it right at the drafting stage.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4750/2559 (2016)
Where a further appeal lies only on a question of law, in deciding that question the court must accept the facts found by the lower appellate court from the evidence in the file, applying Section 238 read with Section 247.
In an insurance-coverage dispute appealable only on a point of law, the Supreme Court held it had to accept the Court of Appeal's factual findings under Section 238 read with Section 247, and decided only the legal question of whether the certificate covered the claimed permanent disability.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 2120/2566 (2023)
In a case barred from further appeal on the facts, the court deciding the question of law must accept the facts found by the lower appellate court from the evidence, under Section 238 read with Section 247.
The case was barred from further appeal on the facts. The Supreme Court held that, in deciding the question of law, it had to accept the facts found by the Court of Appeal from the evidence under Section 238 read with Section 247, and proceeded on those found facts.
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
Can the appellate court change the facts in a law-only appeal?
No. Under Section 238, where an appeal lies only on a question of law, the appellate court must accept the facts found by the trial court from the evidence and decide only the legal question.
Does the same rule apply at the Supreme Court?
Yes, by way of Section 247. Where a further appeal lies only on a point of law, the Supreme Court accepts the facts found by the Court of Appeal, applying the Section 238 principle.
What if I want to challenge the facts?
You cannot in a law-only appeal. Arguments that re-weigh the evidence are treated as questions of fact and rejected. Only a properly framed question of law can be considered.