Article 253: Security for costs against the plaintiff
Statutory text (Thai original)
ถ้าโจทก์มิได้มีภูมิลำเนาหรือสำนักทำการงานอยู่ในราชอาณาจักรและไม่มีทรัพย์สินที่อาจถูกบังคับคดีได้อยู่ในราชอาณาจักร หรือถ้าเป็นที่เชื่อได้ว่าเมื่อโจทก์แพ้คดีแล้วจะหลีกเลี่ยงไม่ชำระค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมและค่าใช้จ่าย จำเลยอาจยื่นคำร้องต่อศาลไม่ว่าเวลาใด ๆ ก่อนพิพากษาขอให้ศาลมีคำสั่งให้โจทก์วางเงินต่อศาลหรือหาประกันมาให้เพื่อการชำระค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมและค่าใช้จ่ายดังกล่าวได้ถ้าศาลไต่สวนแล้วเห็นว่า มีเหตุอันสมควรหรือมีเหตุเป็นที่เชื่อได้ แล้วแต่กรณี ก็ให้ศาลมีคำสั่งให้โจทก์วางเงินต่อศาลหรือหาประกันมาให้ตามจำนวนและภายในระยะเวลาที่กำหนด โดยจะกำหนดเงื่อนไขใด ๆ ตามที่เห็นสมควรก็ได้ถ้าโจทก์มิได้ปฏิบัติตามคำสั่งศาลตามวรรคสอง ให้ศาลมีคำสั่งจำหน่ายคดีออกจากสารบบความ เว้นแต่จำเลยจะขอให้ดำเนินการพิจารณาต่อไป หรือมีการอุทธรณ์คำสั่งศาลตามวรรคสอง
English translation
If the plaintiff has no domicile or place of business within the Kingdom and has no property that may be subjected to execution within the Kingdom, or if it is believed that, should the plaintiff lose the case, the plaintiff will evade payment of the court fees and expenses, the defendant may at any time before judgment file a motion asking the court to order the plaintiff to deposit money with the court or to provide security for the payment of such court fees and expenses.
If, after inquiry, the court is of the view that there is reasonable cause or credible grounds, as the case may be, the court shall order the plaintiff to deposit money with the court or to provide security in the amount and within the time it fixes, and it may impose any conditions it thinks fit.
If the plaintiff does not comply with the court's order under paragraph two, the court shall order the case struck off the cause list, unless the defendant asks that the proceedings continue, or unless the order under paragraph two is appealed.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified. Always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 253 opens Book 4 on provisional measures and protects a defendant against a plaintiff who could win nothing worth pursuing on costs. It applies in two situations: a plaintiff with no domicile, place of business, or attachable property in the Kingdom, and a plaintiff believed likely to evade paying costs after losing. The defendant applies by motion at any time before judgment, the court holds an inquiry, and if satisfied it orders a deposit or security on terms it sets. Non-compliance leads to the case being struck off, unless the defendant elects to proceed anyway or the order is appealed. Section 253/2 extends the same protection to the appeal and dika stages.
Why this matters in practice
This is a practical shield for a Thai defendant sued by an overseas claimant with nothing to enforce against locally: you can ask the court, before judgment, to make the plaintiff post security for your costs, and if the plaintiff refuses the case can be struck off. Bring solid evidence of the plaintiff's lack of local domicile or attachable assets, because the court must hold an inquiry first. Conversely, a foreign plaintiff should expect this application and plan for it. Our litigation and enforcement team handles both sides of such motions.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Arrêt de la Cour suprême n° 1376/2549 (2006)
An order dismissing a motion under Section 253 for security for costs is a ruling on the issue the motion raised, even where the court gave its reasons on only one of the grounds relied on. If the party does not appeal against it and instead files a second motion on the same facts, adding only material that supports the same allegation of evasion, the second motion is a repetition of proceedings barred by Section 144.
The defendant's first motion for security for costs was dismissed without an inquiry, the court holding that the motion disclosed no facts making it believable that the plaintiff would evade payment if it lost. The defendant did not appeal and filed a second motion on the same grounds, adding only that a court in another case had since ordered the plaintiff to give such security. The Supreme Court held the fresh material still went to the same essential issue, so the second motion was a repetition of proceedings barred by Section 144, read with sections 45 and 26 of the Act establishing the Intellectual Property and International Trade Court. It did not decide whether the requirements of Section 253 were met.
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Arrêt de la Cour suprême n° 6605/2548 (2005)
A party who stands as defendant to a counterclaim may invoke Section 253 to ask the court to order the counterclaiming party, in its capacity as plaintiff on the counterclaim, to deposit money or provide security for costs.
The Court held that the plaintiff and joined plaintiff, who were defendants to the defendant's counterclaim, could apply under Section 253 for an order that the defendant, as plaintiff on the counterclaim, deposit money or provide security for court fees and expenses.
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Arrêt de la Cour suprême n° 178/2551 (2008)
A defendant who has filed a defence and counterclaim may apply under Section 253 for an order that the plaintiff deposit money with the court or provide security for court fees and expenses.
After filing a defence and counterclaim, the defendant applied under Section 253 for an order that the plaintiff deposit money or provide security for court fees and expenses, alongside a separate application for provisional attachment under Section 254(1).
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Cited in 16 Supreme Court decisions (1956 to 2008)
Décisions de citation sélectionnées
- Decision 6605/2548 (2005)
- Decision 271/2543 (2000)
- Decision 5089/2540 (1997)
- Decision 1107/2530 (1987)
- Decision 1106/2530 (1987)
- Decision 171/2530 (1987)
- Decision 1487/2529 (1986)
- Decision 3155/2526 (1983)
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.
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Foire aux questions
Puis-je exiger d'un plaignant étranger qu'il fournisse une garantie pour les frais ?
Oui. En vertu de l'article 253, si le demandeur n'a ni domicile, ni bureau, ni bien saisissable en Thaïlande, ou s'il est susceptible d'échapper aux frais s'il perd, le défendeur peut demander au tribunal d'ordonner un dépôt ou une garantie.
Que se passe-t-il si le plaignant ne fournit pas les garanties ?
Le tribunal raye l'affaire du rôle, à moins que le défendeur ne demande la poursuite de la procédure ou que l'ordonnance exigeant une garantie ne fasse l'objet d'un appel.
Quand le défendeur peut-il déposer cette requête ?
À tout moment avant le jugement. Le tribunal procède alors à une enquête et, s'il existe un motif raisonnable ou des éléments crédibles, fixe le montant, le délai et les conditions du dépôt ou de la garantie.
Guides connexes sur ThaiLawOnline
Citer cette section
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Citation simple
Civil Procedure Code, s. 253 (Thailand) -
Citation académique
Civil Procedure Code (Thailand), s. 253. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-253/ (accessed 1 septembre 2026). -
Citation thaïlandaise
ป.วิ.พ. มาตรา 253 -
Lien permanent
https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-253/ -
Intégrer sur votre site
<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-253/"><p>If the plaintiff has no domicile or place of business within the Kingdom and has no property that may be subjected to execution within the Kingdom, or if it is believed that, should the plaintiff lose the case, the plaintiff will evade payment of the…</p><footer>Civil Procedure Code, s. 253 (Thailand): <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-civil-procedure-code/section-253/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.