Article 277 — Examination of the debtor's assets
Texte légal (original thaï)
ในการบังคับคดี ถ้าเจ้าหนี้ตามคำพิพากษามีเหตุอันสมควรเชื่อได้ว่าลูกหนี้ตามคำพิพากษามีทรัพย์สินที่จะต้องถูกบังคับคดีมากกว่าที่ตนทราบ หรือมีทรัพย์สินที่จะต้องถูกบังคับคดีแต่ไม่ทราบว่าทรัพย์สินนั้นตั้งอยู่หรือเก็บรักษาไว้ที่ใด หรือมีเหตุอันควรสงสัยว่าทรัพย์สินใดเป็นของลูกหนี้ตามคำพิพากษาหรือไม่ เจ้าหนี้ตามคำพิพากษาอาจยื่นคำขอฝ่ายเดียวโดยทำเป็นคำร้องเพื่อให้ศาลทำการไต่สวนได้
เมื่อมีคำขอตามวรรคหนึ่ง หรือเมื่อศาลเห็นสมควรเพื่อประโยชน์แก่การบังคับคดีในคดีมโนสาเร่ ศาลมีอำนาจออกหมายเรียกลูกหนี้ตามคำพิพากษาหรือบุคคลอื่นที่เชื่อว่าอยู่ในฐานะที่จะให้ถ้อยคำอันจะเป็นประโยชน์มาศาลด้วยตนเองเพื่อการไต่สวนเช่นว่านั้นได้ และมีอำนาจสั่งให้บุคคลนั้น ๆ ส่งเอกสาร หรือวัตถุพยานซึ่งอยู่ในความยึดถือหรืออำนาจของผู้นั้นอันเกี่ยวกับทรัพย์สินของลูกหนี้ตามคำพิพากษา ทั้งนี้ ตามกำหนดและเงื่อนไขใด ๆ ที่เห็นสมควร
traduction anglaise
In execution, if the judgment creditor has reasonable grounds to believe that the judgment debtor has property that may be subject to execution beyond what the creditor knows of, or has property subject to execution but the creditor does not know where such property is located or kept, or there are reasonable grounds to doubt whether any property belongs to the judgment debtor, the judgment creditor may file an ex parte application, in the form of a motion, for the court to conduct an inquiry.
Upon such an application under paragraph one, or where the court considers it appropriate for the purpose of execution in a summary case, the court has power to summon the judgment debtor, or another person believed to be in a position to give information that would be useful, to appear in person before the court for such an inquiry, and has power to order such persons to produce documents or material evidence in their possession or control relating to the judgment debtor's property, subject to any conditions the court considers appropriate.
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 277 opens Book 4, Title 2, Part 5 and gives the judgment creditor an investigative tool when assets are concealed or hard to trace. It applies in three situations: belief that the debtor has more assets than the creditor knows of, inability to locate known assets, or doubt over whether property truly belongs to the debtor. On an ex parte motion, or on the court's own initiative in a summary case, the court may summon the debtor or informed third parties to be examined in person and to produce documents and evidence about the debtor's property. The remedy supports, but is distinct from, actual seizure and attachment: it exists to reveal what and where the assets are.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
Asset tracing is often the hardest part of enforcement, and this section is the lever for it: if you suspect undisclosed accounts, land, or shares, you can have the court summon the debtor and even third parties, such as banks or business partners, to disclose and produce records. Use it for what it is designed for, uncovering unknown or hidden assets; where you already know the asset and its details, you simply direct a seizure and do not need a Section 277 inquiry. Building a proper asset picture early makes the rest of debt recovery far more effective.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1376/2565 (2022)
A judgment creditor may apply for the court to conduct an inquiry into the judgment debtor's affairs and assets under Section 277, and the court may summon the debtor to be examined.
After a dispute over withdrawal fees in the execution, the creditors applied for the court to inquire into the affairs and assets of the debtors under Section 277, and the trial court summoned the debtors for examination. The decision confirms that this asset-examination route is available to a judgment creditor seeking to uncover the debtors' property.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 5469/2564 (2021)
Under Section 277, a judgment creditor may apply to summon the judgment debtor and third parties, such as account holders, to be examined about funds and to produce bank records where there is reason to believe the funds belong to the debtor.
The creditor asserted that funds in bank accounts held in the names of the second defendant and another person actually belonged to the first defendant, and applied under Section 277 to summon the defendants and that person for examination and to produce the passbooks, so the court could determine ownership and attach the funds toward the judgment debt.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4300/2558 (2015)
A Section 277 inquiry is for cases where the creditor believes the debtor has other assets but does not know what they are or where they are; it is not required in order to seize further assets whose details the creditor already knows.
The debtor argued that the creditor had to file a Section 277 motion for examination before seizing additional property. The Supreme Court held that Section 277 applies only where the creditor believes the debtor has other assets but does not know what or where they are; since the creditor already knew the details of the further property, no such inquiry was needed to seize it.
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
How can a creditor find a debtor's hidden assets?
Under Section 277, a judgment creditor with reasonable grounds may file an ex parte motion asking the court to hold an inquiry. The court can summon the debtor or others to testify in person and produce documents about the debtor's property.
Do I need a Section 277 inquiry to seize assets I already know about?
No. Section 277 is for uncovering assets you cannot identify or locate, or whose ownership is in doubt. If you already know the asset and its details, you can simply direct a seizure without an inquiry.
Can the court summon third parties, not just the debtor?
Yes. The court may summon any person believed to hold useful information about the debtor's property, such as a bank or business associate, to be examined in person and to produce relevant documents or evidence.