Article 78 — Refusal to accept service
Texte légal (original thaï)
ถ้าคู่ความหรือบุคคลที่ระบุไว้ในคำคู่ความหรือเอกสารปฏิเสธไม่ยอมรับคำคู่ความหรือเอกสารนั้นจากเจ้าพนักงานศาลโดยปราศจากเหตุอันชอบด้วยกฎหมาย เจ้าพนักงานนั้นชอบที่จะขอให้พนักงานเจ้าหน้าที่ฝ่ายปกครองที่มีอำนาจหรือเจ้าพนักงานตำรวจไปด้วยเพื่อเป็นพยาน และถ้าคู่ความหรือบุคคลนั้นยังคงปฏิเสธไม่ยอมรับอยู่อีก ก็ให้วางคำคู่ความหรือเอกสารไว้ ณ ที่นั้น เมื่อได้ทำดังนี้แล้วให้ถือว่าการส่งคำคู่ความหรือเอกสารนั้นเป็นการถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย
traduction anglaise
If the party or the person named in the pleading or document refuses to accept the pleading or document from the court officer without lawful cause, the officer is entitled to request a competent administrative official or a police officer to go along as a witness; and if the party or person still refuses to accept it, the officer shall leave the pleading or document there. When this has been done, the service of the pleading or document shall be regarded as lawful.
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 78 deals with the recipient who refuses service without lawful cause. It gives the officer a controlled procedure: request an administrative official or police officer as a witness, and if refusal continues, leave the document at the place, after which service is deemed lawful. The witness requirement is the safeguard for the leave-there step, and it is distinct from posting under Section 79. Where the officer leaves a document after refusal without the required witness, the service is defective; the section is one of the six that qualify ordinary service under Section 74.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
Refusing a summons rarely helps; done without lawful cause, it triggers the leave-there procedure and service still stands. But the officer must follow the steps, and leaving a document after refusal without an administrative official or police officer as a witness can be challenged as defective service. If a default was entered against you after a disputed refusal, the service record is where to look. Our guide on comparaître devant un tribunal en Thaïlande explains what to expect.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 345/2520 (1977)
Where a defendant refuses the summons and copy of the plaint and the officer leaves them in front of the defendant without an administrative official or police officer present as a witness, the service is unlawful under Section 78, so the proceedings from that point are invalid.
The officer served the summons and copy of the plaint, the defendant refused, and the officer left them in front of the defendant without an administrative official or police witness. The court held this violated Section 78, and later posting of the hearing notice without a court order breached Section 79, so service had never been effected and the proceedings from then on were invalid.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1816/2527 (1984)
Section 78 does not require a local police officer as a witness in every case; posting the notice at the guarantor's stated domicile in the bail contract was valid, and the witness requirement does not apply to that posting where there was no refusal.
A bail guarantor argued the posting of the notice at his contract address was invalid for lack of a police witness. The court held that since the guarantor had not notified the court of any change of address, posting at the address in the bail contract was valid, and Section 78 did not require a local police witness for that posting.
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
What happens if I refuse to accept a summons?
Under Section 78, if you refuse without lawful cause, the officer may bring an administrative official or police officer as a witness and, if you still refuse, leave the document there. That is treated as lawful service, so refusing does not stop the case.
Must the officer bring a witness when leaving a refused document?
Yes. For the leave-there step under Section 78 the officer is to have an administrative official or police officer as a witness. Leaving a refused document without that witness can be challenged as defective service.