Article 21 — Deciding the responsible inquirer
Texte légal (original thaï)
ในกรณีที่ไม่แน่ว่าพนักงานสอบสวนคนใดในจังหวัดเดียวกันควรเป็นพนักงานสอบสวนผู้รับผิดชอบ ให้ข้าหลวงประจำจังหวัดนั้นมีอำนาจชี้ขาด แต่ในจังหวัดพระนครและธนบุรี ให้ผู้บังคับบัญชาของพนักงานสอบสวนซึ่งมีตำแหน่งตั้งแต่รองอธิบดีกรมตำรวจขึ้นไปเป็นผู้ชี้ขาดในกรณีที่ไม่แน่ว่าพนักงานสอบสวนคนใดในระหว่างหลายจังหวัด ควรเป็นพนักงานสอบสวนผู้รับผิดชอบ ให้อธิบดีกรมอัยการหรือผู้ทำการแทนเป็นผู้ชี้ขาดการรอคำชี้ขาดนั้น ไม่เป็นเหตุให้งดการสอบสวน
traduction anglaise
In the case where it is uncertain which inquiry official in the same province should be the responsible inquiry official, the provincial governor of that province shall have the power to decide; but for Phra Nakhon Province and Thon Buri Province, the superior of the inquiry officials holding a position from Deputy Director-General of the Police Department and above shall be the person to decide. In the case where it is uncertain which inquiry official among several provinces should be the responsible inquiry official, the Director-General of the Public Prosecution Department or the person acting in that capacity shall be the person to decide. Awaiting the decision shall not be a ground for suspending the inquiry.
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 21 supplies the tie-breaker that Sections 18 to 20 need: when the connecting factors leave it genuinely uncertain which inquiry official is responsible, someone must decide. Within a single province that decider is the provincial governor, with a special rule naming a senior police superior for the historic Phra Nakhon and Thon Buri areas; where the uncertainty spans several provinces, the head of the Public Prosecution Department, or the acting head, decides. The section also protects the timeline by providing that awaiting the ruling does not suspend the inquiry, so investigation continues in the interim. The office titles reflect the administrative structure of an earlier era and should be read against the current organization of the police and prosecution services.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
The practical value of Section 21 is that a jurisdictional doubt does not paralyze an investigation or hand a defendant an automatic exit; the designated decider settles who is responsible while the inquiry keeps moving. For a defendant, the point is narrower than it looks: this section resolves genuine uncertainty between officials, and it does not cure a case where an official acted with no jurisdiction at all under Sections 18 to 20. If you think jurisdiction was mishandled, a licensed Thai lawyer can tell whether the real issue is a Section 21 tie-break or a fatal lack of authority.
Foire aux questions
Who decides which inquiry official is responsible when it is unclear?
Under Section 21, within one province the provincial governor decides; a senior police superior decides for the old Phra Nakhon and Thon Buri areas; and across several provinces the head of the Public Prosecution Department decides.
Does the inquiry stop while waiting for a decision under Section 21?
No. Section 21 expressly states that awaiting the decision is not a ground to suspend the inquiry, so investigation continues in the meantime.