Section 228 — Court Power to Take Additional Evidence
Texte légal (original thaï)
ระหว่างพิจารณาโดยพลการหรือคู่ความฝ่ายใดร้องขอ ศาลมีอำนาจสืบพยานเพิ่มเติม จะสืบเองหรือส่งประเด็นก็ได้
traduction anglaise
During the trial, on its own motion or upon application by any party, the court has the power to take additional evidence; it may take the evidence itself or issue a commission to another court.
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 228 gives the trial court an active, inquisitorial power to complete the evidentiary record during proceedings, either on its own initiative or on a party's request. It sits in Book 5 General Principles and reflects the Thai court's duty to seek the truth rather than remaining wholly passive. The court may hear the additional evidence directly or issue a commission to another court under Section 230. Read with Section 208(1), appellate courts may also direct that further evidence be taken, and Section 15 imports the analogous civil-procedure mechanism (Civil Procedure Code Section 120) for rebutting a witness's credibility.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
For litigants, this section means a gap in the evidence is not necessarily fatal, the court can order more evidence to be taken, and a party can move it to do so. It is particularly relevant where a guilty plea leaves genuine doubt: the court can take additional evidence before convicting rather than simply accepting the plea. If you believe key evidence was never properly heard, your lawyer can ask the trial or appellate court to invoke this power. Preparing before comparaître devant un tribunal en Thaïlande helps you spot where a request for further evidence may be needed.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 5172/2566 (2023)
The court may take additional evidence on its own motion or on a party's request under Section 228, and, through Section 15, may apply Civil Procedure Code Section 120 to allow a party to rebut a witness's credibility.
The court affirmed that even while the defense evidence was being taken, it could take additional evidence under Section 228, and, applying Civil Procedure Code Section 120 through Section 15, allow a party to support its claim that an opposing witness should not be believed.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4790/2564 (2021)
Where a guilty plea leaves doubt whether the defendant committed the offense or whether the act is an offense, the court should take additional evidence under Section 228 before judgment rather than convicting on the plea alone.
The court held that a guilty plea does not always require immediate judgment; where there is doubt, the trial court should use its power under Section 228 to take additional evidence, or the appellate court may order the trial court to do so under Section 208(1).
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 423/2565 (2022)
An appellate court should not decide a disputed factual point without taking additional evidence under Section 208(1) together with Section 228 where doing so is needed for a correct and just decision.
The court held that the appellate court should have taken additional evidence under Section 208(1) with Section 228 on whether the defendant held a driving licence before ruling, rather than deciding the point hastily.
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 court take more evidence on its own initiative?
Yes. Section 228 empowers the court to take additional evidence during the trial either on its own motion or when a party requests, and it may hear it itself or send the matter to another court.
What happens if a guilty plea leaves doubt about guilt?
The court can use Section 228 to take additional evidence before deciding, rather than convicting on the plea alone, so that the truth is established where genuine doubt exists.