Article 23 — Transfer between competent courts
Texte légal (original thaï)
เมื่อศาลแต่สองศาลขึ้นไปต่างมีอำนาจชำระคดี ถ้าได้ยื่นฟ้องคดีนั้นต่อศาลหนึ่งซึ่งตามฟ้องความผิดมิได้เกิดในเขต โจทก์หรือจำเลยจะร้องขอให้โอนคดีไปชำระที่ศาลอื่นซึ่งความผิดได้เกิดในเขตก็ได้ถ้าโจทก์ยื่นฟ้องต่อศาลซึ่งความผิดเกิดในเขต แต่ต่อมาความปรากฏแก่โจทก์ว่าการพิจารณาคดีจะสะดวกยิ่งขึ้นถ้าให้อีกศาลหนึ่งซึ่งมีอำนาจชำระคดีได้พิจารณาคดีนั้น โจทก์จะยื่นคำร้องต่อศาลซึ่งคดีนั้นอยู่ในระหว่างพิจารณาขอโอนคดีไปยังอีกศาลหนึ่งก็ได้ แม้ว่าจำเลยจะคัดค้านก็ตาม เมื่อศาลเห็นสมควรจะโอนคดีไปหรือยกคำร้องเสียก็ได้
traduction anglaise
Where two or more courts each have jurisdiction to try a case, if the case has been filed at one court within whose jurisdiction, according to the charge, the offense did not occur, the plaintiff or the defendant may request that the case be transferred to another court within whose jurisdiction the offense occurred. If the plaintiff has filed at the court within whose jurisdiction the offense occurred, but it later appears to the plaintiff that the trial would be more convenient if another court having jurisdiction were to try the case, the plaintiff may file a motion with the court where the case is pending requesting transfer of the case to the other court; and even if the defendant objects, when the court deems it appropriate it may transfer the case or dismiss the motion.
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 23 governs the transfer of a criminal case between courts that both have jurisdiction, and it offers two distinct routes. First, where the case was filed at a court in whose area the offense did not occur, either the plaintiff or the defendant may ask to move it to the court of the place of the offense. Second, where the plaintiff filed correctly at the court of the offense but later finds another competent court more convenient, the plaintiff may move to transfer there, and the court may grant it even if the defendant objects, or refuse the motion in its discretion. Together with Section 26, this section forms the Criminal Procedure Code's dedicated transfer scheme, so the general civil transfer rules cannot be borrowed through Section 15 to do the same job.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
Transfer can be a real strategic tool: moving a case to the court of the offense, or to a more convenient competent court, can shorten travel, ease witness attendance, and cut cost. The transfer decision is discretionary and can be granted over a defendant's objection, so a well-argued motion showing convenience matters. Because criminal transfers run only through Sections 23 and 26, and not through the civil rules, framing the request correctly is important; a licensed Thai lawyer can prepare the motion and address the court's discretion.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1330/2532 (1989)
Because the Criminal Procedure Code has specific transfer provisions in Sections 23 and 26, the civil transfer rules in Civil Procedure Code Sections 6 and 8 cannot be applied to a criminal case through Section 15.
The defendant sought to have the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal decide a transfer using Civil Procedure Code Sections 6 and 8 through Section 15. The Court refused, holding that criminal cases have their own transfer scheme in Sections 23 and 26, so the civil provisions could not be applied to the defendant's situation.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 109/2508 (1965)
A transfer of a case to another court under Section 23 paragraph two rests in the court's discretion, to be exercised as appropriate to the circumstances of each case.
The Court held that transferring a case to another court under Section 23 paragraph two is a matter for the court's discretion, decided according to the circumstances and reasons of each individual case.
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 a criminal case be transferred to another court in Thailand?
Yes. Under Section 23, when more than one court has jurisdiction, the case can be transferred to the court where the offense occurred, or, if the plaintiff shows another competent court is more convenient, to that court.
Can the court transfer the case if the defendant objects?
Yes. Where the plaintiff seeks transfer for convenience, Section 23 lets the court transfer the case even over the defendant's objection, or dismiss the motion, in its discretion.
Can I use the Civil Procedure Code rules to transfer a criminal case?
No. Criminal transfers are governed specifically by Sections 23 and 26, so the civil transfer rules cannot be borrowed through Section 15 for this purpose.