Article 39 — Extinguishment of the right to prosecute
Texte légal (original thaï)
สิทธินำคดีอาญามาฟ้องย่อมระงับไปดังต่อไปนี้
(๑) โดยความตายของผู้กระทำผิด
(๒) ในคดีความผิดต่อส่วนตัว เมื่อได้ถอนคำร้องทุกข์ ถอนฟ้องหรือยอมความกันโดยถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย
(๓) เมื่อคดีเลิกกันตามมาตรา ๓๗
(๔) เมื่อมีคำพิพากษาเสร็จเด็ดขาดในความผิดซึ่งได้ฟ้อง
(๕) เมื่อมีกฎหมายออกใช้ภายหลังการกระทำผิดยกเลิกความผิดเช่นนั้น
(๖) เมื่อคดีขาดอายุความ
(๗) เมื่อมีกฎหมายยกเว้นโทษ
traduction anglaise
The right to institute a criminal prosecution is extinguished as follows:
(1) by the death of the offender;
(2) in a case of a compoundable offence, when the complaint has been withdrawn, the charge withdrawn, or the case settled lawfully;
(3) when the case is terminated under Section 37;
(4) when a final judgment has been rendered on the offence charged;
(5) when a law enacted after the commission of the offence abolishes such offence;
(6) when the case is barred by prescription;
(7) when there is a law granting an exemption from punishment.
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 39 is the central provision on when the right to prosecute a criminal case is extinguished, gathering seven distinct grounds. It ties together several earlier sections: (2) covers the lawful withdrawal or settlement of compoundable offences under Section 35, and (3) covers termination by compounding under Section 37. Ground (2) applies only to a settlement made in criminal terms; a settlement of the civil part alone does not extinguish the criminal right. Ground (4), a final judgment, and (6), prescription, are among the most litigated. Where the right is extinguished, the court must not convict, and the point is one of public order the court may raise on its own.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
This section is often the deciding point in a criminal case, so check every ground before and during proceedings: a missed limitation deadline under (6) or an earlier final judgment under (4) can end the case outright. For compoundable offences, be precise that any settlement is a criminal settlement, because settling only the civil damages does not stop the prosecution. If you are considering settling or worried a case is time barred, consulter un avocat thaïlandais before acting.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 3681/2568 (2025)
A settlement under Section 39(2) means a settlement in criminal terms only; an injured person's statement giving up the civil claim while leaving the criminal case to the court's discretion is not a criminal settlement and does not extinguish the right to prosecute.
The injured person told the court he would not pursue the civil part and left the criminal part to the court's discretion. The court held that a settlement under Section 39(2) means a criminal settlement only, so this statement was not a settlement of the criminal case and the right to prosecute was not extinguished.
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 1543/2568 (2025)
When a compoundable offence is not pursued within the three-month prescription period under Penal Code Section 96, the case is barred and the right to prosecute is extinguished under Section 39(6).
The plaintiffs sought to amend the charge concerning a four-million-baht sum, a compoundable offence, only after the three-month period in Penal Code Section 96 had passed. The court held that part of the case was time barred, so the right to prosecute it was extinguished under Section 39(6).
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 1750/2568 (2025)
When the injured person withdraws the complaint in a compoundable offence, the right to prosecute that offence is extinguished under Section 39(2), and the associated civil restitution claim falls with it.
The injured person withdrew the complaint for the theft-by-vehicle charge against the first defendant, so the right to prosecute that offence was extinguished under Section 39(2). As a consequence, the civil claim for the unreturned property of 950 baht also fell away, a public-order point the Supreme Court raised on its own.
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 ends the right to prosecute a criminal case in Thailand?
Section 39 lists seven grounds: the offender's death, lawful withdrawal or settlement of a compoundable offence, termination under Section 37, a final judgment, a later law abolishing the offence, prescription, and a law exempting punishment.
Does settling the civil claim end the criminal case?
Not by itself. Under Section 39(2), only a settlement in criminal terms extinguishes the right to prosecute a compoundable offence. Settling only the civil damages does not stop the criminal case.
What happens if a criminal case is time barred?
Under Section 39(6), when the case is barred by prescription the right to prosecute is extinguished. The court cannot convict, and it may raise the point on its own as a matter of public order.