Article 96 — Daytime search rule and exceptions
Texte légal (original thaï)
การค้นในที่รโหฐานต้องกระทำระหว่างพระอาทิตย์ขึ้นและตก มีข้อยกเว้นดังนี้
(๑)
เมื่อลงมือค้นแต่ในเวลากลางวัน ถ้ายังไม่เสร็จจะค้นต่อไปในเวลากลางคืนก็ได้
(๒) ในกรณีฉุกเฉินอย่างยิ่ง
หรือซึ่งมีกฎหมายอื่นบัญญัติให้ค้นได้เป็นพิเศษ จะทำการค้นในเวลากลางคืนก็ได้
(๓) การค้นเพื่อจับผู้ดุร้ายหรือผู้ร้ายสำคัญจะทำในเวลากลางคืนก็ได้
แต่ต้องได้รับอนุญาตพิเศษจากศาลตามหลักเกณฑ์และวิธีการที่กำหนดในข้อบังคับของประธานศาลฎีกา
traduction anglaise
A search in a private place must be conducted between sunrise and sunset. The exceptions are as follows:
(1) Where a search has begun during the daytime, if it is not yet finished, it may be continued into the night;
(2) In a case of extreme urgency, or where another law specially provides that a search may be made, the search may be conducted at night;
(3) A search to arrest a dangerous person or an important offender may be conducted at night, but special permission from the court must first be obtained in accordance with the rules and procedure prescribed in the regulations of the President of the Supreme 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 96 imposes a general daytime limit on searches of private places within Chapter 2 (Search), reflecting the heightened intrusion of a night entry. Its three exceptions are frequently paired with Section 92(4): the extreme-urgency exception in (2) is the usual basis for warrantless night searches in drug cases, while (1) covers searches that run past sunset. The night search to arrest a dangerous or important offender under (3) uniquely requires prior special permission of the court under the rules of the President of the Supreme Court.
Pourquoi cela est important en pratique
A night search of a home is the exception, not the norm, so the timing of a search can matter to its lawfulness. If officers entered after dark, check which exception they relied on: a daytime search that simply ran late is treated differently from a fresh night entry justified by extreme urgency. Timing questions often arise in drug and firearm cases and can be raised at trial. See Ce qu'il faut savoir avant de se présenter devant un tribunal en Thaïlande.
Décisions de la Cour suprême interprétant cette section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4825/2553 (2010)
A warrantless night search of a house is not suspicious or unlawful where the circumstances fall within Section 92(4) read together with Section 96(2).
The accused argued that searching the house at night without a warrant was suspicious. The court held it was not, because the circumstances fell within Section 92(4) together with Section 96(2), and affirmed the Court of Appeal, rejecting the accused's petition on this point.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 6403/2545 (2002)
Where a search and arrest begin during daytime and are not finished, the officer may lawfully continue the search and arrest into the night under Section 96(1).
The daily case record showed the officers began the search and arrest at 18:02, which was still daytime. Because the search was not yet finished, the court held the officers had power to continue it into the night under Section 96(1).
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 7387/2543 (2000)
Although searches of a private place must ordinarily be by daytime under Section 96, a warrantless night search may fall within the urgency exception where drugs could easily be moved or destroyed at night and getting a warrant would cause delay.
Officers had arrested a person with 95 methamphetamine tablets late in the afternoon near dark. Because drugs are easily moved at night and the police station was far from the court, obtaining a warrant would cause delay during which the drugs could be moved. The court held the case fell within the exception permitting a search without a warrant, notwithstanding the daytime rule in Section 96.
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 police search a house at night in Thailand?
Only under an exception to Section 96: a daytime search continued into the night, a case of extreme urgency (or where another law allows it), or a search to arrest a dangerous or important offender with special court permission.
What counts as extreme urgency for a night search?
Courts have found extreme urgency where evidence such as drugs could easily be moved or destroyed at night before a warrant could be obtained, often reading Section 96(2) together with Section 92(4).
If a search starts in the day but runs late, is it still lawful?
Yes. Under Section 96(1), a search that has begun during the daytime may lawfully continue into the night until it is finished.