Article 253: Unlawful use of a genuine official seal
Statutory text (Thai original)
ผู้ใดได้มาซึ่งดวงตราหรือรอยตราดังกล่าวในมาตรา ๒๕๐ หรือมาตรา ๒๕๑ ซึ่งเป็นดวงตราหรือรอยตราอันแท้จริง และใช้ดวงตราหรือรอยตรานั้นโดยมิชอบในประการที่น่าจะทำให้ผู้อื่นหรือประชาชนเสียหาย ต้องระวางโทษสองในสามส่วนของโทษที่บัญญัติไว้ในมาตรา ๒๕๐ หรือมาตรา ๒๕๑ นั้น
English translation
Whoever obtains a seal or a seal impression referred to in Section 250 or Section 251, being a genuine seal or seal impression, and uses that seal or seal impression unlawfully in a manner likely to cause damage to another person or to the public, shall be liable to two thirds of the punishment prescribed in Section 250 or Section 251, as the case may be.
ThaiLawOnline translation, written from the Thai original and verified
Firm annotation
The distinguishing feature of this section is that the seal is genuine. Section 252 deals with using a seal, seal impression or Royal Signature that has been forged, and it carries the full penalty of Section 250 or Section 251. Section 253 covers the different case where the article itself is authentic but the accused obtained it and used it without authority. The elements are (1) obtaining a genuine seal or seal impression of the kind described in Section 250 or Section 251, (2) using it unlawfully, and (3) doing so in a manner likely to cause damage to another person or to the public. Because the article is genuine rather than forged, the punishment is set at two thirds of that provided by the section the seal falls under, rather than the full amount. The likelihood of damage is an element in its own right, so unauthorised use that could cause no damage to anyone falls outside the section.
Why this matters in practice
The first thing to establish is whether the seal is genuine or forged, because that decides the section and the penalty. A forged seal used by the accused falls under Section 252 and carries the full penalty of Section 250 or Section 251. A genuine seal obtained and then misused falls here, and the penalty is two thirds of that figure. The second element to test is the likelihood of damage: the section requires that the unlawful use be in a manner likely to cause damage to another person or to the public, so use that could harm nobody is outside it. In practice these cases arise where a former officer, employee or contractor retains access to an official stamp and applies it to documents after their authority has ended.
Cited in 5 Supreme Court decisions (1960 to 1992)
Décisions de citation sélectionnées
- Decision 2266-2278/2519 (1976)
- Décision 4632/2533 (1990)
- Decision 996/2535 (1992)
- Decision 1285/2503 (1960)
- Decision 1931/2522 (1979)
Cette liste est sélectionnée automatiquement, en privilégiant les jugements qui reposent sur cet article plutôt que sur ceux qui se contentent de le citer lors du prononcé de la peine. Elle n'a pas encore été examinée par le cabinet.
Le plus souvent cité aux côtés de
- Article 251 6
- Article 265 6
- Article 264 5
- Article 83 4
- Article 268 4
- Article 250 4
Sections qui apparaissent le plus souvent dans les mêmes jugements que celui-ci. Le chiffre correspond au nombre de décisions.
Calculé sur l'ensemble du corpus de 83 652 décisions de la Cour suprême du cabinet, de 1921 à 2026. Le décompte est exhaustif ; la plage d'années indiquée élimine les valeurs aberrantes rares afin de refléter la répartition réelle des citations. Ces chiffres sont calculés par nos soins et ne constituent pas des statistiques officielles de la Cour. Comment nous les comptons et ce que nous avons mesuré
Foire aux questions
What does Section 253 punish?
Obtaining a genuine seal or seal impression of the kind referred to in Section 250 or Section 251, and then using it unlawfully in a manner likely to cause damage to another person or to the public.
How is Section 253 different from Section 252?
By whether the seal is genuine. Section 252 covers using a seal, seal impression or Royal Signature that has been forged, and carries the full penalty of Section 250 or Section 251. Section 253 covers a genuine article misused, and carries two thirds of that penalty.
Is likely damage an element of Section 253?
Yes. The unlawful use must be in a manner likely to cause damage to another person or to the public, so unauthorised use that could cause no damage to anyone falls outside the section.
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Citer cette section
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Citation simple
Penal Code, s. 253 (Thailand) -
Citation académique
Penal Code (Thailand), s. 253. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-253/ (accessed 30 août 2026). -
Citation thaïlandaise
ป.อ. มาตรา 253 -
Lien permanent
https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-253/ -
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<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-253/"><p>Whoever obtains a seal or a seal impression referred to in Section 250 or Section 251, being a genuine seal or seal impression, and uses that seal or seal impression unlawfully in a manner likely to cause damage to another person or to the public,…</p><footer>Penal Code, s. 253 (Thailand): <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-253/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.