Article 319: Taking a consenting minor aged 15 to 18 for profit or indecency
Statutory text (Thai original)
ผู้ใดพรากผู้เยาว์อายุกว่าสิบห้าปี แต่ยังไม่เกินสิบแปดปีไปเสียจากบิดามารดา ผู้ปกครอง หรือผู้ดูแล เพื่อหากำไร หรือเพื่อการอนาจาร โดยผู้เยาว์นั้นเต็มใจไปด้วย ต้องระวางโทษจำคุกตั้งแต่สองปีถึงสิบปี และปรับตั้งแต่สี่หมื่นบาทถึงสองแสนบาท ผู้ใดโดยทุจริต ซื้อ จำหน่าย หรือรับตัวผู้เยาว์ซึ่งถูกพรากตามวรรคแรก ต้องระวางโทษเช่นเดียวกับผู้พรากนั้น หมายเหตุ: [อัตราโทษ แก้ไขเพิ่มเติมโดยมาตรา ๑๑ แห่งพระราชบัญญัติแก้ไขเพิ่มเติมประมวลกฎหมายอาญา (ฉบับที่ ๒๖) พ.ศ. ๒๕๖๐]
English translation
Whoever takes a minor over fifteen but not over eighteen years of age away from its parents, guardian or carer, for profit or for an indecent purpose, with that minor being willing to go, shall be liable to imprisonment from two to ten years and a fine from forty thousand to two hundred thousand baht.
Whoever dishonestly buys, disposes of, or receives a minor taken away under paragraph one shall be liable to the same punishment as the person who took the minor away.
ThaiLawOnline translation, written from the Thai original and verified
Firm annotation
This section and Section 318 form a pair, and what separates them is the minor's willingness. Section 318 applies where a minor over fifteen but not over eighteen is taken away without being willing to go, and it needs no special purpose. Section 319 applies where the minor is willing, and for that reason it adds a purpose element: the taking must be for profit or for an indecent purpose. Absent that purpose, taking a willing minor of that age is not an offence under either section. Paragraph two applies the same penalty to a person who dishonestly buys, disposes of or receives the minor. As with Section 317, the interest protected is the authority of the parent, guardian or carer rather than the minor's own liberty, which is why the minor's consent does not answer the charge.
Why this matters in practice
The charge under this section stands or falls on purpose. Because the minor aged over fifteen but not over eighteen was willing to go, the prosecution must prove the taking was for profit or for an indecent purpose; establish that neither was present and there is no offence under Section 318 or Section 319. That makes evidence of payment, arrangement or sexual context decisive, and it is why messages and transfers matter more than the fact of the departure. Note that the minor's consent is not a defence once the purpose is proved, because the section protects the authority of the parent, guardian or carer rather than the minor's liberty, and that a person who dishonestly buys, disposes of or receives the minor faces the same two to ten year range.
Cited in 131 Supreme Court decisions (1960 to 2025)
Décisions de citation sélectionnées
- Decision 7179/2568 (2025)
- Decision 494/2565 (2022)
- Decision 2425/2564 (2021)
- Decision 8420-8421/2558 (2015)
- Décision 21427/2556 (2013)
- Decision 19979/2555 (2012)
- Décision 14163/2555 (2012)
- Decision 13637/2555 (2012)
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 91 75
- Article 78 59
- Article 318 46
- Article 276 43
- Article 83 42
- Article 310 28
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 must be proved under Section 319?
That a minor over fifteen but not over eighteen was taken away from parents, guardian or carer, that the minor was willing to go, and that the taking was for profit or for an indecent purpose. Without that purpose there is no offence under this section.
How does Section 319 differ from Section 318?
By the minor's willingness. Section 318 applies where the minor was not willing to go and needs no special purpose. Section 319 applies where the minor was willing, and for that reason requires that the taking be for profit or for an indecent purpose.
Is the minor's consent a defence?
No. Once the purpose of profit or indecency is proved, consent does not answer the charge, because the section protects the authority of the parent, guardian or carer rather than the minor's own liberty. The penalty is two to ten years and a fine of 40,000 to 200,000 baht.
Guides connexes sur ThaiLawOnline
Citer cette section
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Citation simple
Penal Code, s. 319 (Thailand) -
Citation académique
Penal Code (Thailand), s. 319. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-319/ (accessed 30 août 2026). -
Citation thaïlandaise
ป.อ. มาตรา 319 -
Lien permanent
https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-319/ -
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<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-319/"><p>Whoever takes a minor over fifteen but not over eighteen years of age away from its parents, guardian or carer, for profit or for an indecent purpose, with that minor being willing to go, shall be liable to imprisonment from two to ten years and…</p><footer>Penal Code, s. 319 (Thailand): <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-319/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.