Article 378: Drunk and disorderly in a public place
Statutory text (Thai original)
ผู้ใดเสพสุราหรือของเมาอย่างอื่น จนเป็นเหตุให้ตนเมา ประพฤติวุ่นวายหรือครองสติไม่ได้ขณะอยู่ในถนนสาธารณะ หรือสาธารณสถาน ต้องระวางโทษปรับไม่เกินห้าพันบาท หมายเหตุ: [อัตราโทษ แก้ไขเพิ่มเติมโดยมาตรา ๖ แห่งพระราชบัญญัติแก้ไขเพิ่มเติมประมวลกฎหมายอาญา (ฉบับที่ ๒๒) พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๘]
English translation
Whoever consumes liquor or another intoxicant so as to become intoxicated and behaves in a disorderly manner, or is unable to control himself, while on a public road or in a public place, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand baht.
ThaiLawOnline translation, written from the Thai original and verified
Firm annotation
The elements are (1) consuming liquor or another intoxicant, (2) becoming intoxicated as a result, (3) behaving in a disorderly manner or being unable to control oneself, and (4) being on a public road or in a public place at the time. Intoxication alone is not the offence, and disorderly behaviour alone is not this offence either; the section requires both, in public. It is a fine-only provision capped at 5,000 baht, with no imprisonment. It should not be confused with drink-driving, which falls under the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 and carries substantially heavier penalties including imprisonment and licence suspension, nor with quarrelling noisily or disturbing the peace of a public place under Section 372.
Why this matters in practice
For foreign visitors this is the provision most often behind a police station visit after a night out, and the important point is how small it is: a fine of up to 5,000 baht and no imprisonment. What makes a Section 378 matter serious is what is charged alongside it, typically use of force under Section 391, insult under Section 393, or damage to property under Section 358, and above all drink-driving under the Land Traffic Act, which is a separate and far heavier offence. Being drunk in public is not itself an offence under this section: the prosecution must also establish disorderly behaviour or loss of self-control, in a public place.
Cited in 13 Supreme Court decisions (1964 to 2003)
Décisions de citation sélectionnées
- Decision 9590/2544 (2001)
- Decision 2075/2527 (1984)
- Decision 1100/2516 (1973)
- Decision 238/2515 (1972)
- Decision 437/2515 (1972)
- Decision 2674/2527 (1984)
- Decision 1904/2546 (2003)
- Decision 525/2526 (1983)
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 11
- Article 371 6
- Article 80 6
- Article 90 5
- Article 288 5
- Article 83 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
L'ivresse sur la voie publique est-elle un crime en Thaïlande ?
Not on its own. Section 378 requires that the person drank to the point of intoxication and then behaved in a disorderly manner, or was unable to control themselves, on a public road or in a public place. The penalty is a fine of up to 5,000 baht, with no imprisonment.
How does Section 378 relate to drink-driving?
They are different offences. Section 378 is a fine-only petty offence about disorderly conduct while intoxicated in public. Drink-driving is dealt with by the Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 and carries far heavier penalties, including imprisonment and licence suspension.
Guides connexes sur ThaiLawOnline
Citer cette section
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Citation simple
Penal Code, s. 378 (Thailand) -
Citation académique
Penal Code (Thailand), s. 378. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-378/ (accessed 30 août 2026). -
Citation thaïlandaise
ป.อ. มาตรา 378 -
Lien permanent
https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-378/ -
Intégrer sur votre site
<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-378/"><p>Whoever consumes liquor or another intoxicant so as to become intoxicated and behaves in a disorderly manner, or is unable to control himself, while on a public road or in a public place, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand baht.</p><footer>Penal Code, s. 378 (Thailand): <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/fr/thai-penal-code/section-378/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.