{"id":6611,"date":"2026-09-05T19:10:57","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/glossary\/inquiry-official\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T19:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:22:15","slug":"inquiry-official","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/inquiry-official\/","title":{"rendered":"Enqu\u00eateur officiel (Phanakngan Sopsuan) : L'enqu\u00eateur de la police tha\u00eflandaise"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Un <strong>enqu\u00eate officielle<\/strong> (\u0e1e\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19\u0e2a\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e2a\u0e27\u0e19, <em>phanakngan sopsuan<\/em>, also translated as <em>investigating officer<\/em> ou <em>inquiry officer<\/em>) is the police officer who, under the Thai Criminal Procedure Code, receives a criminal complaint, gathers evidence, questions the suspect and witnesses, and sends the inquiry file with an opinion to the public prosecutor. Section 120 of the Code bars the prosecutor from filing any case that has not first been the subject of an inquiry, so this officer controls the first and often decisive stage of every criminal case a foreigner meets, as suspect or as victim.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table des mati\u00e8res<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#who-the-inquiry-official-is\">Qui est l'agent enqu\u00eateur<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#dealing-with-the-inquiry-official-as-a-foreigner\">Traiter avec le fonctionnaire des renseignements en tant qu'\u00e9tranger<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#inquiry-official-public-prosecutor-and-the-court-compared\">Comparaison entre l'officier enqu\u00eateur, le procureur de la R\u00e9publique et le tribunal<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\">Foire aux questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-the-inquiry-official-is\">Qui est l'agent enqu\u00eateur<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>The role is defined in Section 2(6)<\/strong> of the Criminal Procedure Code and assigned by Section 18 to police officers of the rank of sub-lieutenant and above in the district where the offence occurred or the suspect was arrested. The inquiry official records the complaint (\u0e04\u0e33\u0e23\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e07\u0e17\u0e38\u0e01\u0e02\u0e4c) under Section 123, may summon and question witnesses, search with a warrant, seize evidence, take fingerprints and photographs, and arrest on a court warrant.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Section 134 requires the official, before questioning a suspect, to state the alleged facts and the charge and to warn that the statement may be used in evidence and that the suspect may remain silent. Sections 134\/1 to 134\/4 add the right to have a lawyer present, with one appointed by the state where the offence carries imprisonment and the suspect has none, and the right to a trusted person in the room. Section 13 requires an interpreter, who takes an oath, whenever the suspect does not understand Thai. Section 87 gives the police 48 hours to bring an arrested person before a court for remand.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dealing-with-the-inquiry-official-as-a-foreigner\">Traiter avec le fonctionnaire des renseignements en tant qu'\u00e9tranger<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>As a victim, a foreigner should insist that the officer record a complaint that asks for prosecution, not merely an entry in the daily record book (\u0e1a\u0e31\u0e19\u0e17\u0e36\u0e01\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e08\u0e33\u0e27\u0e31\u0e19). The distinction matters for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/compounding-offense\/\">compoundable offences<\/a> tel que <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/fraud\/\">fraude<\/a> ET <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/defamation\/\">diffamation<\/a>, where the 3-month deadline runs from knowledge of the offence and only a proper complaint stops it. Bring the passport, documents and a Thai speaker.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>As a suspect, the statement given to the inquiry official is the foundation of the file and is hard to retract at trial. The common mistake is to sign a Thai-language statement without a lawyer or a sworn interpreter, on the assurance that it is a formality. A suspect is entitled to read or have read back every page before signing, to refuse to sign, and to apply for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/bail\/\">caution<\/a> from the same officer while the inquiry continues.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"inquiry-official-public-prosecutor-and-the-court-compared\">Comparaison entre l'officier enqu\u00eateur, le procureur de la R\u00e9publique et le tribunal<\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Sc\u00e8ne<\/th><th>Who<\/th><th>Decides<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Inquiry<\/td><td>Inquiry official at the police station<\/td><td>Whether to investigate, arrest, bail, and the opinion on the file<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Prosecution<\/td><td>Public prosecutor, Sections 140 to 143<\/td><td>Whether to indict, drop or order further inquiry<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Proc\u00e8s<\/td><td>Tribunal de premi\u00e8re instance<\/td><td>Guilt, sentence and bail during trial<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Under Sections 140 to 142 the official closes the inquiry with an opinion to prosecute or not and sends the file to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/public-prosecutor\/\">minist\u00e8re public<\/a>, who is not bound by it and may order further inquiry. The victim of a compoundable offence can bypass both by filing a private prosecution directly in court, but must then prove the case without the police file.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Foire aux questions<\/h2>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list\">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Qu'est-ce qu'un officier enqu\u00eateur en Tha\u00eflande ?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>L'officier de police d\u00e9sign\u00e9 en vertu de l'article 2(6) et de l'article 18 du Code de proc\u00e9dure p\u00e9nale pour recevoir les plaintes, enqu\u00eater sur les infractions, interroger les suspects et les t\u00e9moins, et transmettre le dossier d'enqu\u00eate avec un avis au procureur de la R\u00e9publique. Aucune affaire p\u00e9nale ne peut \u00eatre intent\u00e9e par le procureur sans une enqu\u00eate men\u00e9e conform\u00e9ment \u00e0 l'article 120.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Ai-je le droit \u00e0 un avocat lors d'un interrogatoire par la police tha\u00eflandaise ?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Oui. L'article 134\/1 du Code de proc\u00e9dure p\u00e9nale donne \u00e0 un suspect le droit d'avoir un avocat pr\u00e9sent lors de l'interrogatoire par l'agent d'enqu\u00eate, et l'\u00c9tat doit en fournir un lorsque l'infraction est passible d'emprisonnement et que le suspect n'en a pas. L'article 13 ajoute un interpr\u00e8te jur\u00e9 pour un suspect qui ne comprend pas le tha\u00ef, et le suspect peut garder le silence.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Combien de temps la police tha\u00eflandaise peut-elle d\u00e9tenir un suspect avant de le pr\u00e9senter au tribunal ?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>En vertu de l'article 87 du Code de proc\u00e9dure p\u00e9nale, l'officier enqu\u00eateur doit pr\u00e9senter une personne arr\u00eat\u00e9e devant un tribunal dans les 48 heures, non compris le temps de transport et les jours de fermeture du tribunal. Le tribunal statue ensuite sur la d\u00e9tention provisoire par p\u00e9riodes pouvant aller jusqu'\u00e0 12 jours, et une demande de lib\u00e9ration sous caution peut \u00eatre formul\u00e9e au poste de police avant cette audience ou aupr\u00e8s du tribunal apr\u00e8s celle-ci.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Voir aussi\u00a0: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/public-prosecutor\/\">minist\u00e8re public<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/bail\/\">caution<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/compounding-offense\/\">infraction transigeable<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/criminal-record\/\">casier judiciaire<\/a>, et les guides <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/police-interview-in-thailand\/\">police interview in Thailand<\/a> ET <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/criminal-procedure-code-in-thailand\/\">the Criminal Procedure Code in Thailand<\/a>.<\/p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An inquiry official (\u0e1e\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19\u0e2a\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e2a\u0e27\u0e19, phanakngan sopsuan, also translated as investigating officer or inquiry officer) is the police officer who, under [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":214,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"inquiry official thailand","rank_math_title":"Inquiry Official in Thailand (Thai Police) | ThaiLawOnline","rank_math_description":"Inquiry official Thailand (phanakngan sopsuan) is the police officer who takes complaints, questions suspects and builds the prosecutor's file. Your rights.","rank_math_breadcrumb_title":"","rank_math_canonical_url":""},"class_list":["post-6611","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6611"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6700,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6611\/revisions\/6700"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}