{"id":7366,"date":"2026-09-14T08:47:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T01:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/double-jeopardy-in-thailand\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T08:48:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T01:48:46","slug":"double-jeopardy-in-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/double-jeopardy-in-thailand\/","title":{"rendered":"Double Jeopardy in Thailand: Dika 889\/2569 Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Double jeopardy in Thailand does not work the way most foreigners assume. In September 2026 the Supreme Court published Dika 889\/2569, holding that a criminal conviction handed down by a foreign court does not stop Thai prosecutors from charging the same person, for the same acts, all over again in Thailand. The defendant had already been convicted in Bahrain and given a suspended sentence \u2014 and still received 18 months of imprisonment from the Thai courts. For expats and Thai nationals who move between jurisdictions, this decision is essential reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article explains what the Supreme Court decided, how the rule against repeated prosecution actually operates under Thai law, and what protection \u2014 if any \u2014 a foreign judgment gives you inside the Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table des mati\u00e8res<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-happened-in-dika-889-2569\">What Happened in Dika 889\/2569<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#double-jeopardy-in-thailand-the-legal-framework\">Double Jeopardy in Thailand: The Legal Framework<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#when-thailand-can-prosecute-crimes-committed-abroad\">When Thailand Can Prosecute Crimes Committed Abroad<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#credit-for-sentences-served-abroad\">Credit for Sentences Served Abroad<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-this-means-for-expats\">What This Means for Expats<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-thailawonline-can-help\">Comment ThaiLawOnline peut vous aider<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\">Foire aux questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-happened-in-dika-889-2569\">What Happened in Dika 889\/2569<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The defendant, a Thai national living in Bahrain, forged a series of documents \u2014 an investor visa cancellation certificate, company meeting minutes, and signatures on promissory notes \u2014 and used them to obtain money from a Thai victim. Bahrain prosecuted her first. The Bahrain Court of Appeals sentenced her to one year of imprisonment, suspended for three years, and Bahrain&#8217;s highest court upheld that ruling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thailand then prosecuted her for the same conduct, relying on Sections 264, 266(4) and 268 of the Penal Code (forgery and use of forged documents). Her defence raised two arguments: first, that the Bahraini conviction extinguished Thailand&#8217;s right to prosecute under Section 39(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code; second, that the suspended sentence in Bahrain should count as punishment already served, barring any further penalty in Thailand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court rejected both arguments and imposed 18 months of imprisonment across three counts. The full decision is published in the <a href=\"https:\/\/deka.in.th\/deka\/2569-889\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Supreme Court decision database (Dika 889\/2569)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"double-jeopardy-in-thailand-the-legal-framework\">Double Jeopardy in Thailand: The Legal Framework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rule most people call double jeopardy in Thailand is found in Section 39(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code: the right to bring a criminal prosecution is extinguished when there has already been a final judgment on the merits for the same offence against the same person. Thai courts apply this rule strictly \u2014 we explained its domestic operation in our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/withdrawing-a-criminal-complaint-in-thailand-dika-7211-2568\/\">withdrawing a criminal complaint in Thailand<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dika 889\/2569 confirms the rule&#8217;s most important limit: <strong>Section 39(4) applies only to judgments of Thai courts<\/strong>. The Supreme Court reasoned that allowing a foreign judgment to extinguish Thailand&#8217;s right to prosecute would amount to surrendering Thai judicial sovereignty to a foreign state. A conviction in Bahrain, France, Australia or anywhere else is simply not a &#8220;final judgment&#8221; for the purposes of Section 39(4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The consequence is stark. A person who has been through a full criminal trial abroad, up to the foreign supreme court, can face a second full prosecution in Thailand for exactly the same facts \u2014 as long as Thai criminal law reaches those facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"when-thailand-can-prosecute-crimes-committed-abroad\">When Thailand Can Prosecute Crimes Committed Abroad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thai criminal jurisdiction is primarily territorial, but the Penal Code extends it beyond the border in defined situations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Section 7<\/strong> \u2014 certain offences committed entirely abroad can always be punished in Thailand, including offences against national security and, under Section 7(2), forgery-related offences such as those in Dika 889\/2569.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Section 8<\/strong> \u2014 general offences committed abroad by a Thai national (where the victim or the foreign government requests punishment), or against a Thai victim, can be prosecuted in Thailand on request.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Article 9<\/strong> \u2014 offences committed abroad by Thai officials in the course of duty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foreigners resident in Thailand should note that these rules cut both ways. A foreigner who commits an offence abroad against a Thai victim can, on the victim&#8217;s request, be prosecuted in Thailand when they set foot in the Kingdom. Anyone in that position should understand <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/criminal-trial-procedures-in-thailand\/\">how criminal trials work in Thailand<\/a> and what happens when a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/foreigner-arrested-in-thailand\/\">Un \u00e9tranger a \u00e9t\u00e9 arr\u00eat\u00e9 en Tha\u00eflande.<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"credit-for-sentences-served-abroad\">Credit for Sentences Served Abroad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thai law is not entirely without protection for people already judged abroad. Section 10 of the Penal Code deals with offences committed outside Thailand that are punishable in the Kingdom under Sections 7(2), 7(3), 8 or 9. For those offences, a person shall not be punished again in Thailand if a foreign court delivered a final acquittal, or if the person was convicted and has already served the sentence in full. Where the sentence was only partly served, the Thai court may reduce the Thai penalty accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where the defendant in Dika 889\/2569 lost her second argument. Her Bahraini prison sentence was <strong>suspended<\/strong> \u2014 she never spent a day in custody. The Supreme Court held that a suspended foreign sentence is not punishment served, so the protection against a second punishment never engaged. The Thai court remained free to impose its own sentence in full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Outcome abroad<\/th><th>Effect in Thailand (extraterritorial offences)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Final acquittal by a foreign court<\/td><td>No punishment again in Thailand (Penal Code s.10)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Convicted, sentence fully served<\/td><td>No second punishment in Thailand (Penal Code s.10)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Convicted, sentence partly served<\/td><td>Prosecution possible; Thai court may reduce the penalty<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Convicted, sentence suspended (no time served)<\/td><td>Prosecution possible; no credit \u2014 full Thai penalty (Dika 889\/2569)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Final judgment of a Thai court<\/td><td>Prosecution barred \u2014 CPC s.39(4) double jeopardy<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-this-means-for-expats\">What This Means for Expats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, a criminal file abroad does not stay abroad. If your conduct touches Thailand \u2014 a Thai victim, a Thai company, forged documents used in Thailand \u2014 the case can follow you here, even years later and even after a foreign court has closed it. The absence of double jeopardy in Thailand for foreign judgments means the foreign verdict is, at best, a sentencing consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Second, the form of the foreign outcome matters enormously. A full acquittal or a fully served sentence protects you from a second punishment for extraterritorial offences; a plea deal that ends in a suspended sentence, probation or a fine may leave you fully exposed in Thailand. This should be weighed before accepting any negotiated outcome abroad when the facts have a Thai connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Third, this decision sits alongside the rules on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/extradition\/\">extradition de Tha\u00eflande<\/a> et sur <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/enforcing-foreign-judgments-awards-thailand\/\">enforcing foreign judgments in Thailand<\/a>: Thai courts consistently treat foreign decisions as evidence or context, never as binding. An overview of the substantive offences is in our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/criminal-law-thailand\/\">droit p\u00e9nal en Tha\u00eflande<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-thailawonline-can-help\">Comment ThaiLawOnline peut vous aider<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have been investigated, charged or convicted abroad and the facts have any connection to Thailand, our team can assess your exposure under Sections 7 to 11 of the Penal Code, deal with prosecutors and police, and represent you in court. This article was written and reviewed by Sebastien H. Brousseau, LL.B., B.Sc., based in Thailand since 2004 and running ThaiLawOnline since 2006. Contact ThaiLawOnline for a confidential consultation before you travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This article is general information about Thai law, not legal advice. Criminal cases turn on their specific facts; consult a qualified professional about your situation before acting.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Foire aux questions<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list\">\n<div id=\"faq-does-double-jeopardy-exist-in-thailand\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Does double jeopardy exist in Thailand?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Yes, but only for Thai judgments. Section 39(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code bars a second prosecution once a Thai court has given a final judgment on the merits for the same offence. Dika 889\/2569 confirms that foreign judgments do not trigger this protection.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-can-thailand-prosecute-me-after-a-foreign-conviction\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Can Thailand prosecute me after I was convicted abroad?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Yes, if Thai criminal law reaches the conduct under Sections 7, 8 or 9 of the Penal Code. The foreign conviction does not extinguish Thailand&#8217;s right to prosecute the same facts.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-does-time-served-abroad-count-in-thailand\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Does time served abroad count in Thailand?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Partly. Under Section 10 of the Penal Code, a sentence fully served abroad bars a second punishment for extraterritorial offences, and a partly served sentence lets the Thai court reduce the penalty. A suspended sentence with no time served earns no credit at all.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-does-a-foreign-acquittal-protect-me\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Does a foreign acquittal protect me in Thailand?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>For offences committed abroad that Thailand can punish under Sections 7(2), 7(3), 8 or 9, a final foreign acquittal means you cannot be punished again in Thailand under Section 10 of the Penal Code. For offences committed inside Thailand, the analysis is different and stricter.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-which-crimes-committed-abroad-can-thailand-punish\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Which crimes committed abroad can Thailand punish?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Offences against national security, counterfeiting and forgery offences (Section 7), and general offences committed by or against Thai nationals where punishment is requested (Section 8), among others. A Thai criminal lawyer can assess whether your case falls within these sections.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Double jeopardy in Thailand does not cover foreign judgments. Dika 889\/2569 lets Thai courts retry offences already judged abroad \u2014 what expats must know.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7368,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","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":"double jeopardy in thailand","rank_math_title":"Double Jeopardy in Thailand: Dika 889\/2569 Explained %sep% %sitename%","rank_math_description":"Double jeopardy in Thailand does not cover foreign judgments. 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