Section 1526 — Maintenance to ex-spouse after divorce
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในคดีหย่า ถ้าเหตุแห่งการหย่าเป็นความผิดของคู่สมรสฝ่ายใดฝ่ายหนึ่งแต่ฝ่ายเดียว และการหย่านั้นจะทำให้อีกฝ่ายหนึ่งยากจนลง เพราะไม่มีรายได้พอจากทรัพย์สินหรือจากการงานตามที่เคยทำอยู่ระหว่างสมรส อีกฝ่ายหนึ่งนั้นจะขอให้ฝ่ายที่ต้องรับผิดจ่ายค่าเลี้ยงชีพให้ได้ ค่าเลี้ยงชีพนี้ศาลอาจให้เพียงใดหรือไม่ให้ก็ได้ โดยคำนึงถึงความสามารถของผู้ให้และฐานะของผู้รับและให้นำบทบัญญัติ
Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State
คำแปลภาษาอังกฤษ
In a case of divorce, if the ground for divorce has derived from the guilt of only one party, and the divorce will make the other become destitute deriving insufficient income out of his or her property or business which used to be carried on during the marriage, the latter is entitled to apply for the living allowances to be paid by the party at fault. The Court may decide whether the living allowances be granted or not by taking the ability of the grantor and the condition in life of the receiver into consideration, and the provisions of Section 1598/39, Section 1598/40 and feedback (/form/1-samuiforsale-contact-form.html?tmpl=component) / Section 1598/41 shall apply mutatis mutandis. The right to claim the living allowances is extinguished if it is not raised in the plaint or counter-claim in the action for divorce.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 1526 is Thai-style spousal alimony — limited and conditional. The receiving spouse must show (a) financial distress caused by the divorce, and (b) they are not the fault party. Amount and duration are set by the court considering the parties' means, the length of marriage, and conduct. In practice, awards are modest by Western standards (often 5,000-30,000 baht/month) and almost always time-limited rather than permanent. Cross-border enforcement is difficult, so the firm typically negotiates lump-sum alternatives.
Why this matters in practice
For lawyers: §1526 maintenance is only available in court divorce where the court finds fault; agree to incorporate maintenance into the settlement agreement in mutual-consent divorce because courts cannot award it separately after registration of the divorce. For clients: if you are divorcing by consent, negotiate maintenance in your divorce settlement — you cannot go back to court for it after registration.
Legislative history
Section 1526 has applied since the B.E. 2519 revision. The Marriage Equality Act (No. 24, B.E. 2567), in force 22 Jan 2025, made the provision gender-neutral so either spouse may be ordered to pay or entitled to receive post-divorce maintenance.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 15067/2555 (2012)
Maintenance under §1526 requires a contested court divorce where one party is at fault; a settlement divorce during proceedings does not qualify.
Where parties agreed to divorce during proceedings (consent divorce recorded by the court), the court held this was not a fault-based court divorce under §1526; accordingly, no post-divorce maintenance could be awarded.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4685/2540 (1997)
The amount of §1526 maintenance reflects the standard of living during the marriage and the paying party's means.
Section 1526 allows the court to award post-divorce maintenance only when there is a court divorce and the cause is one party's fault; the amount should reflect the standard of living during the marriage and the guilty party's ability to pay.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
How long does post-divorce maintenance last in Thailand?
Under §1526 the court sets the amount and duration at its discretion, based on the recipient's needs and the payer's means. There is no statutory fixed period. Maintenance terminates automatically if the recipient remarries; it may also be varied or revoked if circumstances change substantially.