{"id":6581,"date":"2026-09-05T19:08:57","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/glossary\/court-of-first-instance\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T19:24:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:24:07","slug":"court-of-first-instance","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/court-of-first-instance\/","title":{"rendered":"Courts of First Instance in Thailand (Civil, Provincial, Kwaeng and Specialised Courts)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>\u0e40\u0e2d <strong>court of first instance<\/strong> (\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25\u0e0a\u0e31\u0e49\u0e19\u0e15\u0e49\u0e19, <em>san chan ton<\/em>, sometimes written <em>san chanton<\/em>) is any Thai court where a case is filed and tried for the first time: witnesses are heard, evidence is examined and the first judgment is given. Everything above it, the Court of Appeal and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/supreme-court-dika\/\">\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25\u0e0e\u0e35\u0e01\u0e32<\/a>, works from the record that this court creates. For a foreigner the practical question is which court has jurisdiction, because a claim filed in the wrong court is dismissed and the limitation clock keeps running.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>\u0e2a\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e31\u0e0d<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#the-courts-of-first-instance-and-their-jurisdiction\">The courts of first instance and their jurisdiction<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#practical-points-for-a-foreigner-going-to-court\">Practical points for a foreigner going to court<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#first-instance-appeal-and-small-claims-compared\">First instance, appeal and small claims compared<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\">\u0e04\u0e33\u0e16\u0e32\u0e21\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e1e\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-courts-of-first-instance-and-their-jurisdiction\">The courts of first instance and their jurisdiction<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>The Courts of Justice are organised in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/thai-legal-system-explained\/\">three tiers<\/a>, and the bottom tier is the widest. In Bangkok the general courts are split by subject and district: the Civil Court and the Criminal Court, plus the Bangkok South, Thonburi, Min Buri, Taling Chan and Phra Khanong courts. Outside Bangkok each province has a Provincial Court (san changwat) hearing civil and criminal cases. Alongside them sit the Kwaeng Courts (san kwaeng), the district courts for small matters: civil claims not exceeding 300,000 baht and criminal charges carrying at most three years imprisonment or a 60,000 baht fine, tried by a single judge.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>Specialised courts<\/strong> are also courts of first instance: the Labour Court, the Tax Court, the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court, the Central <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/bankruptcy\/\">Bankruptcy<\/a> Court, and the Juvenile and Family Courts in every province. Their appeals go to the Court of Appeal for Specialised Cases. The Administrative Courts and the Constitutional Court are separate systems.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"practical-points-for-a-foreigner-going-to-court\">Practical points for a foreigner going to court<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>Where to file.<\/strong> A civil claim is filed where the defendant is domiciled or where the cause of action arose, so a Pattaya condominium dispute goes to the Pattaya Provincial Court, not to Bangkok. A divorce, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/child-custody\/\">\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e14\u0e39\u0e41\u0e25<\/a> or inheritance matter goes to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/family-court\/\">\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25\u0e40\u0e22\u0e32\u0e27\u0e0a\u0e19\u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e04\u0e23\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e27<\/a> of the province, and an unpaid wages claim to the Labour Court, where no court fee is charged. A land dispute, however large, is an ordinary civil matter for the Provincial Court.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>What it costs and takes.<\/strong> A monetary civil claim carries a court fee of 2% of the amount claimed, capped at 200,000 baht. Every court holds a mediation session before trial, and many foreigner cases end there. A contested civil trial typically runs 12 to 18 months from filing to judgment; proceedings are in Thai, and a foreign party testifies through an interpreter. The common mistake is to send a letter of demand and then wait: nothing stops prescription except filing the case.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"first-instance-appeal-and-small-claims-compared\">First instance, appeal and small claims compared<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>The court of first instance is the only court that hears witnesses in person. The Court of Appeal reviews the file; the Supreme Court hears civil cases only with its permission. Evidence not produced at the first trial generally cannot be added later.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25<\/th><th>Typical cases<\/th><th>Limit or feature<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Kwaeng Court<\/td><td>Small debts, minor offences<\/td><td>Civil claims up to 300,000 baht; single judge<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Provincial Court or Civil Court<\/td><td>Contracts, land, torts, larger debts<\/td><td>No upper limit; panel of two judges<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25\u0e40\u0e22\u0e32\u0e27\u0e0a\u0e19\u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e04\u0e23\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e27<\/td><td>Divorce, custody, probate, child support<\/td><td>Lay associate judges sit with the judge<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Labour Court<\/td><td>Dismissal, severance, unpaid wages<\/td><td>No court fee; fast track procedure<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Since 2015 a small claims procedure (khadi manong) for claims up to 300,000 baht lets a creditor obtain judgment in a few months, which suits unpaid loans and deposits.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">\u0e04\u0e33\u0e16\u0e32\u0e21\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e1e\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22<\/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\">Which court do I sue in as a foreigner in Thailand?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Usually the court of first instance for the place where the defendant lives or where the dispute arose: the Provincial Court outside Bangkok, or the Civil Court and its district courts in Bangkok. Claims up to 300,000 baht go to the Kwaeng Court, family matters to the Juvenile and Family Court and employment claims to the Labour Court.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">What is the difference between a Kwaeng Court and a Provincial Court?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Both are courts of first instance. The Kwaeng Court is the district court for small matters: civil claims not exceeding 300,000 baht and offences carrying at most three years imprisonment, decided by a single judge. Everything larger goes to the Provincial Court, where two judges sit.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">How long does a civil case take in a Thai court of first instance?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>A contested case commonly takes 12 to 18 months from filing to judgment, longer if many witnesses are called. Small claims of 300,000 baht or less can be finished in a few months, and many cases settle at the mediation session the court holds before trial.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>\u0e14\u0e39\u0e40\u0e1e\u0e34\u0e48\u0e21\u0e40\u0e15\u0e34\u0e21: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/court-of-appeal\/\">\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25\u0e2d\u0e38\u0e17\u0e18\u0e23\u0e13\u0e4c<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/court-fees\/\">\u0e04\u0e48\u0e32\u0e18\u0e23\u0e23\u0e21\u0e40\u0e19\u0e35\u0e22\u0e21\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/family-court\/\">\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25\u0e40\u0e22\u0e32\u0e27\u0e0a\u0e19\u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e04\u0e23\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e27<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/labour-court\/\">Labour Court<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/thai-legal-system-explained\/\">Thai legal system explained<\/a> \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/what-to-know-before-you-go-to-court-in-thailand\/\">What to know before you go to court in Thailand<\/a>.<\/p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A court of first instance (\u0e28\u0e32\u0e25\u0e0a\u0e31\u0e49\u0e19\u0e15\u0e49\u0e19, san chan ton, sometimes written san chanton) is any Thai court where a case [&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 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ThaiLawOnline","rank_math_description":"Court of first instance in Thailand (San Chan Ton): the civil, provincial, kwaeng and specialised courts where a case starts, and which one hears a 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