Section 1428 — Usufruct — extinguishment
Statutory text (Thai original)
คดีอันเกี่ยวกับสิทธิเก็บกินในระหว่างเจ้าของทรัพย์สินกับผู้ทรงสิทธิเก็บกิน หรือผู้รับโอนนั้น ท่านห้ามมิให้ฟ้องเมื่อเกินปีหนึ่งนับแต่วันสิทธิเก็บกินสุดสิ้นลง แต่ในคดีที่เจ้าของทรัพย์สินเป็นโจทก์นั้น ถ้าเจ้าของไม่อาจรู้ว่าสิทธิเก็บกินสุดสิ้นลงเมื่อใด ท่านให้นับอายุความปีหนึ่งนั้นตั้งแต่เวลาที่เจ้าของทรัพย์สินได้รู้ หรือควรรู้ว่าสิทธิเก็บกินสุดสิ้นลง
Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State
English translation
No action by the owner against the usufructuary or his transferee in connection with the usufruct or vice versa may be entered later than one year after the usufruct comes to an end. But in an action by the feedback (/form/1-samuiforsale-contact-form.html?tmpl=component) / owner who could not have known of the end of the usufruct, the prescription of one year shall run from the time when he knew or ought to have known of it.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 1428 lists the four ways usufruct ends. The death of the holder is the most important — a lifetime usufruct held by a foreigner ends instantly on their death, and the property returns to the registered owner with no compensation to the foreigner's heirs. Heirs cannot inherit the usufruct (§1418 — non-inheritable). To preserve value for heirs, plan ahead: register a separate superficies on any building (§1410), or write a will (§1646) directing how built improvements should be valued and compensated.
Why this matters in practice
Lawyers: the one-year period under section 1428 is a special limitation that cuts off claims for damage, unpaid rent, or return of inventory by either party after the usufruct ends; it runs even if the usufruct was registered. Both parties should reconcile accounts promptly on termination. Laypersons: when your usufruct ends, both you and the property owner have one year to sue each other for anything related to the usufruct — after one year, those claims are time-barred.
Legislative history
Part of the original Civil and Commercial Code codification; no major subsequent amendment.