Section 572 — Hire-purchase — definition
Statutory text (Thai original)
อันว่าเช่าซื้อนั้น คือสัญญาซึ่งเจ้าของเอาทรัพย์สินออกให้เช่า และให้คำมั่นว่าจะขายทรัพย์สินนั้นหรือว่าจะให้ทรัพย์สินนั้นตกเป็นสิทธิแก่ผู้เช่า โดยเงื่อนไขที่ผู้เช่าได้ใช้เงินเป็นจำนวนเท่านั้นเท่านี้คราวสัญญาเช่าซื้อนั้นถ้าไม่ทำเป็นหนังสือ ท่านว่าเป็นโมฆะ
Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State
English translation
A hire-purchase is a contract whereby an owner of a property lets it out on hire and promises to sell it to, or that it shall become the property of, the hirer, conditionally on his making a certain number of payments. The contract of hire-purchase is void unless made in writing. feedback (/form/1-samuiforsale-contact-form.html?tmpl=component) /
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 572 is part of Book 3 (Specific Contracts) of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code. This entry is awaiting firm-authored commentary; the statutory text above is verbatim from the Office of the Council of State (OCS Krisdika) Thai source, with the English translation from the FAO/UN FAOLEX repository. Always rely on the Thai original for legal proceedings.
Why this matters in practice
Lawyers: Unlike a lease, a hire-purchase must be in writing or it is void — not merely unenforceable. Because the contract must be in writing, oral evidence cannot be used to contradict, vary or supplement its terms except in limited circumstances. The hirer obtains possession but not ownership until all instalments are paid. Laypeople: When you hire-purchase a car or appliance, you do not own it until you have made all payments. If you miss payments the owner can repossess — and this must be in a written contract.
Legislative history
Part of the original Civil and Commercial Code codification; no major subsequent amendment.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1060/2543 (2000) ★ Landmark
A hire-purchase agreement not made in writing is void, and parol evidence cannot be used to contradict or supplement its written terms.
A hire-purchase contract must be in writing; if not, it is void under Section 572. Consequently, oral evidence cannot be adduced to contradict or vary the written terms, save in exceptional circumstances.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 13071/2558 (2015)
A hirer under a hire-purchase agreement holds only a possessory right and cannot transfer ownership of the property to a third party.
A hirer under a hire-purchase agreement has only the right of possession and use, not ownership. When the hirer purported to sell the hire-purchased vehicle to a third party, that sale could not transfer ownership as the hirer had none to give.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.