Section 123 — Ordering the opponent to produce the original
Statutory text (Thai original)
ถ้าต้นฉบับเอกสารซึ่งคู่ความฝ่ายหนึ่งอ้างอิงเป็นพยานหลักฐานนั้นอยู่ในความครอบครองของคู่ความอีกฝ่ายหนึ่ง คู่ความฝ่ายที่อ้างจะยื่นคำขอโดยทำเป็นคำร้องต่อศาลขอให้สั่งคู่ความอีกฝ่ายหนึ่งส่งต้นฉบับเอกสารแทนการที่ตนจะต้องส่งสำเนาเอกสารนั้นก็ได้ ถ้าศาลเห็นว่าเอกสารนั้นเป็นพยานหลักฐานสำคัญ และคำร้องนั้นฟังได้ ให้ศาลมีคำสั่งให้คู่ความอีกฝ่ายหนึ่งยื่นต้นฉบับเอกสารต่อศาลภายในเวลาอันสมควรแล้วแต่ศาลจะกำหนด ถ้าคู่ความอีกฝ่ายหนึ่งมีต้นฉบับเอกสารอยู่ในครอบครองไม่ปฏิบัติตามคำสั่งเช่นว่านั้น ให้ถือว่าข้อเท็จจริงแห่งข้ออ้างที่ผู้ขอจะต้องนำสืบโดยเอกสารนั้น คู่ความอีกฝ่ายหนึ่งได้ยอมรับแล้วถ้าต้นฉบับเอกสารอยู่ในความครอบครองของบุคคลภายนอก หรือในครอบครองของทางราชการ หรือของเจ้าหน้าที่ซึ่งคู่ความที่อ้างไม่อาจร้องขอโดยตรงให้ส่งเอกสารนั้นมาได้ ให้นำบทบัญญัติในวรรคก่อนว่าด้วยการที่คู่ความฝ่ายที่อ้างเอกสารยื่นคำขอ และการที่ศาลมีคำสั่งมาใช้บังคับโดยอนุโลม แต่ทั้งนี้ ฝ่ายที่อ้างต้องส่งคำสั่งศาลแก่ผู้ครอบครองเอกสารนั้นล่วงหน้าอย่างน้อยเจ็ดวัน ถ้าไม่ได้เอกสารนั้นมาสืบตามกำหนด เมื่อศาลเห็นสมควร ก็ให้ศาลสืบพยานต่อไปตามที่บทบัญญัติไว้ในมาตรา ๙๓
(๒)
English translation
If the original of a document which one party cites as evidence is in the possession of the other party, the party citing it may file an application, made in the form of a motion, asking the court to order the other party to submit the original in place of the citing party's own duty to file a copy. If the court is of the opinion that the document is important evidence and the motion is well founded, the court shall order the other party to submit the original to the court within a reasonable time as the court fixes. If the other party who has the original in its possession fails to comply with such order, the facts of the allegation which the applicant was to prove by that document shall be deemed admitted by the other party. If the original is in the possession of a third person, or of a government agency or official from whom the citing party cannot directly request its submission, the provisions of the preceding paragraph on the party's application and the court's order shall apply mutatis mutandis, provided that the citing party must deliver the court's order to the person possessing the document at least seven days in advance. If the document is not obtained in time, the court may, when it thinks fit, proceed to take evidence as provided in Section 93.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 123 complements Section 122 by dealing with the situation where the original is in the opponent's hands rather than the citing party's. It gives the citing party a motion to compel production and, crucially, a strong sanction: if the opponent holds the original and defies the court's order, the fact to be proved by that document is deemed admitted. The provision extends by analogy to originals held by third persons or public authorities, but there the citing party must serve the court's order at least seven days in advance, and if the document is still not produced the court may proceed under Section 93. The deemed admission only applies where the document is genuinely important evidence able to prove an issue in the case.
Why this matters in practice
This is a powerful tool when the proof you need is locked away with your opponent: a well-drafted motion can turn their refusal into a deemed admission. To succeed, show the court the document is genuinely important and identify it precisely, because the sanction only bites where the document could directly prove your point. For documents held by a bank, land office, or other authority, remember to serve the court's order at least seven days ahead. A lawyer can frame the motion and the underlying issue correctly before you file.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3319/2552 (2009)
The deemed admission in Section 123 paragraph one applies only where the original said to be in the opponent's possession is important evidence capable of directly proving an issue in the case.
The lower court had deemed the defendant's alleged debt of 100,000 baht admitted because the plaintiff did not comply with the order to produce a document. The Supreme Court explained that Section 123 paragraph one only operates where the document is important evidence able to prove the issue directly, and examined whether that condition was met.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 2813/2545 (2002)
Where a party ordered to produce an insurance policy fails to submit it and offers no contrary evidence, the fact the opposing party was to prove by that policy is deemed admitted under Section 123 paragraph one.
The second defendant received the summons for the insurance policy but did not submit it or prove otherwise, so the court held that the fact the plaintiffs were to prove by the policy, that the second defendant was liable in full, was deemed admitted under Section 123 paragraph one.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3086/2545 (2002)
A party invoking Section 123 paragraph one after the opponent ignores an order to produce a contract cannot use the deemed admission to force a particular factual finding where the underlying facts do not establish the claim; the provision does not convert a legal argument into proof of disputed facts.
In a labour dispute the plaintiff argued that because the defendant did not produce the employment contract as ordered, Section 123 paragraph one deemed the plaintiff's claim admitted. The court treated this as mixing a legal argument with the facts and declined to find the disputed facts simply on the strength of the provision.
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 do I get a document that the other side is holding?
Under Section 123 you file a motion asking the court to order the other party to submit the original. If the court finds the document important and well founded, it will order production within a set time.
What happens if the other side ignores the order?
If they hold the original and defy the court's order, Section 123 deems the fact you were to prove by that document as admitted by them.
Can the court order a bank or government office to produce a document?
Yes. Section 123 applies by analogy to originals held by third persons or authorities, but you must serve the court's order on the holder at least seven days in advance.