Section 152 — Who pays other court fees
Statutory text (Thai original)
ค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมอื่นนอกจากค่าขึ้นศาล ให้คู่ความผู้ดำเนินกระบวนพิจารณาเป็นผู้ชำระเมื่อมีการดำเนินกระบวนพิจารณานั้นหรือภายในเวลาที่กฎหมายกำหนดหรือที่ศาลมีคำสั่ง ถ้าศาลเป็นผู้สั่งให้ดำเนินกระบวนพิจารณาใด ให้ศาลกำหนดผู้ซึ่งจะต้องชำระค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมในการดำเนินกระบวนพิจารณานั้น รวมทั้งระยะเวลาที่ต้องชำระไว้ด้วย
ถ้าผู้ซึ่งจะต้องชำระค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมตามวรรคหนึ่งไม่ชำระ ศาลจะสั่งให้งดหรือเพิกถอนกระบวนพิจารณานั้น หรือจะสั่งให้คู่ความฝ่ายอื่นเป็นผู้ชำระค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมดังกล่าวก็ได้หากคู่ความฝ่ายนั้นยินยอม
English translation
Court fees other than the court fee (kha khuen san) shall be paid by the party conducting the proceeding at the time that proceeding is conducted, or within the time fixed by law or ordered by the court. If the court orders a proceeding to be conducted, the court shall specify the person who is to pay the court fees for that proceeding, together with the time within which they must be paid.
If the person who is to pay the court fees under paragraph one fails to pay, the court may order that proceeding to be stayed or revoked, or may order another party to pay such court fees if that party consents.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 152 allocates the burden of paying court fees other than the filing fee (kha khuen san), for example the costs of steps taken during the case. As a rule the party who conducts a given step of the proceedings pays for it, at the time it is taken or within the statutory or court-fixed period; where the court itself orders a step, it designates who pays and by when. Paragraph two supplies the sanction for default: the court may stay or revoke that step, or shift the fee to another party who consents. This provision addresses payment during the case and is distinct from the ultimate liability for all costs, which is settled against the losing party under Sections 161 and following. The section was recast when the fee provisions of the Code were consolidated, so older decisions may refer to a differently numbered or subsectioned version.
Why this matters in practice
When you ask the court to take a step that carries a fee, such as summoning a witness or ordering an expert examination, expect to fund it up front and within the time the court sets. If you do not pay, the court can simply drop that step, which may cost you evidence you were relying on, so treat these fees as part of your litigation budget. Note that paying a fee during the case does not decide who bears the cost in the end, that is settled with the final judgment on costs.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays court fees other than the filing fee in a Thai civil case?
Under Section 152 the party conducting the particular step pays those fees, at the time the step is taken or within the period fixed by law or by the court. Where the court orders the step, it designates who must pay.
What happens if I do not pay a required court fee during the case?
Section 152 paragraph two allows the court to stay or revoke that step of the proceedings, or to order another party to pay the fee if that party consents.