Section 160 — Withdrawal of fee waiver for misconduct
Statutory text (Thai original)
ถ้าผู้ที่ได้รับยกเว้นค่าธรรมเนียมศาลประพฤติตนไม่เรียบร้อย เช่น ดำเนินกระบวนพิจารณาในทางก่อความรำคาญถึงขนาด หรือกระทำความผิดฐานละเมิดอำนาจศาลหรือจงใจประวิงความเรื่องนั้น ศาลจะถอนการอนุญาตเสียในเวลาใด ๆ ก็ได้ และบุคคลเช่นว่านั้นจำต้องรับผิดเสียค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมสำหรับกระบวนพิจารณาภายหลังที่ศาลได้ถอนการอนุญาตนั้นแล้ว
English translation
If the person granted exemption from court fees behaves improperly, for example by conducting the proceedings so as to cause nuisance to an intolerable degree, committing the offence of contempt of court, or wilfully delaying the case, the court may withdraw the grant at any time, and such a person shall be liable to pay court fees and costs for the proceedings conducted after the court has withdrawn the grant.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 160 lets the court withdraw a fee waiver as a sanction for abuse of the privilege. The listed examples, intolerable nuisance in the conduct of the case, contempt of court, and wilful delay, are illustrative of the kind of misconduct that justifies withdrawal, which the court may order at any time. The consequence is prospective only: the person becomes liable for court fees and costs for the proceedings conducted after the withdrawal, not retroactively for the earlier waived steps. The provision sits alongside Section 159, which addresses recovery where the party in fact had means, and reinforces that a waiver is a conditional benefit dependent on proper conduct of the litigation.
Why this matters in practice
If you are litigating on a fee waiver, treat it as conditional on good conduct. Abusive filings, contempt, or tactics that deliberately drag out the case can cost you the waiver at any time, and you will then have to fund the court fees for everything that follows. The relief is not clawed back for earlier steps, but losing it mid-case can suddenly turn a fee-free case into an expensive one, so keep your conduct within bounds.
Frequently asked questions
Can a court take away a fee waiver during the case?
Yes. Section 160 lets the court withdraw the waiver at any time if the person behaves improperly, such as causing intolerable nuisance, committing contempt of court, or wilfully delaying the case.
If my waiver is withdrawn, do I owe fees for the whole case?
No. Under Section 160 you become liable for court fees and costs only for the proceedings conducted after the withdrawal, not for the earlier waived steps.