Section 170 — Ordinary procedure in the court of first instance
Statutory text (Thai original)
ห้ามมิให้ฟ้อง พิจารณาและชี้ขาดตัดสินคดีเป็นครั้งแรกในศาลหรือโดยศาลอื่นนอกจากศาลชั้นต้น เว้นแต่จะมีกฎหมายบัญญัติไว้ชัดแจ้งเป็นอย่างอื่นภายใต้บังคับแห่งบทบัญญัติในภาคนี้ว่าด้วยคดีไม่มีข้อพิพาท คดีโม่นาสาเร่ คดีขาดนัด และคดีที่มอบให้อนุญาโตตุลาการชี้ขาด การฟ้อง การพิจารณาและชี้ขาดตัดสินคดีในศาลชั้นต้น นอกจากจะต้องบังคับตามบทบัญญัติทั่วไปแห่งภาค ๑ แล้ว ให้บังคับตามบทบัญญัติในลักษณะนี้ด้วย
English translation
No case shall be filed, tried, and finally decided in the first instance in any court, or by any court, other than a court of first instance, unless a law expressly provides otherwise. Subject to the provisions of this Book on non-contentious cases, petty cases, cases in default, and cases submitted to arbitrators for decision, the filing, trial, and final decision of a case in a court of first instance shall, in addition to being governed by the general provisions of Book 1, also be governed by the provisions of this Title.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 170 opens Title 1 on ordinary procedure in the court of first instance. Its first paragraph confirms the basic hierarchy: a case must originate and be decided first in a court of first instance, never for the first time in an appellate or other court, unless a law expressly provides otherwise. Its second paragraph sets the governing law for such cases, stacking the specific provisions of this Title on top of the general provisions of Book 1, while reserving the special procedural tracks for non-contentious, petty, default, and arbitration matters. Courts read this to mean that a first-instance case must comply with the general provisions from Section 1 to Section 169/3 and the ordinary-procedure provisions from Section 170 onward.
Why this matters in practice
For most disputes this means you start at a court of first instance, and the case runs under the ordinary-procedure rules unless it fits a special track. It also affects specialised proceedings: statutes such as anti-money-laundering and narcotics-measures laws apply the Civil Procedure Code by analogy, so the same general and ordinary-procedure rules carry over. If you are unsure which court and which track your matter belongs to, our guide on going to court in Thailand is a useful starting point.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 8368/2563 (2020)
Section 170 paragraph two means that trying and deciding a case in the court of first instance must follow the general provisions of Sections 1 to 169/3 and the ordinary-procedure provisions of Sections 170 to 188; these rules apply by analogy to asset proceedings under the Anti-Money Laundering Act through Section 59 of that Act.
In an asset case under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the court applied Section 59 of that Act, which brings in the Civil Procedure Code by analogy, and read Section 170 paragraph two to require compliance with the general provisions of Sections 1 to 169/3 and the ordinary-procedure provisions of Sections 170 to 188, including the rules on filing and service.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 8895/2552 (2009)
Section 170 paragraph two requires the court of first instance to follow the general provisions of Sections 1 to 169/3 and the ordinary-procedure provisions of Sections 170 to 188, and this carries over to proceedings under the narcotics-suppression measures law.
In a case ordering forfeiture of property under the narcotics-suppression measures law, the court quoted Section 170 paragraph two and held that trying and deciding a case in the court of first instance must comply with the general provisions of Sections 1 to 169/3 and the ordinary-procedure provisions of Sections 170 to 188.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
Where must a civil case be filed and first decided?
Under Section 170, a case must be filed, tried, and decided in the first instance in a court of first instance, unless a law expressly provides otherwise.
Which rules govern an ordinary case in the court of first instance?
Section 170 paragraph two makes such a case subject to both the general provisions of Book 1 and the ordinary-procedure provisions of this Title, apart from special tracks like non-contentious, petty, default, and arbitration cases.