Section 190 quater — Court fees in small claims
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในคดีมโนสาเร่ ให้โจทก์เสียค่าขึ้นศาลตามตาราง ๑ ท้ายประมวลกฎหมายนี้ แต่ค่าขึ้นศาลรวมกันแล้วไม่เกินหนึ่งพันบาท
ค่าขึ้นศาลในชั้นอุทธรณ์หรือฎีกานั้น ให้ผู้อุทธรณ์หรือผู้ฎีกาเสียตามจำนวนทุนทรัพย์ หรือราคาทรัพย์สินที่พิพาทกันในชั้นอุทธรณ์หรือฎีกา แล้วแต่กรณี
English translation
In a small claims case, the plaintiff shall pay court fees according to Table 1 annexed to this Code, but the court fees together shall not exceed one thousand baht.
The court fees on appeal or further appeal shall be paid by the appellant or the further appellant according to the amount in controversy or the value of the property in dispute at the appeal or further appeal stage, as the case may be.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 190/4 fixes the reduced court fees that make small claims accessible. Paragraph one caps the plaintiff's first-instance court fees, calculated under Table 1 annexed to the Code, at a total of 1,000 baht. Paragraph two removes that cap for the appeal and further appeal (dika) stages, where the fee is charged on the amount in controversy or property value in dispute at that stage. This two-tier structure means the low-cost benefit applies mainly to the trial court, and a party appealing a substantial small claim can face ordinary-scale fees. It works together with the classification rules in sections 189 and 190.
Why this matters in practice
Budget for the fact that the 1,000 baht cap only shields you at trial. If you win a small claim and the other side appeals, or if you appeal, the appeal fee is charged on the full disputed amount at that stage with no cap. Factor that into any decision to appeal a small claim. For an outline of what litigation costs, see our legal fees page.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 6912/2558 (2015)
On appeal in a small claims case, court fees are paid according to the amount in controversy at the appeal stage under section 190/4 paragraph two, so the one thousand baht cap that applies at first instance does not cap the appeal fee.
The plaintiff sought a refund of appeal court fees above 1,000 baht, arguing the small claims cap applied; the court refused, holding that appeal fees follow the amount in controversy at the appeal stage under section 190/4 paragraph two.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 7679/2550 (2007)
In a small claims case, court fees on appeal are paid according to the amount in controversy or value in dispute at the appeal stage under section 190/4 paragraph two, while the right to appeal on the facts is governed by section 224.
The court confirmed that in small claims cases the appellant pays court fees based on the amount in dispute at the appeal stage under section 190/4 paragraph two, separate from the right to appeal on the facts under section 224.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3664/2554 (2011)
In fixing the court fee in a small claims case, the court applies section 190/4 paragraph one together with the definition in section 189 and the fee table in force when the complaint was filed.
The Supreme Court applied section 190/4 paragraph one, with section 189 and the annexed fee table in force at the time, to determine the court fee in a small claims case.
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 much are court fees in a small claims case?
Under section 190/4, the plaintiff's first-instance court fees are calculated under Table 1 but capped at a total of 1,000 baht.
Is the 1,000 baht cap applied on appeal too?
No. Section 190/4 paragraph two charges appeal and further appeal fees on the amount in controversy at that stage, without the trial cap.