Section 193 — Small claims hearing and conciliation
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในคดีมโนสาเร่ ให้ศาลกำหนดวันนัดพิจารณาโดยเร็วและออกหมายเรียกไปยังจำเลย ในหมายนั้นให้จดแจ้งประเด็นแห่งคดีและจำนวนทุนทรัพย์หรือราคาที่เรียกร้อง และข้อความว่าให้จำเลยมาศาลเพื่อการไกล่เกลี่ย ให้การ และสืบพยานในวันเดียวกัน และให้ศาลสั่งให้โจทก์มาศาลในวันนัดพิจารณานั้นด้วย
ในวันนัดพิจารณา เมื่อโจทก์และจำเลยมาพร้อมกันแล้ว ให้ศาลไกล่เกลี่ยให้คู่ความได้ตกลงกันหรือประนีประนอมยอมความกันในข้อที่พิพาทนั้นก่อน
ถ้าคู่ความไม่อาจตกลงกันหรือไม่อาจประนีประนอมยอมความกันได้และจำเลยยังไม่ได้ยื่นคำให้การ ให้ศาลสอบถามคำให้การของจำเลย โดยจำเลยจะยื่นคำให้การเป็นหนังสือ หรือจะให้การด้วยวาจาก็ได้ ในกรณียื่นคำให้การเป็นหนังสือให้นำมาตรา ๑๙๑ วรรคสอง มาใช้บังคับโดยอนุโลม ในกรณีให้การด้วยวาจา ให้ศาลบันทึกคำให้การรวมทั้งเหตุแห่งการนั้นไว้ อ่านให้จำเลยฟัง แล้วให้จำเลยลงลายมือชื่อไว้เป็นสำคัญ
ถ้าจำเลยไม่ให้การตามวรรคสาม ให้ศาลมีอำนาจใช้ดุลพินิจมีคำสั่งไม่ยอมเลื่อนเวลาให้จำเลยยื่นคำให้การ โดยให้ถือว่าจำเลยขาดนัดยื่นคำให้การ และให้ศาลมีคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งชี้ขาดโดยนำมาตรา ๑๙๘ ทวิ มาใช้บังคับโดยอนุโลม แต่ในกรณีที่ศาลมีคำสั่งให้สืบพยาน ก็ให้ศาลดำเนินการต่อไปตามมาตรา ๑๙๓ ตรี มาตรา ๑๙๓ จัตวา และมาตรา ๑๙๓ เบญจ
English translation
In a small claims case, the court shall fix a hearing date without delay and issue a summons to the defendant. In the summons, the court shall state the issues of the case and the amount in controversy or the value claimed, and a statement that the defendant is to appear before the court for conciliation, for filing a defense, and for the taking of evidence on the same day; and the court shall order the plaintiff also to appear before the court on that hearing date.
On the hearing date, when the plaintiff and the defendant appear together, the court shall first conciliate the parties so that they may reach agreement or compromise on the matter in dispute.
If the parties cannot reach agreement or compromise and the defendant has not yet filed a defense, the court shall inquire into the defendant's defense; the defendant may file a written defense or make the defense orally. In the case of a written defense, section 191 paragraph two shall apply mutatis mutandis. In the case of an oral defense, the court shall record the defense together with the grounds thereof, read it to the defendant, and have the defendant sign it as evidence.
If the defendant fails to give a defense under paragraph three, the court shall have the discretionary power to order that no extension of time be granted to the defendant to file a defense, and the defendant shall be deemed to be in default of a defense, and the court shall render a judgment or order adjudicating the case by applying section 198 bis mutatis mutandis; but where the court orders the taking of evidence, the court shall proceed further under section 193 ter, section 193 quater, and section 193 quinque.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 193 is the operational core of small claims procedure. It compresses conciliation, the filing of a defense, and the taking of evidence into a single hearing day, and requires the summons to spell out the issues, the amount claimed, and the defendant's duty to attend for all three purposes. Paragraph two imposes a mandatory conciliation duty on the court before anything else. Paragraph three allows an oral or written defense, borrowing section 191 paragraph two for correcting a written one. Paragraph four treats a defendant who fails to defend as in default, applying section 198 bis, and routes the case onward to sections 193 ter, quater, and quinque where evidence is to be taken.
Why this matters in practice
Treat the first hearing as decisive: conciliation, your defense, and evidence can all be dealt with that day, so both sides must come prepared, not expecting several separate hearings. A defendant who does not show up and defend risks being treated as in default. Because the court must attempt conciliation, small claims are a natural setting for settlement, see our guide to mediation and arbitration in Thailand.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3433/2558 (2015)
The conciliation duty in section 193 paragraph two is satisfied where the court actually conciliates the parties, even if the summons omitted the statement that the defendant is to appear for conciliation.
Although the summons lacked a conciliation notice, the first-instance court had in fact conducted conciliation, so it was held to have complied with section 193 paragraph two.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1186/2558 (2015)
In a small claims case a duly summoned defendant must give a defense on the hearing date fixed under section 193; where the defendant fails to appear and defend, treating the defendant as in default and giving judgment is not an irregular proceeding.
The defendant, duly served, failed to appear and defend on the small claims hearing date; the court held that deeming the defendant in default under section 193 and proceeding to judgment was not an irregular proceeding.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 10260/2556 (2013)
Although section 193 paragraph four lets the court refuse an extension and deem a defendant in default for not defending, where the defendant has already filed a defense in time the court may still exercise discretion to allow a postponement, including to amend the defense.
The defendant had filed a defense within time; the court held that section 193 paragraph four did not prevent it from exercising discretion to allow the defendant to seek amendment of the defense up to the postponed hearing date.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
What happens on the small claims hearing date?
Under section 193, the court first conciliates the parties; if no settlement is reached and the defendant has not answered, it takes the defense and can proceed to evidence, all on the same day.
Can a defendant answer orally in a small claims case?
Yes. Section 193 paragraph three allows the defendant to file a written defense or make it orally; an oral defense is recorded, read back, and signed.
What if the defendant does not give a defense?
Under section 193 paragraph four, the court may refuse an extension, deem the defendant in default of a defense, and give judgment applying section 198 bis.