Section 207 — Retrial after ex parte judgment
Statutory text (Thai original)
เมื่อศาลพิพากษาให้คู่ความฝ่ายที่ขาดนัดพิจารณาแพ้คดี ให้นำบทบัญญัติมาตรา ๑๙๙ ทวิ มาใช้บังคับโดยอนุโลม และคู่ความฝ่ายนั้นอาจมีคำขอให้พิจารณาคดีใหม่ได้ ทั้งนี้ ให้นำบทบัญญัติมาตรา ๑๙๙ ตรี มาตรา ๑๙๙ จัตวา และมาตรา ๑๙๙ เบญจ มาใช้บังคับโดยอนุโลม
English translation
When the court gives judgment against the party in default of appearance, the provisions of Section 199 bis shall apply mutatis mutandis, and that party may file a request for a retrial. In this regard, the provisions of Section 199 ter, Section 199 quater, and Section 199 quinque shall apply mutatis mutandis.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 207 gives the losing defaulting party a second chance and bridges the appearance-default rules with the well developed retrial regime for defence defaults. By importing Section 199 bis and Sections 199 ter to 199 quinque mutatis mutandis, it carries over the substance of a proper retrial request, the requirement that the default was not intentional or had reasonable cause, the deadlines, and the finality rules. Read with Section 206 paragraph three, it completes the two-track scheme: a party who reaches court during the ex parte trial uses Section 206, while one who remains absent until judgment uses Section 207. Case law confirms the retrial request must generally be filed within fifteen days of service of the writ of execution under Section 199 quater.
Why this matters in practice
If you lost by default at the hearing, the clock is the single most important thing. A retrial request under Section 207 generally must be filed within fifteen days of service of the writ of execution, and being even a day late, as one Supreme Court case shows, can defeat the request. Gather proof that your absence was not deliberate and file promptly. Because the deadlines are unforgiving, get advice quickly through an online consultation with a Thai lawyer.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 1714/2567 (2024)
A retrial request under Section 207 read with Section 199 quater paragraph one must be filed within fifteen days of service of the writ of execution; a request filed beyond that period, and beyond the eight-day period under Section 27 paragraph two, is not valid.
The plaintiff argued that the first defendant, who learned of the suit on 21 March 2565 but filed for a retrial on 2 May 2565, had missed both the eight-day period under Section 27 and the fifteen-day period under Section 207 with Section 199 quater. The Supreme Court examined the timing against the writ of execution and these deadlines.
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 8539/2560 (2017)
A request for a retrial under Section 207 presupposes enforcement of the judgment, whether by seizure of property or another method of execution; where there has been no enforcement against the party, the request does not meet the conditions of Section 207.
The court below dismissed a retrial request because no enforcement, by seizure or otherwise, had been carried out against the objecting party, so the conditions of Section 207 were not met. The Supreme Court addressed this framework in reviewing the successive retrial requests.
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 1516/2559 (2016)
Where the defendant defaulted of appearance and lost an ex parte judgment, the defendant may request a retrial under Section 207 with Section 199 quater by filing within fifteen days of service of the writ of execution on the defaulting defendant.
The defendant had defaulted of appearance and lost an ex parte judgment. The Supreme Court confirmed the right to a retrial under Section 207 with Section 199 quater, filed within fifteen days of service of the writ of execution, and noted the finality of the judgment once the retrial period lapses.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask for a retrial after losing by default at the hearing?
Yes. Section 207 lets a party who lost an ex parte judgment request a retrial, applying Sections 199 bis to 199 quinque by analogy, provided the conditions and deadlines are met.
How long do I have to file a retrial request under Section 207?
Applying Section 199 quater, the request must generally be filed within fifteen days of service of the writ of execution on the defaulting party. Missing this deadline can defeat the request.
Does missing the hearing always mean I lose for good?
Not necessarily. If your default was not intentional or had reasonable cause and you file in time, Section 207 allows a retrial. But the deadlines are strict and a late request will usually fail.