Section 222/1 — Class action definitions
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในหมวดนี้“กลุ่มบุคคล” หมายความว่า บุคคลหลายคนที่มีสิทธิอย่างเดียวกันอันเนื่องมาจากข้อเท็จจริงและหลักกฎหมายเดียวกัน และมีลักษณะเฉพาะของกลุ่มเหมือนกัน แม้ว่าจะมีลักษณะของความเสียหายที่แตกต่างกันก็ตาม
“สมาชิกกลุ่ม” หมายความว่า บุคคลใด ๆ ที่อยู่ในกลุ่มบุคคล
“การดำเนินคดีแบบกลุ่ม” หมายความว่า การดำเนินคดีที่ศาลอนุญาตให้เสนอคำฟ้องต่อศาล เพื่อให้ศาลมีคำพิพากษาแสดงสิทธิของโจทก์และสมาชิกกลุ่ม
“เจ้าพนักงานคดีแบบกลุ่ม” หมายความว่า บุคคลที่เลขาธิการสำนักงานศาลยุติธรรมแต่งตั้งให้ทำหน้าที่ช่วยเหลือศาลในการดำเนินคดีแบบกลุ่ม
English translation
In this Chapter:
"group of persons" means several persons who have the same rights arising from the same facts and the same rule of law, and who share the same characteristics specific to the group, even though the nature of the damage may differ;
"class member" means any person who is within the group of persons;
"class action proceeding" means a proceeding in which the court permits the filing of a complaint so that the court may render a judgment declaring the rights of the plaintiff and the class members;
"class action officer" means a person appointed by the Secretary-General of the Office of the Courts of Justice to assist the court in conducting a class action proceeding.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
This is the opening definition section of the class action chapter, added to the Civil Procedure Code by the amendment of B.E. 2558 (2015) that introduced class actions into Thai civil litigation. It defines the four building blocks of the regime: the "group of persons" (the class), the "class member", the "class action proceeding", and the "class action officer". The definition of the group is central: members must share the same rights from the same facts and the same rule of law and the same group-specific characteristics, but differing amounts or kinds of damage do not break the class. This is what lets a single lawsuit bind and benefit people who never personally filed.
Why this matters in practice
A class action lets one lead plaintiff sue on behalf of a whole group, so people harmed by the same product, contract, or conduct do not each need to file. The threshold question is whether your situation truly shares the same facts and legal basis as the rest of the group, because differing damage amounts are allowed but a different legal foundation is not. If you think you may be part of a class, or want to lead one, book a consultation with a Thai lawyer to test whether the group definition fits.
Frequently asked questions
What is a class action in Thailand?
It is a court-permitted proceeding, introduced in 2015, in which a plaintiff sues on behalf of a group who share the same rights from the same facts and law, and the judgment declares the rights of all class members.
Does everyone in the group need the same amount of damage?
No. Section 222/1 says the group shares the same rights from the same facts and law, but the nature or amount of damage may differ among members.