Section 222/28 — Withdrawal of a class action plaint
Statutory text (Thai original)
เมื่อศาลมีคำสั่งอนุญาตให้ดำเนินคดีแบบกลุ่มแล้วโจทก์จะถอนคำฟ้องไม่ได้ เว้นแต่ศาลจะอนุญาต
ในกรณีที่จำเลยยื่นคำให้การแล้ว ห้ามไม่ให้ศาลอนุญาตให้ถอนฟ้องโดยมิได้ฟังจำเลยก่อน
ในกรณีที่ได้มีการส่งคำบอกกล่าวกับประกาศให้สมาชิกกลุ่มตามมาตรา ๒๒๒/๑๕ แล้ว หากศาลจะมีคำสั่งอนุญาตให้ถอนคำฟ้อง ให้ศาลกำหนดวันตามที่เห็นสมควรแต่ต้องไม่น้อยกว่าสี่สิบห้าวันเพื่อให้สมาชิกกลุ่มคัดค้านโดยทำเป็นหนังสือยื่นต่อศาล และสั่งให้โจทก์นำเงินค่าใช้จ่ายมาวางศาล รวมทั้งแจ้งเรื่องการถอนฟ้องให้สมาชิกกลุ่มทราบตามวิธีการเช่นเดียวกับที่กำหนดไว้ในมาตรา ๒๒๒/๑๕ วรรคหนึ่ง
ในกรณีที่โจทก์เพิกเฉยไม่นำเงินค่าใช้จ่ายมาวางศาลตามวรรคสามโดยไม่แจ้งให้ศาลทราบเหตุแห่งการเพิกเฉยเช่นว่านั้น ให้ศาลมีคำสั่งไม่อนุญาตให้ถอนคำฟ้อง
English translation
When the court has issued an order permitting the class action, the plaintiff may not withdraw the plaint unless the court permits.
Where the defendant has already filed an answer, the court shall not permit withdrawal of the plaint without first hearing the defendant.
Where notice and public notice have already been given to group members under section 222/15, if the court is to permit withdrawal of the plaint, the court shall fix a date, as it deems appropriate but not less than forty-five days, for group members to object in writing filed with the court, and shall order the plaintiff to deposit the expenses with the court, as well as notify group members of the withdrawal of the plaint by the same method prescribed in section 222/15 paragraph one.
Where the plaintiff neglects to deposit the expenses with the court under paragraph three without informing the court of the cause of such neglect, the court shall order that withdrawal of the plaint not be permitted.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
This section restrains the certified plaintiff's control over the case because a class action affects absent members who relied on it. It layers three protections over the ordinary withdrawal rule: court permission is mandatory, the defendant gets a hearing where an answer is on file, and, most distinctively, notified group members receive at least forty-five days to object, funded by a plaintiff deposit. The final paragraph makes the deposit a hard condition, refusal to fund member notice without cause defeats the withdrawal, preventing a plaintiff from quietly abandoning the group. It parallels the safeguards in sections 222/29 and 222/30 for settlements and arbitration, and the court weighs objections using the factors in section 222/32.
Why this matters in practice
For defendants, this section means a class plaintiff cannot use a quiet withdrawal to escape a case or shop for a friendlier forum; you have a right to be heard before any dismissal by withdrawal. For group members, it guarantees notice and a real chance to object before the case that protects your rights disappears. Plaintiffs should budget for the notice deposit, because ignoring it is itself a ground to refuse withdrawal. Anyone facing or seeking a withdrawal in a class action should get advice on timing and on the objection procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Can a plaintiff withdraw a class action after it is certified?
Only with the court's permission. Under section 222/28 the plaintiff cannot withdraw the plaint on their own, the defendant must be heard if an answer is filed, and notified group members must be given at least forty-five days to object.
Do group members get to object to a withdrawal?
Yes. If members were already notified under section 222/15, the court must give them at least forty-five days to file a written objection before permitting withdrawal.
What if the plaintiff does not pay the cost of notifying members?
If the plaintiff neglects to deposit the expenses without informing the court of the reason, section 222/28 requires the court to refuse permission to withdraw the plaint.