Section 222/44 — Order of priority for paying out proceeds
Statutory text (Thai original)
เมื่อจำเลยนำเงินหรือทรัพย์สินมาวางต่อเจ้าพนักงานบังคับคดีหรือเมื่อได้ขายทอดตลาดหรือจำหน่ายโดยวิธีอื่นซึ่งทรัพย์สินของจำเลย หรือเมื่อเจ้าพนักงานบังคับคดีได้รวบรวมทรัพย์สินอื่นใดของจำเลยเสร็จ และได้หักค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมในการบังคับคดีแล้ว ให้เจ้าพนักงานบังคับคดีจ่ายเงินให้แก่ผู้มีสิทธิตามลำดับดังนี้
(๑) ผู้มีสิทธิได้รับชำระหนี้ก่อนตามมาตรา ๓๒๒ และมาตรา ๓๒๔
(๒) เงินรางวัลของทนายความฝ่ายโจทก์ตามมาตรา ๒๒๒/๓๗
(๓) ค่าฤชาธรรมเนียมใช้แทนโจทก์
(๔) โจทก์ สมาชิกกลุ่ม และเจ้าหนี้อื่นที่มีสิทธิได้รับเฉลี่ยทรัพย์ตามมาตรา ๓๒๖
English translation
When the defendant brings money or property to deposit with the execution officer, or when property of the defendant has been sold by public auction or disposed of by other means, or when the execution officer has finished collecting any other property of the defendant, and the execution costs and fees have been deducted, the execution officer shall pay the money to those entitled in the following order:
(1) persons entitled to preferential payment under Section 322 and Section 324;
(2) the reward of the plaintiff's lawyer under Section 222/37;
(3) the costs and fees payable in lieu of the plaintiff;
(4) the plaintiff, group members, and other creditors entitled to a rateable share of the property under Section 326.
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 distribution waterfall for class action recoveries and one of the most distinctive features of the Thai class action regime. It confirms that the plaintiff's lawyer's statutory reward under Section 222/37 ranks high, immediately after preferential claims under Sections 322 and 324 and ahead of the group's own recovery, which reflects the policy of incentivising lawyers to bring meritorious class actions. Only after preferential creditors, the lawyer's reward, and the plaintiff's recoverable costs are paid do the plaintiff, group members, and Section 326 rateable-share creditors share the remainder. It applies once funds are realised and cleaned of execution costs, and it works directly with Section 222/43, which channels rateable-share money to this same officer.
Why this matters in practice
Group members should understand that they sit at the bottom of the payment order: preferential creditors and the lawyer's reward are paid before the members see any money, so a modest recovery can be substantially reduced before distribution. When assessing whether a class action is worth joining, factor in this waterfall, not just the headline judgment sum. We can model your likely net recovery before you commit; see our legal fees page for how costs and rewards work.
Frequently asked questions
In what order is class action money paid out?
Section 222/44 pays, after execution costs: (1) preferential creditors under Sections 322 and 324, (2) the plaintiff's lawyer's reward under Section 222/37, (3) costs payable in lieu of the plaintiff, then (4) the plaintiff, group members, and Section 326 creditors.
Does the lawyer get paid before the group members?
Yes. Under Section 222/44 the plaintiff's lawyer's reward ranks ahead of the plaintiff and group members, who are paid last from whatever remains after higher-priority claims.