Section 222/48 — Dismissing prohibited appeals; justice exception
Statutory text (Thai original)
คดีที่ศาลชั้นต้นมีคำสั่งรับอุทธรณ์หรือฎีกาส่งมาให้ศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกา หากศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกา แล้วแต่กรณี พิจารณาเห็นว่าอุทธรณ์หรือฎีกานั้นต้องห้ามอุทธรณ์หรือห้ามฎีกา ให้ยกอุทธรณ์หรือฎีกา โดยไม่จำต้องวินิจฉัยประเด็นที่อุทธรณ์หรือฎีกา แต่ถ้าศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกา แล้วแต่กรณี พิจารณาเห็นสมควรเพื่อประโยชน์แห่งความยุติธรรมจำเป็นต้องแก้ไขข้อผิดพลาดจะรับพิจารณาพิพากษาคดีที่ต้องห้ามอุทธรณ์หรือห้ามฎีกาดังกล่าวนั้นก็ได้
English translation
In a case where the court of first instance has ordered acceptance of an appeal or a dika and sent it to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, if the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, as the case may be, considers that the appeal or dika is one that is prohibited from appeal or dika, it shall dismiss the appeal or dika without needing to decide the issues raised in the appeal or dika; but if the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, as the case may be, considers it appropriate that, for the benefit of justice, it is necessary to correct an error, it may accept and adjudicate the case that is otherwise prohibited from appeal or dika.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
This provision confirms that the acceptance of an appeal or dika by the court of first instance does not bind the appellate courts on the question of admissibility. Where the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court finds the appeal or dika is legally prohibited, the default is dismissal without reaching the substantive issues, which preserves the integrity of the appeal-restriction rules that apply to class actions. The provision then grants an equitable safety valve: for the benefit of justice and where necessary to correct an error, the higher court may nonetheless entertain and decide the barred appeal or dika. This mirrors the general discretion found elsewhere in the Code to override procedural bars in the interests of justice, applied here within the class action appeal regime of Part 5.
Why this matters in practice
Do not assume that because the trial court accepted your appeal it will be heard: the appellate court can still dismiss a prohibited appeal on its own view. Conversely, if your appeal is technically barred but raises a genuine error going to the justice of the outcome, this section gives room to argue the court should hear it anyway, so the argument is worth framing carefully. Persuading a higher court to exercise that discretion is skilled advocacy; see how we approach appeals in our guide to going to court in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Can a higher court dismiss an appeal the trial court already accepted?
Yes. Under Section 222/48, if the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court finds the appeal or dika is prohibited, it may dismiss it without deciding the issues, even though the court of first instance accepted it.
Is there any way a prohibited appeal can still be heard?
Yes. Section 222/48 lets the higher court accept and decide a barred appeal or dika where, for the benefit of justice, it is necessary to correct an error.