Section 229 — How and when to lodge an appeal
Statutory text (Thai original)
การอุทธรณ์นั้นให้ทำเป็นหนังสือยื่นต่อศาลชั้นต้นซึ่งมีคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งภายในกำหนดหนึ่งเดือนนับแต่วันที่ได้อ่านคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งนั้น และผู้อุทธรณ์ต้องนำเงินค่าธรรมเนียมซึ่งจะต้องใช้แก่คู่ความอีกฝ่ายหนึ่งตามคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งมาวางศาลพร้อมกับอุทธรณ์นั้นด้วย ให้ผู้อุทธรณ์ยื่นสำเนาอุทธรณ์ต่อศาล เพื่อส่งให้แก่จำเลยอุทธรณ์ (คือฝ่ายโจทก์หรือจำเลยความเดิมซึ่งเป็นฝ่ายที่มิได้อุทธรณ์ความนั้น) ตามที่บัญญัติไว้ในมาตรา ๒๓๕ และ ๒๓๖
English translation
An appeal shall be made in writing and filed with the court of first instance that rendered the judgment or order, within one month from the date on which the judgment or order was read. The appellant must also deposit with the court, together with the appeal, the amount of the fees payable to the other party under the judgment or order. The appellant shall file a copy of the appeal with the court for service on the appellee (that is, the original plaintiff or defendant who did not appeal from the case), as provided in Sections 235 and 236.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 229 sets the core formalities for lodging an appeal: written form, filing with the court of first instance, a one-month deadline running from the reading of the judgment or order, and the mandatory deposit of the fees payable to the other party under the judgment. That deposit is a distinct requirement from the court fee for the appeal itself, and courts treat the two separately. The Section also directs the appellant to file a copy for service on the appellee, linking forward to the service procedure in Sections 235 and 236.
Why this matters in practice
Two money obligations trip up appellants. The court fee for the appeal is separate from the deposit of the fees payable to the winning party under the judgment. A fee exemption or waiver, including for consumer cases, generally covers only court fees, not this deposit, so a losing party who wants to appeal must still put up that money or risk having the appeal rejected. Miss the one-month deadline or the deposit and your appeal can fail on procedure alone. If you are weighing an appeal, plan the cash requirement early. See our legal fees page.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3737/2567 (2024)
Section 229 is intended to make a losing party who wishes to appeal first bear the fees payable to the other party by depositing that sum with the court as security. A general fee exemption does not extend to this deposit.
The Supreme Court held that the fees the trial court ordered the appellant to pay the other party had to be deposited with the appeal under Section 229, and that a consumer-case fee exemption did not cover that deposit, explaining that the purpose of Section 229 is to secure the other party's fees before the appeal proceeds.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4050/2566 (2023)
The one-month period for lodging an appeal under Section 229 applies to an appeal against an order rejecting a debt claim, through Section 28/1 of the Act on the Establishment of and Procedure for Bankruptcy Courts.
In a bankruptcy debt-claim matter, the Supreme Court considered whether the creditor's appeal against the order rejecting its claim was lodged within the one-month period under Section 229, applied via Section 28/1 of the Bankruptcy Court Act.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to file a civil appeal in Thailand?
Under Section 229, an appeal must be filed in writing with the court of first instance within one month from the date the judgment or order was read.
Do I have to deposit money when I appeal?
Yes. In addition to the appeal court fee, Section 229 requires you to deposit with the court, together with the appeal, the amount of fees the judgment orders you to pay to the other party.
Does a fee waiver cover the deposit payable to the other party?
Generally no. A court fee exemption covers court fees only. The deposit of fees payable to the winning party under Section 229 is not a court fee and normally cannot be waived.