Section 230 — Certification to appeal on the facts
Statutory text (Thai original)
คดีตามมาตรา ๒๒๔ ถ้าคู่ความอุทธรณ์ในข้อเท็จจริง ให้ศาลชั้นต้นตรวจเสียก่อนว่าฟ้องอุทธรณ์นั้นจะรับไว้พิจารณาได้หรือไม่ถ้าผู้พิพากษาที่ได้พิจารณาคดีนั้นมีความเห็นแย้ง หรือได้รับรองไว้แล้ว หรือรับรองในเวลาที่ตรวจอุทธรณ์นั้นว่ามีเหตุอันควรอุทธรณ์ในปัญหาข้อเท็จจริงนั้นได้ ก็ให้ศาลมีคำสั่งรับอุทธรณ์นั้นไว้พิจารณาในปัญหาข้อเท็จจริงดังกล่าวแล้วถ้าไม่มีความเห็นแย้งหรือคำรับรองเช่นว่านั้น ให้ศาลมีคำสั่งไม่รับอุทธรณ์ในปัญหาข้อเท็จจริงที่กล่าวแล้ว ในกรณีเช่นนี้ ถ้าอธิบดีผู้พิพากษาหรืออธิบดีผู้พิพากษาภาคมิได้เป็นคณะในคำสั่งนั้น ผู้อุทธรณ์ชอบที่จะยื่นคำร้องต่อศาลถึงอธิบดีผู้พิพากษาหรืออธิบดีผู้พิพากษาภาคภายในเจ็ดวัน เมื่อศาลได้รับคำร้องเช่นว่านั้น ให้ศาลส่งคำร้องนั้นพร้อมด้วยสำนวนความไปยังอธิบดีผู้พิพากษาหรืออธิบดีผู้พิพากษาภาคเพื่อมีคำสั่งยืนตามหรือกลับคำสั่งของศาลนั้น คำสั่งของอธิบดีผู้พิพากษา หรืออธิบดีผู้พิพากษาภาค เช่นว่านี้ ให้เป็นที่สุดบทบัญญัติแห่งมาตรานี้ ไม่ห้ามศาลในอันที่จะมีคำสั่งตามมาตรา ๒๓๒ ปฏิเสธไม่ส่งอุทธรณ์ในเหตุอื่น หรือในอันที่ศาลจะมีคำสั่งให้ส่งอุทธรณ์นั้นไปเท่าที่เป็นอุทธรณ์ในข้อกฎหมาย
English translation
In a case under Section 224, if a party appeals on a question of fact, the court of first instance shall first examine whether the appeal may be accepted for consideration. If the judge who tried the case has expressed a dissenting opinion, or has already certified, or certifies at the time of examining the appeal, that there is reasonable ground to appeal on that question of fact, the court shall order that the appeal be accepted for consideration on that question of fact. If there is no such dissenting opinion or certification, the court shall order that the appeal on the said question of fact not be accepted. In such a case, if the Chief Judge or the Regional Chief Judge was not a member of the panel that made the order, the appellant may file a petition with the court addressed to the Chief Judge or the Regional Chief Judge within seven days. When the court receives such a petition, it shall forward the petition together with the case file to the Chief Judge or the Regional Chief Judge to make an order affirming or reversing the court's order. Such an order of the Chief Judge or the Regional Chief Judge shall be final. The provisions of this Section do not prohibit the court from making an order under Section 232 refusing to forward the appeal on other grounds, or from ordering the appeal to be forwarded only to the extent that it is an appeal on a question of law.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 230 provides the gatekeeping mechanism for factual appeals in cases where Section 224 restricts appeals to questions of law because of the small amount in dispute. The trial court screens the appeal, and a factual appeal proceeds only where the trial judge has dissented or grants certification of reasonable ground. A refusal is not the last word: the appellant may petition the Chief Judge or Regional Chief Judge within seven days, and that officer's order is final. The final paragraph preserves the court's separate power under Section 232 to refuse to forward an appeal on other grounds, or to forward only the legal-question portion.
Why this matters in practice
The seven-day window is tight and unforgiving. If the trial court refuses to certify your factual appeal, you must petition the Chief Judge or Regional Chief Judge within seven days, and courts have treated a petition filed after the appeal period as too late. Practically, ask the trial judge for certification early, ideally at the time of filing the appeal, and prepare the petition in advance in case certification is refused. Because these are low-value cases where legal costs can quickly exceed the amount at stake, weigh whether a factual appeal is worth pursuing at all.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1438/2558 (2015)
A petition to the Regional Chief Judge for leave to appeal on the facts under Section 230 must be filed within the appeal period; a petition filed after the appeal period has expired is out of time.
The case was barred from factual appeal because the amounts did not exceed 50,000 baht. The trial court refused certification, and when the plaintiff later petitioned the Regional Chief Judge under Section 230 paragraph three after the appeal period had passed, the petition was rejected as out of time.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1932/2568 (2025)
Where a trial court's refusal to accept an appeal is improper, the appellate court may revoke that refusal and order the trial court to examine and accept the appeal under Sections 230 and 232 and proceed accordingly.
The Supreme Court revoked the trial court's refusal to accept the defendant's appeal and directed the trial court to examine and accept the appeal under Sections 230 and 232, read with the Consumer Case Procedure Act, then proceed with the case.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
When can I appeal on the facts in a small civil case?
Under Section 230, in a Section 224 case a factual appeal proceeds only if the trial judge dissented or certifies that there is reasonable ground to appeal on that question of fact.
What can I do if the court refuses to certify my factual appeal?
You may file a petition with the court addressed to the Chief Judge or Regional Chief Judge within seven days. Their order affirming or reversing the refusal is final.
Is the Chief Judge's decision on certification appealable?
No. Section 230 states that the order of the Chief Judge or Regional Chief Judge on the certification petition is final.