Section 338 — Six-month hold in default cases
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในกรณีที่จะต้องบังคับคดีตามคำพิพากษาหรือคำสั่งซึ่งได้พิพากษาหรือสั่งโดยจำเลยขาดนัดนั้น ห้ามมิให้จัดสรรหรือแบ่งเฉลี่ยเงินที่ได้มาจนกว่าระยะเวลาหกเดือนนับแต่วันยึดทรัพย์สินหรืออายัดสิทธิเรียกร้องของลูกหนี้ตามคำพิพากษาจะได้ล่วงพ้นไปแล้ว เว้นแต่เจ้าหนี้ตามคำพิพากษาจะแสดงให้เป็นที่พอใจแก่ศาลได้ว่า ลูกหนี้ตามคำพิพากษาได้ทราบถึงการที่ถูกฟ้องนั้นแล้ว
English translation
Where an execution is to be carried out under a judgment or order given or made by default of the defendant, no allocation or distribution of the money obtained shall be made until a period of six months from the day of the seizure of the property or the attachment of the claim of the judgment debtor has elapsed, unless the judgment creditor satisfies the court that the judgment debtor already knew of the action brought against him.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 338 protects a defaulting defendant within Part 10 by imposing a six-month waiting period before execution proceeds may be allocated or distributed, running from seizure or attachment. The rationale is that a default judgment may have been entered without the defendant truly knowing of the case, and the delay preserves a window in which the judgment might be challenged or set aside before the money is irreversibly paid out. The bar is lifted where the judgment creditor satisfies the court that the debtor did in fact know of the action. It is a targeted safeguard, applying only to default judgments and orders.
Why this matters in practice
For a creditor who won by default, this can delay getting paid by six months. You can shorten the wait by proving to the court that the debtor genuinely knew about the suit, for example through documented service. For a debtor who was never properly notified, this period is a real chance to move to set aside the default judgment before the proceeds are distributed.
Frequently asked questions
Why is money from a default-judgment execution held for six months?
Section 338 delays distribution for six months from seizure or attachment so a defendant who may not have known of the case has time to challenge the default judgment before the money is paid out.
Can the six-month wait be avoided?
Yes, if the judgment creditor satisfies the court that the judgment debtor actually knew of the action brought against him, the money may be distributed without waiting.