Section 83 septies — How the court serves documents abroad
Statutory text (Thai original)
เมื่อโจทก์ได้ปฏิบัติตามมาตรา ๘๓ จัตวา แล้ว ถ้าไม่มีข้อตกลงระหว่างประเทศที่ประเทศไทยเป็นภาคีกำหนดไว้เป็นอย่างอื่น ให้ศาลดำเนินการส่งให้แก่จำเลยหรือบุคคลภายนอกโดยทางไปรษณีย์ด่วนพิเศษระหว่างประเทศหรือผู้ประกอบกิจการรับส่งพัสดุภัณฑ์ระหว่างประเทศหรือโดยผ่านสำนักงานศาลยุติธรรมและกระทรวงการต่างประเทศ ทั้งนี้ ตามหลักเกณฑ์และวิธีการที่กำหนดไว้ในข้อกำหนดของประธานศาลฎีกาโดยความเห็นชอบของที่ประชุมใหญ่ศาลฎีกา และเมื่อข้อกำหนดนั้นประกาศในราชกิจจานุเบกษาแล้วให้ใช้บังคับได้
English translation
Once the plaintiff has complied with Section 83 quater, then, unless an international agreement to which Thailand is a party provides otherwise, the court shall carry out service on the defendant or the third person by international express mail, or by an international parcel delivery operator, or through the Office of the Judiciary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all in accordance with the rules and procedures fixed in a regulation of the President of the Supreme Court made with the approval of the plenary session of the Supreme Court; and such regulation, once published in the Government Gazette, shall come into force.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 83 septies is the operational counterpart to Section 83 quater: once the plaintiff has filed the motion, translations, and costs, the court takes over and effects the foreign service. It offers three channels, international express mail, an international parcel operator, or the diplomatic route through the Office of the Judiciary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, subject to any applicable treaty. The detailed method is governed by a regulation of the President of the Supreme Court, approved by the plenary court and effective on publication in the Government Gazette, which keeps the mechanics flexible without amending the Code.
Why this matters in practice
Practically, once you have met your obligations under Section 83 quater, the responsibility for effecting service abroad shifts to the court, though a treaty may dictate a specific route. Expect the process to run on official timelines, not your own, and combine it with the sixty or seventy-five day effective periods under Section 83 quinquies when planning. Because these steps interlock, it helps to have a lawyer track them. Consider an online consultation with a Thai lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Who actually serves the documents abroad?
After the plaintiff complies with Section 83 quater, the court carries out the foreign service under Section 83 septies, unless a treaty provides another route.
What methods can the court use for foreign service?
International express mail, an international parcel delivery operator, or the route through the Office of the Judiciary and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as fixed by a Supreme Court President's regulation.