Section 106 — Where to apply for provisional release
Statutory text (Thai original)
คำร้องขอให้ปล่อยผู้ต้องหาหรือจำเลยชั่วคราวโดยไม่ต้องมีประกันหรือมีประกัน หรือมีประกันและหลักประกัน ไม่ว่าผู้นั้นต้องควบคุมหรือขังตามหมายศาล ย่อมยื่นได้โดยผู้ต้องหา จำเลย หรือผู้มีประโยชน์เกี่ยวข้องดังนี้
(๑)
เมื่อผู้ต้องหาถูกควบคุมอยู่และยังมิได้ถูกฟ้องต่อศาล
ให้ยื่นต่อพนักงานสอบสวนหรือพนักงานอัยการ แล้วแต่กรณี
(๒)
เมื่อผู้ต้องหาต้องขังตามหมายศาลและยังมิได้ถูกฟ้องต่อศาลให้ยื่นต่อศาลนั้น
(๓) เมื่อผู้ต้องหาถูกฟ้องแล้ว
ให้ยื่นต่อศาลชั้นต้นที่ชำระคดีนั้น(๔ ) เมื่อศาลอ่านคำพิพากษาศาลชั้นต้นหรือศาลอุทธรณ์แล้ว แม้ยังไม่มีการยื่นอุทธรณ์หรือฎีกา หรือมีการยื่นอุทธรณ์หรือฎีกาแล้วแต่ยังไม่ได้ส่งสำนวนไปยังศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกา ให้ยื่นต่อศาลชั้นต้นที่ชำระคดีนั้นในกรณีที่ศาลชั้นต้นเห็นสมควรให้ปล่อยชั่วคราว ให้ศาลชั้นต้นสั่งอนุญาตมิฉะนั้นให้รีบส่งคำร้องพร้อมสำนวนไปให้ศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกาเพื่อสั่ง แล้วแต่กรณี
(๕)
เมื่อศาลส่งสำนวนไปยังศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกาแล้ว
จะยื่นต่อศาลชั้นต้นที่ชำระคดีนั้น หรือจะยื่นต่อศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกา แล้วแต่กรณีก็ได้ ในกรณีที่ยื่นต่อศาลชั้นต้น ให้ศาลชั้นต้นรีบส่งคำร้องไปยังศาลอุทธรณ์หรือศาลฎีกาเพื่อสั่ง แล้วแต่กรณี
English translation
An application for the provisional release of a suspect or accused, whether without security, with security, or with security and collateral, regardless of whether that person is under custody or detention pursuant to a court warrant, may be filed by the suspect, the accused, or an interested person, as follows:
(1) When the suspect is under custody and has not yet been prosecuted before the court, the application shall be filed with the inquiry official or the public prosecutor, as the case may be;
(2) When the suspect is under detention pursuant to a court warrant and has not yet been prosecuted before the court, the application shall be filed with that court;
(3) When the suspect has been prosecuted, the application shall be filed with the Court of First Instance trying the case;
(4) When the Court of First Instance or the Court of Appeal has read its judgment, even though no appeal or petition has yet been filed, or an appeal or petition has been filed but the case file has not yet been sent to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, the application shall be filed with the Court of First Instance trying the case. Where the Court of First Instance considers it appropriate to grant provisional release, it shall order the grant; otherwise, it shall promptly forward the application together with the case file to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court for an order, as the case may be;
(5) When the court has sent the case file to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, the application may be filed either with the Court of First Instance trying the case, or with the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, as the case may be. Where it is filed with the Court of First Instance, that court shall promptly forward the application to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court for an order, as the case may be.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 106 opens Chapter 3 (Provisional Release) and is the gateway provision for bail. It confirms who may apply, the suspect, the accused, or an interested person, and it maps the correct forum for each procedural stage, from pre-charge custody through detention on a court warrant, prosecution, judgment, and appeal. The five paragraphs track the movement of the case file so that an application is always directed to the body then holding authority over the person. It is read together with Sections 107 and following on how bail is decided, and Sections 112 and 114 on surety and collateral.
Why this matters in practice
Filing a bail application at the wrong stage or the wrong forum wastes time when liberty is at stake, so identifying the correct body under Section 106 is the first practical step. Note that an interested person, not only the suspect or accused, may apply, which matters where a relative arranges release. Getting the surety and collateral right at the same time is essential, because a person who signs the surety contract can be held liable if the accused fails to appear. If a family member is in custody, timely advice helps: book a consultation with a Thai lawyer.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4265/2561 (2018)
Section 106 gives a suspect the right to apply for provisional release even during pre-charge remand; the legislative intent is that remand during investigation is a matter for the Court of First Instance and is not subject to appeal.
In a pre-charge remand under Sections 71 and 66, the court noted that Section 106 already gives the suspect the right to apply for provisional release. This showed the legislative intent that remand during the investigation is within the authority of the Court of First Instance and concludes there, so a suspect cannot appeal against an order granting remand.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 5206/2550 (2007)
A grant of provisional release with security and collateral under Sections 106 and 114 requires both that an interested person file the application and that the person seeking release provide the collateral; the person who signs as surety is bound by the surety contract.
The court explained that under Sections 106 and 114, provisional release with security and collateral requires both an application by an interested person and the provision of collateral by the applicant. Because the second defendant filed the bail application and signed as surety for the suspect, that defendant was bound by the surety contract when the suspect was not delivered as promised.
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 9029/2547 (2004)
Under Section 106, an application for provisional release may be filed by the suspect or accused personally or by an interested person, and under Section 112 the surety or provider of collateral must sign the surety contract before release.
The court set out that Section 106 allows an application for provisional release, without security, with security, or with security and collateral, to be filed by the suspect or accused or an interested person, and that Section 112 requires the surety or provider of collateral to sign the surety contract before release. It applied these provisions in assessing the surety's liability under the bail contract.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for bail in a Thai criminal case?
Under Section 106, the suspect, the accused, or an interested person may apply for provisional release, whether without security, with security, or with security and collateral.
Where do I file a bail application before charges are filed?
Under Section 106(1), when the suspect is in custody and not yet prosecuted, the application is filed with the inquiry official or the public prosecutor; if the suspect is detained on a court warrant, it is filed with that court under Section 106(2).
Can a family member apply for bail on behalf of the accused?
Yes. Section 106 allows an interested person, not only the suspect or accused, to file the application, which is common when a relative arranges the surety and collateral.