Section 132 — Powers to gather evidence
Statutory text (Thai original)
เพื่อประโยชน์แห่งการรวบรวมหลักฐาน ให้พนักงานสอบสวนมีอำนาจดังต่อไปนี้
(๑) ตรวจตัวผู้เสียหายเมื่อผู้นั้นยินยอม หรือตรวจตัวผู้ต้องหา หรือตรวจสิ่งของหรือที่ทางอันสามารถอาจใช้เป็นพยานหลักฐานได้ ให้รวมทั้งทำภาพถ่าย แผนที่ หรือภาพวาด จำลอง หรือพิมพ์ลายนิ้วมือ ลายมือหรือลายเท้า กับให้บันทึกรายละเอียดทั้งหลายซึ่งน่าจะกระทำให้คดีแจ่มกระจ่างขึ้นในการตรวจตัวผู้เสียหายหรือผู้ต้องหาตามวรรคหนึ่ง หากผู้เสียหายหรือผู้ต้องหาเป็นหญิงให้จัดให้เจ้าพนักงานซึ่งเป็นหญิงหรือหญิงอื่นเป็นผู้ตรวจ ทั้งนี้ ในกรณีที่มีเหตุอันสมควร ผู้เสียหายหรือผู้ต้องหาจะขอนำบุคคลใดมาอยู่ร่วมในการตรวจนั้นด้วยก็ได้
(๒) ค้นเพื่อพบสิ่งของ ซึ่งมีไว้เป็นความผิด หรือได้มาโดยการกระทำผิด หรือได้ใช้หรือสงสัยว่าได้ใช้ในการกระทำผิด หรือซึ่งอาจใช้เป็นพยานหลักฐานได้ แต่ต้องปฏิบัติตามบทบัญญัติแห่งประมวลกฎหมายนี้ว่าด้วยค้น
(๓) หมายเรียกบุคคลซึ่งครอบครองสิ่งของ ซึ่งอาจใช้เป็นพยานหลักฐานได้ แต่บุคคลที่ถูกหมายเรียกไม่จำต้องมาเอง เมื่อจัดส่งสิ่งของมาตามหมายแล้ว ให้ถือเสมือนว่าได้ปฏิบัติตามหมาย
(๔) ยึดไว้ซึ่งสิ่งของที่ค้นพบหรือส่งมาดังกล่าวไว้ในอนุมาตรา
(๒) และ
(๓)
English translation
For the purpose of collecting evidence, the inquiry official shall have the following powers: (1) to examine the injured person, when that person consents, or to examine the accused, or to examine objects or places that may serve as evidence, including making photographs, maps, or drawings, models, or taking fingerprints, handwriting, or footprints, and recording all particulars that would likely help clarify the case. In examining the body of the injured person or the accused under paragraph one, if the injured person or the accused is a woman, a female official or another woman shall be arranged to conduct the examination; and where there is reasonable cause, the injured person or the accused may request that any person be present during the examination; (2) to search for objects that are possessed as an offense, or obtained through the commission of an offense, or used or suspected of having been used in the commission of an offense, or that may serve as evidence, but this must comply with the provisions of this Code on searches; (3) to summon a person who possesses objects that may serve as evidence; but the person summoned need not appear in person, and once the objects have been sent in accordance with the summons, it shall be deemed that the summons has been complied with; (4) to seize the objects found or sent as mentioned in subsections (2) and (3).
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
This section is the core catalogue of evidence-gathering powers in Chapter 1 (Ordinary Inquiry). It authorizes bodily and object examination, photography and fingerprinting, searches, summonses to produce documents or items, and seizure. The search power in subsection (2) is expressly subject to the Code's separate rules on searches, and seizure under subsection (4) operates together with the seizure provisions in Section 85. It builds a gender safeguard into paragraph one, requiring a woman to examine a female victim or accused, and it lets the person examined ask for a companion to be present where there is reasonable cause.
Why this matters in practice
If you are questioned or detained, the police may lawfully fingerprint you, photograph you, and seize items as evidence, and seized property is generally held until the case is finally concluded before being returned. A female suspect or victim has the right to be examined by a woman and to ask for a companion to be present. Because these powers can affect your property and privacy, it helps to book a consultation with a Thai lawyer if a search or seizure has taken place.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3098/2566 (2023)
Ordering the accused to be fingerprinted is a lawful exercise of the inquiry official's evidence-gathering power under Section 132(1), serving identity verification and forming part of the investigation, not merely a means of increasing the penalty.
The accused challenged an order to be fingerprinted in a petty offense case where a prior conviction could not increase the penalty. The Court held that fingerprinting verifies identity and is part of the investigation the State may lawfully carry out under Section 132(1), so it was not confined to the purpose of enhancing punishment.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3666/2553 (2010)
Under Section 85 paragraph one and Section 132(4), the inquiry official may seize objects that may serve as evidence and hold them until the case is finally concluded, then return them to the accused or the rightful person.
Addressing the seizure of listed property as exhibits, the Court held the inquiry official acted within Section 85 paragraph one and Section 132(4) in seizing items that may serve as evidence, and could hold them until the case was final, returning them when the case ended.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 13537/2553 (2010)
The seizure or freezing of bank deposits to examine as evidence falls within the inquiry official's evidence-gathering power under Section 132 (read with Section 85), where the accounts may prove the alleged offense.
In smuggling and money-laundering offenses, the Court held that bank deposit records could be evidence of the offense, so the responsible investigators had power under Section 85 and Section 132 to seize or freeze the funds for examination as part of gathering evidence in the criminal 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
Can police in Thailand take my fingerprints during an investigation?
Yes. Section 132(1) lets the inquiry official take fingerprints as part of gathering evidence and verifying identity, and the Supreme Court has upheld this even where a prior conviction cannot be used to increase the penalty.
How long can police keep property they seize as evidence?
Under Section 132(4), the inquiry official may seize objects that may serve as evidence and hold them until the case is finally concluded, after which they must be returned to the accused or the rightful owner.
If I am a woman, who examines my body during an investigation?
Section 132 paragraph one requires that a female official or another woman conduct the examination, and you may ask for a person of your choosing to be present where there is reasonable cause.