Section 137: Power to hold persons at scene
Statutory text (Thai original)
พนักงานสอบสวนขณะทำการอยู่ในบ้านเรือนหรือสถานที่อื่น ๆ มีอำนาจสั่งมิให้ผู้ใดออกไปจากที่นั้น ๆ ชั่วเวลาเท่าที่จำเป็น
English translation
While an inquiry official is performing his duties in a dwelling or other place, he has the power to order that no person leave that place for such time as is necessary.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified. Always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
This short provision in Chapter 1 (Ordinary Inquiry) gives the inquiry official a temporary containment power at the scene: while performing duties in a dwelling or other place, he may order people not to leave for as long as is necessary. It is a practical support for on-scene work such as searches, examinations, and questioning under Sections 132 and 133, and it is limited by the words for such time as is necessary, so it does not authorize open-ended detention. It should be read together with the general rules on arrest and custody, which govern any longer deprivation of liberty.
Why this matters in practice
If police are lawfully working at a scene, they can tell you to stay put for a short, necessary time, and leaving against that order can obstruct their work. The power is temporary and tied to necessity, not a licence to detain you indefinitely; any longer hold must rest on the arrest and custody rules. If you are unsure whether you were held lawfully at a scene, keep note of the times and book a consultation with a Thai lawyer.
Cited in 3 Supreme Court decisions (1963 to 2015)
Selected citing decisions
- Decision 8692/2558 (2015)
- Decision 10109/2554 (2011)
- Decision 894-897/2506 (1963)
This list is selected automatically, weighted towards judgments that turn on this section rather than ones that merely recite it when passing sentence. It has not yet been reviewed by the firm.
Counted across the firm's corpus of 83,652 Supreme Court decisions, 1921 to 2026. The count is complete; the stated year range trims rare outliers so it describes where the citations actually sit. These figures are computed by us and are not official court statistics. How we count these, and what we measured
Frequently asked questions
Can police stop me from leaving a house while they investigate?
Yes. Section 137 lets the inquiry official, while performing duties in a dwelling or other place, order that no one leave for such time as is necessary.
How long can that order to stay last?
Only for such time as is necessary to carry out the duties at the scene. The power is temporary and does not authorize indefinite detention, which is governed by the arrest and custody rules.
Related guides on ThaiLawOnline
Cite this section
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Plain citation
Criminal Procedure Code, s. 137 (Thailand) -
Academic citation
Criminal Procedure Code (Thailand), s. 137. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-criminal-procedure-code/section-137/ (accessed 11 August 2026). -
Thai citation
ป.วิ.อ. มาตรา 137 -
Permalink
https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-criminal-procedure-code/section-137/ -
Embed on your site
<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-criminal-procedure-code/section-137/"><p>While an inquiry official is performing his duties in a dwelling or other place, he has the power to order that no person leave that place for such time as is necessary.</p><footer>Criminal Procedure Code, s. 137 (Thailand) — <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-criminal-procedure-code/section-137/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.