Section 146 — Notice of final non-prosecution
Statutory text (Thai original)
ให้แจ้งคำสั่งเด็ดขาดไม่ฟ้องคดีให้ผู้ต้องหาและผู้ร้องทุกข์ทราบ ถ้าผู้ต้องหาถูกควบคุมหรือขังอยู่ให้จัดการปล่อยตัวไปหรือขอให้ศาลปล่อย แล้วแต่กรณีเมื่อพนักงานอัยการมีคำสั่งเด็ดขาดไม่ฟ้องแล้ว
ผู้เสียหาย ผู้ต้องหา
หรือผู้มีส่วนได้เสียมีสิทธิร้องขอต่อพนักงานอัยการเพื่อขอทราบสรุปพยานหลักฐานพร้อมความเห็นของพนักงานสอบสวนและพนักงานอัยการในการสั่งคดี
ทั้งนี้ ภายในกำหนดอายุความฟ้องร้อง
English translation
The final non-prosecution order shall be notified to the accused and the complainant. If the accused is under custody or detention, he shall be released, or the court requested to release him, as the case may be. Once the public prosecutor has issued a final non-prosecution order, the injured person, the accused, or an interested person has the right to request the public prosecutor to disclose a summary of the evidence together with the opinions of the inquiry official and the public prosecutor in deciding the case, all within the prescription period for prosecution.
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 governs what follows a final non-prosecution order: notification to the parties and release of a detained accused. Its transparency limb gives the injured person, accused, or interested person a right to obtain a summary of the evidence and the reasons of both the inquiry official and the prosecutor, exercisable within the prescription period. It works alongside section 147, under which a final non-prosecution order bars re-investigation of the same matter absent new material evidence; whether an order is truly final under sections 145 and 146 is what triggers that protection.
Why this matters in practice
If you are the accused, a final non-prosecution order means you must be notified and, if detained, released, and it protects you from being re-investigated on the same matter. If you are the injured person, you have a concrete right to see a summary of the evidence and the reasons, but only within the prescription period, so act promptly. Getting that disclosure reviewed by a lawyer can tell you whether a challenge is realistic before time runs out.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3095/2562 (2019)
A final non-prosecution order benefits the accused with release and, together with section 147, protects against re-investigation and prosecution of the same offence.
The final non-prosecution order on the methamphetamine-use charge benefited the accused by securing release and protection against re-investigation and prosecution of that same offence under sections 146 and 147, so the accused was freed from being an accused in that matter.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 8481/2544 (2001)
An inquiry official's opinion not to proceed is not yet a final non-prosecution order under sections 145 and 146, so the re-investigation bar in section 147 is not engaged.
The Crime Suppression Division inquiry officers' earlier opinion against prosecuting was not yet a final non-prosecution order as prescribed in sections 145 and 146, so section 147 did not bar re-investigating the same matter, and the later prosecution was not unlawful.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
What happens after a final non-prosecution order?
Under section 146 the accused and complainant are notified, a detained accused is released, and the injured person, accused, or interested person may request a summary of the evidence and reasons from the prosecutor within the prescription period.
Can the injured person see why the case was dropped?
Yes. Section 146 gives the injured person, the accused, or an interested person the right to request a summary of the evidence and the opinions of the inquiry official and prosecutor, within the prescription period for prosecution.