Section 165 — Preliminary Examination Procedure and the Accused
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในคดีซึ่งพนักงานอัยการเป็นโจทก์ ในวันไต่สวนมูลฟ้องให้จำเลยมาหรือคุมตัวมาศาล
ให้ศาลส่งสำเนาฟ้องแก่จำเลยรายตัวไป เมื่อศาลเชื่อว่าเป็นจำเลยจริงแล้ว
ให้อ่านและอธิบายฟ้องให้ฟัง และถามว่าได้กระทำผิดจริงหรือไม่
จะให้การต่อสู้อย่างไรบ้าง คำให้การของจำเลยให้จดไว้
ถ้าจำเลยไม่ยอมให้การก็ให้ศาลจดรายงานไว้ และดำเนินการต่อไป
จำเลยไม่มีอำนาจนำพยานมาสืบในชั้นไต่สวนมูลฟ้องแต่ทั้งนี้ไม่เป็นการตัดสิทธิในการที่จำเลยจะมีทนายมาช่วยเหลือ
ในคดีราษฎรเป็นโจทก์
ศาลมีอำนาจไต่สวนมูลฟ้องลับหลังจำเลย ให้ศาลส่งสำเนาฟ้องแก่จำเลยรายตัวไป
กับแจ้งวันนัดไต่สวนให้จำเลยทราบ จำเลยจะมาฟังการไต่สวนมูลฟ้อง
โดยตั้งทนายให้ซักค้านพยานโจทก์ด้วยหรือไม่ก็ได้หรือจำเลยจะไม่มา
แต่ตั้งทนายมาซักค้านพยานโจทก์ก็ได้ ห้ามมิให้ศาลถามคำให้การจำเลย
และก่อนที่ศาลประทับฟ้องมิให้ถือว่าจำเลยอยู่ในฐานะเช่นนั้น
English translation
In a case where the public prosecutor is plaintiff, on the day of the preliminary examination the defendant shall appear or be brought to court. The court shall serve a copy of the charge on the defendant individually, and once the court is satisfied that this is truly the defendant, the charge shall be read and explained to him, and he shall be asked whether he in fact committed the offence and what defence he will make. The defendant's statement shall be recorded. If the defendant refuses to make a statement, the court shall record this and proceed. The defendant has no power to introduce evidence at the preliminary examination stage, but this does not deprive him of the right to have counsel to assist him. In a case where a private person is plaintiff, the court has power to conduct the preliminary examination in the defendant's absence. The court shall serve a copy of the charge on the defendant individually and notify him of the examination date. The defendant may attend the preliminary examination and appoint counsel to cross-examine the plaintiff's witnesses, or not, or may not attend but appoint counsel to cross-examine the plaintiff's witnesses. The court shall not ask the defendant for a plea, and before the court accepts the charge the defendant shall not be regarded as being in that status.
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 prescribes how the preliminary examination under Section 162 is conducted, and it differs sharply between public and private prosecutions. In a public prosecution, the defendant must be present, is served and has the charge explained, and is questioned, but cannot yet introduce evidence, though counsel may assist. In a private prosecution, the court may examine in the defendant's absence, the defendant is not asked for a plea, and, crucially, is not regarded as a defendant until the court accepts the charge. That status point links to the definition of a party in Section 2(15) and affects other procedural rights, such as who must be present when a ruling is read.
Why this matters in practice
The most practical point for a person named in a private prosecution is that until the court accepts the charge, you are not yet a defendant, so you cannot be compelled to plead, and you may choose whether to attend or simply send counsel to cross-examine the plaintiff's witnesses. In a public prosecution, by contrast, your presence is required and the charge will be read and explained to you, though you cannot call your own evidence at this stage. Either way, having counsel at the preliminary examination protects your position before the case is formally accepted.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3292/2566 (2023)
Under Section 165 paragraph three, in a private prosecution the court may conduct the preliminary examination in the defendant's absence, must not ask for a plea, and, before accepting the charge, does not treat the person as a defendant. That person is therefore not yet a party under Section 2(15) until the trial court orders the charge accepted.
Addressing who counts as a party when a ruling is read, the Court relied on Section 165 paragraph three to hold that in a private prosecution the accused is not yet a defendant, and thus not a party under Section 2(15), until the trial court accepts the charge.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1930/2560 (2017)
Where the trial court orders a private plaintiff to redraft a verbose charge and then sets a new date for the preliminary examination under Section 165 paragraph three, this is not the court granting leave to amend or add to the charge under Section 163; it is merely the plaintiff re-filing the charge as ordered, which does not disadvantage the defendant.
The trial court had ordered the plaintiff to redraft a verbose charge and then set a preliminary examination date under Section 165 paragraph three. The Court held this was not leave to amend the charge under Section 163, but simply re-filing as ordered, which did not disadvantage the defendant.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to attend the preliminary examination in a private prosecution?
No. Under Section 165 the court may conduct the preliminary examination in the defendant's absence in a private prosecution. You may attend, send counsel to cross-examine the plaintiff's witnesses, or do neither.
When does a person become a defendant in a private prosecution?
Under Section 165, a person is not regarded as a defendant until the court accepts the charge. Before that, the court cannot ask for a plea, and the person is not yet a party to the case.
Can the defendant call witnesses at the preliminary examination?
No. Under Section 165 the defendant has no power to introduce evidence at the preliminary examination stage, but may still have counsel to assist.