Section 180 — Maintaining Order in Criminal Court
Statutory text (Thai original)
ให้นำบทบัญญัติเรื่องรักษาความเรียบร้อยในศาลในประมวลกฎหมายวิธีพิจารณาความแพ่งมาบังคับแก่การพิจารณาคดีอาญาโดยอนุโลม แต่ห้ามมิให้สั่งจำเลยออกจากห้องพิจารณา เว้นแต่จำเลยขัดขวางการพิจารณา
English translation
The provisions on maintaining order in court under the Civil Procedure Code shall apply mutatis mutandis to the trial of criminal cases, but the defendant shall not be ordered out of the courtroom unless the defendant obstructs the trial.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 180 imports the Civil Procedure Code's courtroom-order provisions, including the contempt-of-court powers, into criminal proceedings by way of mutatis mutandis application. The important criminal-specific safeguard is the proviso: unlike other persons who may be removed to preserve order, the defendant cannot be ordered out of the courtroom except when the defendant is the one obstructing the trial. This protects the accused's right to be present and to follow the case against them. The Supreme Court has applied the imported contempt powers to conduct such as filing forged documents with the court.
Why this matters in practice
For an accused, this section guarantees you cannot be shut out of your own trial merely because the court wants order; removal is only permitted if you are the person obstructing proceedings. Everyone in the courtroom, including parties, family, and lawyers, remains subject to the imported contempt-of-court powers, and misconduct such as submitting false or forged documents can be punished. Behaviour in court matters: knowing what to expect helps, and our guide on going to court in Thailand covers courtroom conduct.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1858/2548 (2005)
The courtroom-order provisions of the Civil Procedure Code, applied to criminal cases through Section 180, support punishing for contempt of court a person who files forged documents with the court in support of a bail application.
The accused filed a forged power of attorney and a forged land-valuation certificate to support an application to release a defendant on bail. The courts found this to be contempt of court under Civil Procedure Code sections 31(1) and 33 together with Section 180, and imposed six months' imprisonment.
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 a defendant be removed from a Thai criminal courtroom?
Only if the defendant obstructs the trial. Section 180 applies the civil courtroom-order rules to criminal cases but expressly forbids ordering the defendant out except for obstruction.
Do contempt-of-court rules apply in criminal trials?
Yes. Section 180 imports the Civil Procedure Code's courtroom-order and contempt provisions into criminal proceedings, so conduct like filing forged documents can be punished.