Section 231 — Privileged and Confidential Evidence
Statutory text (Thai original)
เมื่อคู่ความหรือผู้ใดจะต้องให้การหรือส่งพยานหลักฐานอย่างหนึ่งอย่างใดดังต่อไปนี้
(๑) เอกสารหรือข้อความที่ยังเป็นความลับในราชการอยู่
(๒) เอกสารหรือข้อความลับ ซึ่งได้มาหรือทราบเนื่องในอาชีพหรือหน้าที่ของเขา
(๓) วิธีการ แบบแผนหรืองานอย่างอื่นซึ่งกฎหมายคุ้มครองไม่ยอมให้เปิดเผย คู่ความหรือบุคคลนั้นมีอำนาจไม่ยอมให้การหรือส่งพยานหลักฐาน เว้นแต่ได้รับอนุญาตจากเจ้าหน้าที่หรือบุคคลที่เกี่ยวข้องกับความลับนั้นถ้าคู่ความหรือบุคคลใดไม่ยอมให้การ หรือไม่ส่งพยานหลักฐานดังกล่าวแล้ว ศาลมีอำนาจหมายเรียกเจ้าหน้าที่หรือบุคคลผู้เกี่ยวข้องกับความลับนั้นมาแถลงต่อศาล เพื่อวินิจฉัยว่าการไม่ยอมนั้นมีเหตุผลค้ำจุนหรือไม่ ถ้าเห็นว่าไร้เหตุผล ให้ศาลบังคับให้ ๆ การหรือส่งพยานหลักฐานนั้น
English translation
When a party or any person is required to give testimony or to produce any of the following evidence: (1) a document or statement that is still an official secret; (2) a confidential document or statement obtained or known in the course of his profession or duty; (3) a method, formula, or other work that the law protects from disclosure; such party or person has the power to refuse to give testimony or to produce the evidence, unless permission is obtained from the official or person concerned with that secret. If a party or any person refuses to give testimony or to produce such evidence, the court has the power to summon the official or person concerned with that secret to make a statement to the court, in order to determine whether the refusal is supported by reason. If the court considers that it is without reason, the court shall order the giving of the testimony or the production of that evidence.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 231 codifies evidentiary privilege for three categories: official secrets, professional or duty-based confidences, and legally protected methods or works such as trade secrets. It sits in Book 5 General Principles and gives the holder a qualified right to withhold testimony or evidence, defeasible by consent of the person entitled to the secret. Crucially, the privilege is not absolute for the court: where a party refuses, the court may summon the person concerned with the secret to explain, and may order production if the refusal lacks reason. It thus balances confidentiality against the court's truth-finding function, and rulings under it are interlocutory orders not separately appealable during trial under Section 196.
Why this matters in practice
If you are asked to disclose confidential official, professional, or proprietary information, this section lets you decline unless the person entitled to the secret consents. But the court can test your refusal by summoning that person and can order disclosure if it finds no good reason to withhold. Practically, a court's ruling that a document need not yet be produced is an interlocutory order, which cannot be appealed separately during the trial. If your case involves sensitive records, discuss with your lawyer how to assert or challenge privilege before the evidence stage.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 2689/2560 (2017)
A court order under Section 231 that a party need not yet produce summoned documents is an interlocutory order during the trial, which cannot be appealed separately under Section 196.
Before the preliminary hearing, the plaintiff sought an order compelling defendants to produce documents; the defendants said they could not. After inquiry under Section 231, the trial court ordered that they need not yet produce them. The court treated the plaintiff's challenge as an appeal against an interlocutory order barred under Section 196.
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 witness refuse to disclose confidential information in court?
Yes, for official secrets, professional or duty-based confidences, or legally protected methods under Section 231, unless the person entitled to the secret consents. But the court may summon that person and order disclosure if the refusal has no valid reason.
Who decides whether the refusal is valid?
The court. Under Section 231, it may summon the official or person concerned with the secret to explain, and if it finds the refusal without reason it shall order the testimony or production of the evidence.