Section 251 — Priority of Payment on Seized Property
Statutory text (Thai original)
ถ้าต้องยึดทรัพย์สินคราวเดียวกันสำหรับใช้ค่าธรรมเนียมศาล ค่าปรับราคาทรัพย์สิน หรือค่าสินไหมทดแทน แต่ทรัพย์สินของจำเลยไม่พอใช้ครบทุกอย่างให้นำจำนวนเงินสุทธิของทรัพย์สินนั้นใช้ตามลำดับดังต่อไปนี้
(๑) ค่าธรรมเนียม
(๒) ราคาทรัพย์สินหรือค่าสินไหมทดแทน
(๓) ค่าปรับ
English translation
If property must be seized at the same time for payment of court fees, fines, the value of property, or compensation, but the defendant's property is insufficient to pay all of them, the net proceeds of that property shall be applied in the following order: (1) fees; (2) the value of property or compensation; (3) fines.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 251 sets the order of priority when a single seizure of the defendant's assets cannot satisfy all monetary obligations arising from a criminal case. Court fees rank first, restitution and compensation to the victim rank second, and the state's fine ranks last. Placing the fine last reflects a policy of preferring the victim's recovery over the state's penal exaction. It operates together with section 249, which channels this enforcement through the Civil Procedure Code.
Why this matters in practice
For a victim, this order is good news: when assets fall short, your restitution or compensation is paid ahead of the state's fine, though behind court fees. For a defendant facing several monetary liabilities at once, it clarifies how limited assets will be distributed, which affects negotiating any partial settlement.
Frequently asked questions
In what order is money paid when seized property is not enough?
Section 251 sets the order as court fees first, then the value of property or compensation, and fines last.
Does the victim's compensation get paid before the state's fine?
Yes. Under section 251 the value of property or compensation ranks second, ahead of the fine, which ranks last.