Section 26 — Transfer ordered by Supreme Court President
Statutory text (Thai original)
หากว่าตามลักษณะของความผิด ฐานะของจำเลย จำนวนจำเลย ความรู้สึกของประชาชนส่วนมากแห่งท้องถิ่นนั้น หรือเหตุผลอย่างอื่น อาจมีการขัดขวางต่อการไต่สวนมูลฟ้องหรือพิจารณา หรือน่ากลัวว่าจะเกิดความไม่สงบหรือเหตุร้ายอย่างอื่นขึ้น หรืออาจเกิดผลกระทบต่อประโยชน์ที่สำคัญอื่นของรัฐ เมื่อโจทก์หรือจำเลยร้องขอหรือศาลที่คดีนั้นอยู่ระหว่างพิจารณาทำความเห็นเสนอต่อประธานศาลฎีกาขอให้โอนคดีไปศาลอื่น ถ้าประธานศาลฎีกาเห็นควรอนุญาต ก็ให้สั่งโอนคดีไปยังศาลดังที่ประธานศาลฎีการะบุไว้คำสั่งของประธานศาลฎีกาให้เป็นที่สุด
English translation
If, by reason of the nature of the offense, the status of the defendant, the number of defendants, the sentiment of the majority of the people of that locality, or any other reason, there may be obstruction to the preliminary hearing or the trial, or there is cause to fear that unrest or other serious incidents may arise, or that important interests of the State may be affected, then, upon the request of the plaintiff or the defendant, or where the court in which the case is pending submits an opinion to the President of the Supreme Court requesting transfer of the case to another court, if the President of the Supreme Court sees fit to grant it, the President shall order the case transferred to the court specified by the President of the Supreme Court. The order of the President of the Supreme Court shall be final.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 26 provides an exceptional transfer route reserved for situations that threaten a fair or safe trial: the nature of the offense, the status or number of defendants, strong local sentiment, or a risk of unrest or harm to important state interests. Unlike the ordinary transfers in Section 23, which move a case between courts that both have jurisdiction, Section 26 lets the case be sent to another court by the highest judicial authority. It may be triggered by the plaintiff, the defendant, or the trial court's own opinion, and the decision rests with the President of the Supreme Court, whose order is final and not subject to further challenge. Together with Section 23, it forms the Criminal Procedure Code's complete and exclusive transfer regime.
Why this matters in practice
Section 26 is a rarely used but powerful safeguard for cases where a fair trial in the original venue is genuinely at risk, for example due to intense local feeling or safety concerns. Because the President of the Supreme Court's order is final, a motion must be well grounded from the outset; there is no appeal from the decision. It is a separate track from ordinary jurisdiction and convenience transfers, and it cannot be replicated through the civil procedure rules. If you believe local conditions make a fair hearing impossible, a licensed Thai lawyer can assess whether the high threshold of Section 26 is met and prepare the request.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 8484/2549 (2006)
The President of the Supreme Court may grant a transfer of a case to another court under Section 26 before the preliminary hearing, on the plaintiff's request.
The plaintiff filed at the Sukhothai Provincial Court and, before the preliminary hearing, requested a transfer to the Criminal Court, which the President of the Supreme Court granted under Section 26. The record shows Section 26 operating as the mechanism for moving the case to another court at the plaintiff's request.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1330/2532 (1989)
Because the Criminal Procedure Code provides specifically for transfer of cases in Sections 23 and 26, the civil transfer rules cannot be applied to a criminal case through Section 15.
The Court held that criminal cases have their own transfer scheme in Sections 23 and 26, so a defendant could not invoke the civil transfer provisions through Section 15. This confirms that Sections 23 and 26 together form the exclusive route for transferring a criminal case.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
When can a criminal case be transferred by the President of the Supreme Court?
Under Section 26, where the nature of the case, local sentiment, the number or status of defendants, or a risk of unrest or harm to state interests could obstruct a fair trial, the President of the Supreme Court may order transfer to another court.
Can the President of the Supreme Court's transfer order be appealed?
No. Section 26 states that the order of the President of the Supreme Court is final, so it cannot be challenged further.
Who can request a transfer under Section 26?
The plaintiff or the defendant may request it, or the court where the case is pending may submit its own opinion to the President of the Supreme Court seeking the transfer.