Section 32 — Prosecutor controlling a co-plaintiff
Statutory text (Thai original)
เมื่อพนักงานอัยการและผู้เสียหายเป็นโจทก์ร่วมกัน ถ้าพนักงานอัยการเห็นว่าผู้เสียหายจะกระทำให้คดีของอัยการเสียหาย โดยกระทำหรือละเว้นกระทำการใด ๆ ในกระบวนพิจารณา พนักงานอัยการมีอำนาจร้องต่อศาลให้สั่งผู้เสียหายกระทำหรือละเว้นกระทำการนั้น ๆ ได้
English translation
When the public prosecutor and the injured person are joint plaintiffs, if the public prosecutor is of the opinion that the injured person will cause damage to the prosecutor's case by doing or omitting to do any act in the proceedings, the public prosecutor has the power to apply to the court to order the injured person to do or to refrain from doing such act.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 32 addresses friction between joint plaintiffs. When the public prosecutor and the injured person prosecute together, the prosecutor, as guardian of the public interest, may apply to the court to control the injured co-plaintiff's conduct where that conduct would damage the case, whether by an act or an omission in the proceedings. The court, not the prosecutor, issues the order. The provision reflects that in a joint prosecution the public interest takes precedence over the private co-plaintiff's tactical choices, complementing the joinder rules in Sections 30 and 31.
Why this matters in practice
If you join a prosecution as an injured co-plaintiff, remember your tactical freedom is not unlimited: the prosecutor can ask the court to rein in conduct that would hurt the shared case. Coordinate your strategy with the prosecutor rather than working at cross purposes. A lawyer can help you assert your interests as co-plaintiff while staying aligned with the prosecution; choosing the right Thai lawyer matters here.
Frequently asked questions
Can the prosecutor control what a co-plaintiff does in a joint case?
Yes. Under Section 32, if the injured co-plaintiff's act or omission would damage the case, the prosecutor may apply to the court to order that person to act or to refrain.
Who issues the order under Section 32, the prosecutor or the court?
The court issues the order. The prosecutor only applies for it; the section gives the prosecutor a right to ask, not to command the injured person directly.