Section 44/1 — Victim's motion for compensation in criminal case
Statutory text (Thai original)
ในคดีที่พนักงานอัยการเป็นโจทก์ ถ้าผู้เสียหายมีสิทธิที่จะเรียกเอาค่าสินไหมทดแทนเพราะเหตุได้รับอันตรายแก่ชีวิต ร่างกาย จิตใจ หรือได้รับความเสื่อมเสียต่อเสรีภาพในร่างกายชื่อเสียงหรือได้รับความเสียหายในทางทรัพย์สินอันเนื่องมาจากการกระทำความผิดของจำเลย ผู้เสียหายจะยื่นคำร้องต่อศาลที่พิจารณาคดีอาญาขอให้บังคับจำเลยชดใช้ค่าสินไหมทดแทนแก่ตนก็ได้การยื่นคำร้องตามวรรคหนึ่ง
ผู้เสียหายต้องยื่นคำร้องก่อนเริ่มสืบพยาน ในกรณีที่ไม่มีการสืบพยานให้ยื่นคำร้องก่อนศาลวินิจฉัยชี้ขาดคดี
และให้ถือว่าคำร้องดังกล่าวเป็นคำฟ้องตามบทบัญญัติแห่งประมวลกฎหมายวิธีพิจารณาความแพ่งและผู้เสียหายอยู่ในฐานะโจทก์ในคดีส่วนแพ่งนั้น
ทั้งนี้คำร้องดังกล่าวต้องแสดงรายละเอียดตามสมควรเกี่ยวกับความเสียหายและจำนวนค่าสินไหมทดแทนที่เรียกร้อง
หากศาลเห็นว่าคำร้องนั้นยังขาดสาระสำคัญบางเรื่อง
ศาลอาจมีคำสั่งให้ผู้ร้องแก้ไขคำร้องให้ชัดเจนก็ได้คำร้องตามวรรคหนึ่งจะมีคำขอประการอื่นที่มิใช่คำขอบังคับให้จำเลยชดใช้ค่าสินไหมทดแทนอันเนื่องมาจากการกระทำความผิดของจำเลยในคดีอาญามิได้
และต้องไม่ขัดหรือแย้งกับคำฟ้องในคดีอาญาที่พนักงานอัยการเป็นโจทก์
และในกรณีที่พนักงานอัยการได้ดำเนินการตามความในมาตรา ๔๓ แล้ว ผู้เสียหายจะยื่นคำร้องตามวรรคหนึ่งเพื่อเรียกทรัพย์สินหรือราคาทรัพย์สินอีกไม่ได้
English translation
In a case where the public prosecutor is the plaintiff, if the injured person has a right to claim compensation because of harm to life, body or mind, or damage to liberty of the body, to reputation, or to property, arising from the defendant's commission of the offence, the injured person may file a motion with the court trying the criminal case asking that the defendant be ordered to pay compensation to him. The motion under paragraph one must be filed by the injured person before the taking of evidence begins; where there is no taking of evidence, the motion must be filed before the court adjudicates the case. Such motion shall be deemed a plaint under the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code, and the injured person stands in the position of plaintiff in that civil part. The motion must set out reasonable particulars concerning the damage and the amount of compensation claimed. If the court is of the view that the motion still lacks some essential matter, it may order the applicant to amend the motion to make it clear. The motion under paragraph one may not include any request other than an order that the defendant pay compensation arising from the defendant's commission of the offence in the criminal case, and it must not conflict with the charge in the criminal case brought by the public prosecutor. And in a case where the public prosecutor has already proceeded under section 43, the injured person may not file a motion under paragraph one to claim the property or its value again.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 44/1 gives victims a streamlined route to compensation: instead of a stand-alone civil suit, the injured person files a motion in the criminal court where the public prosecutor is prosecuting. The motion is deemed a plaint under the Civil Procedure Code and the victim becomes the plaintiff on the civil side. Three limits are built in: it must be filed before evidence is taken (or before adjudication where no evidence is taken), it must state particulars of the loss and the sum claimed, and it may seek nothing beyond compensation for the loss caused by the offence and must not contradict the prosecutor's charge. It also prevents double recovery: if the prosecutor has already claimed the property or its value under section 43, the victim cannot re-claim the same property through this motion. Anything not claimed here, such as interest, may be lost.
Why this matters in practice
The single most important thing about this route is the deadline: the motion must be in before evidence-taking starts, so a victim who waits until the trial is underway may lose the chance to claim compensation in the criminal case. State the full loss and the exact figure, and ask for everything you want, including interest, because a court cannot award what you did not request. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the next section lets the court appoint one for a poor applicant. Given the timing pressure, it is worth preparing the claim early, and a consultation with a Thai lawyer before the first hearing can protect the deadline.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 4380/2568 (2025)
A court cannot order a defendant to pay compensation on its own initiative where the injured person did not file a motion under Section 44/1 paragraph one.
The injured co-plaintiff had not filed a compensation motion under Section 44/1 paragraph one. The Court held that no provision empowers the court to order compensation of its own motion in that situation, so the demand for such an order failed.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 2289/2568 (2025)
A theft victim may file a motion in the civil part under Section 44/1 to have the defendant return the stolen item or pay its value as compensation for property damage.
The Court held that the co-plaintiff was entitled to file a motion in the civil part, under Section 44/1 paragraphs one and three, asking that the defendant return the stolen gold ring or pay its value as compensation for property loss. The Court of Appeal was wrong to say the victim had to reclaim the item from the inquiry official instead.
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 3664/2568 (2025)
Because the injured person did not request interest in the Section 44/1 motion, the court would not award interest on the sum the defendant had to repay.
The defendant had to return 135,000 baht to the injured person. The Court declined to order interest on that sum because the injured person had not sought interest in the motion filed under Section 44/1, illustrating that the court cannot grant relief that was not requested.
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 must a victim file the compensation motion under Section 44/1?
Before the taking of evidence begins. If there is no evidence-taking, it must be filed before the court adjudicates the case. Missing this deadline can bar the claim in the criminal case.
Can I claim interest through a Section 44/1 motion?
Only if you request it. A court cannot award interest or any relief that was not asked for in the motion, so state every amount you seek.
If the prosecutor already claimed my property under Section 43, can I claim it again?
No. Once the prosecutor has proceeded under Section 43, you cannot file a Section 44/1 motion to claim the same property or its value a second time.