Section 84/1 — Custody or release after handover
Statutory text (Thai original)
พนักงานฝ่ายปกครองหรือตำรวจซึ่งมีผู้นำผู้ถูกจับมาส่งนั้น
จะปล่อยผู้ถูกจับชั่วคราวหรือควบคุมผู้ถูกจับไว้ก็ได้
แต่ถ้าเป็นการจับโดยมีหมายของศาลให้รีบดำเนินการตามมาตรา ๖๔
และในกรณีที่ต้องส่งผู้ถูกจับไปยังศาล
แต่ไม่อาจส่งไปได้ในขณะนั้นเนื่องจากเป็นเวลาที่ศาลปิดหรือใกล้จะปิดทำการ
ให้พนักงานฝ่ายปกครองหรือตำรวจที่รับตัวผู้ถูกจับไว้มีอำนาจปล่อยผู้ถูกจับชั่วคราวหรือควบคุมผู้ถูกจับไว้ได้จนกว่าจะถึงเวลาศาลเปิดทำการ
English translation
The administrative or police officer to whom the arrested person has been brought may release the arrested person provisionally or keep the arrested person in custody. But if the arrest was made under a warrant of the court, he shall promptly proceed under section 64; and where the arrested person must be sent to the court but cannot be sent at that time because it is a time when the court is closed or about to close, the administrative or police officer who has received the arrested person shall have the power to release the arrested person provisionally or to keep the arrested person in custody until the time the court opens.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 84/1 was inserted to bridge the gap between handover under section 84 and the appearance before the court. It gives the receiving administrative or police officer a discretion to grant provisional release or keep custody, subject to two rules: arrests under a court warrant must be dealt with under section 64, and where the person must be produced to the court but the court is closed or about to close, the officer may hold or provisionally release the person until the court reopens. It works together with the custody-limit rules in sections 87 and 88 and the bail provisions of the Code.
Why this matters in practice
This section matters most in the hours right after arrest, especially at night or on weekends when courts are shut: the police may lawfully hold you or grant provisional release until the court opens. Knowing whether to apply for provisional release at this stage can affect the whole case, so getting quick advice through an online consultation with a Thai lawyer is often worthwhile.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I am arrested when the court is closed?
Under Section 84/1, if you must be produced to the court but it is closed or about to close, the receiving officer may keep you in custody or grant provisional release until the court opens.
Can the police grant me provisional release before I see a judge?
Yes. Section 84/1 gives the receiving administrative or police officer discretion to grant provisional release or keep you in custody after you are handed over.