Section 107 — Act of violence against the King
English translation
Whoever commits an act of violence against the King shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 107 is the opening provision of the title on offences against the King, Queen, Heir-apparent and Regent, within the Penal Code's chapter on offences against the security of the Kingdom. The offence is committed by an act of violence (ประทุษร้าย) directed at the person of the King, and it carries the Code's most severe sanctions, death or imprisonment for life. It is distinct from the defamation or insult offence in Section 112: this section addresses physical harm or an attack on the person, not words. An attempt is punished in the same way as the completed offence under Section 109.
Why this matters in practice
This is one of the gravest offences in the Penal Code, carrying death or life imprisonment, and an attempt is treated the same as the completed act under Section 109. The offence turns on an act of physical violence against the person of the King, which distinguishes it sharply from the speech-based offence in Section 112. Because of the severity of the penalty exposure, anyone connected to an allegation of this kind needs immediate specialist criminal representation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the penalty under Section 107?
An act of violence against the King is punished with death or imprisonment for life, the most severe penalties in the Penal Code.
How is Section 107 different from Section 112?
Section 107 concerns an act of physical violence against the King, while Section 112 concerns defamation, insult or threats. They target different conduct.