Section 210 — Criminal association (song chon)
English translation
Whoever conspires together, five persons or more, to commit any offence provided in Book 2 of this Code, where that offence carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year or more, shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand baht, or both.
If the conspiracy is to commit an offence carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of three years or more, each conspirator shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding seven years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred and forty thousand baht, or both.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Song chon is the conspiracy offence within the chapter on public peace. Its elements are: (1) five or more persons, (2) agreeing together, (3) to commit a specific offence provided in Book 2, (4) where that offence carries a maximum of at least one year. Unlike angyi under Section 209, song chon requires an actual agreement aimed at a defined crime, and the offence is complete once that agreement is reached, even if the planned crime is never carried out. Paragraph two raises the penalty where the target crime is more serious. Because the association and any crime later committed are distinct wrongs, they are charged and punished separately.
Why this matters in practice
The offence bites at the agreement stage, so a person can be liable for song chon even if the planned crime never happens, which makes it a powerful early charge in organised-crime, terrorism, and large fraud cases. It cannot be settled privately. Where the group does go on to commit the crime, expect separate counts for both the conspiracy and the completed offence, driving total exposure up. Anyone named in such a case should get advice before making statements; you can arrange an online consultation with a Thai lawyer.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 685/2567 (2024)
The conspiracy offence (criminal association) is separate from the crime later carried out, because committing that crime goes beyond the conspiracy itself.
The Court held that jointly committing terrorism by force went beyond the earlier conspiracy. Although the acts occurred in the same period, they differed in both intent and aim and were therefore separate offences committed on separate occasions.
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 is the song chon offence complete?
Once five or more people have agreed together to commit a defined Book 2 offence carrying at least one year. The crime need not actually be carried out.
How many people are needed for song chon?
At least five people must conspire together.
Are the conspiracy and the actual crime punished separately?
Yes. The Supreme Court treats the association and any crime later carried out as separate offences, because committing the crime goes beyond the conspiracy itself.