Section 251 — Using a forged Royal or State Seal
English translation
Whoever uses a forged Royal Seal or State Seal shall be liable to the punishment provided in Section 250.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
This provision completes the pair begun by Section 250 by criminalising the use of a forged Royal or State Seal, not only its making. The elements are (1) using (2) a forged Royal Seal or State Seal, with knowledge that it is forged. By referring back to Section 250 for the penalty, the law treats using such a forged seal as gravely as forging it, recognising that the harm to sovereign authority arises when the forged seal is put to work. The user and the forger may be the same or different persons; where the same person both forges and uses the seal, the acts are commonly assessed together to avoid double punishment for a single course of conduct.
Why this matters in practice
Because the penalty tracks Section 250, using a forged Royal or State Seal exposes the accused to five to twenty years, and it is a non-compoundable State offence that cannot be settled privately. Knowledge that the seal was forged is decisive: a person who used it believing it was genuine lacks the required intent. Where the aim was to damage the State, Section 263 can double the penalty. Charges of this kind usually appear alongside forged-document counts.
Frequently asked questions
What penalty applies for using a forged State Seal?
The same as forging it: Section 251 refers to Section 250, so imprisonment of five to twenty years and a fine of 100,000 to 400,000 baht.
Is knowledge that the seal was fake required?
Yes. The offence requires using the seal knowing it is forged; an honest belief that it was genuine negates the criminal intent.