Section 283 — Procuring for indecency by coercion
English translation
Whoever, in order to gratify the sexual desire of another person, procures, lures, or takes away a man or woman for an indecent act, by using fraudulent deception, threat, violence, undue influence, or any other means of coercion, shall be liable to imprisonment from five to twenty years and a fine from one hundred thousand to four hundred thousand baht.
If the offence under paragraph one is committed against a person over fifteen but not over eighteen years of age, the offender shall be liable to imprisonment from seven to twenty years and a fine from one hundred forty thousand to four hundred thousand baht.
If the offence under paragraph one is committed against a child not over fifteen years of age, the offender shall be liable to imprisonment from ten to twenty years and a fine from two hundred thousand to four hundred thousand baht, 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 283 sits in the Title on Offences Relating to Sexuality and targets the coerced procurement of a person for an indecent act to serve a third party's desire. Its core elements are the purpose of gratifying another's sexual desire, an act of procuring, luring, or taking away, and the use of a prohibited means: deception, threat, violence, undue influence, or other coercion. The penalty is graduated across three tiers by the victim's age, with the child tier (not over fifteen) reaching life imprisonment. It contrasts with Section 282, which covers procuring for an indecent act to satisfy the offender's own desire, and with Section 284, which reaches taking a minor for indecency even with consent; in practice it is frequently charged together with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act.
Why this matters in practice
Exposure under Section 283 is severe: the base range starts at five years and reaches life imprisonment where a child under fifteen is involved, and the use of deception, threat, or coercion is the element the prosecution must prove. Because the section is routinely bundled with trafficking and anti-prostitution charges, a person facing a complaint should map exactly which statutes and which paragraph (by victim age) are being invoked, since each carries a different minimum. Anyone facing or considering such a complaint should take early advice through an online consultation with a Thai lawyer to assess the coercion element and any age-tier dispute.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
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Supreme Court Judgment No. 1824/2565 (2022)
Procuring a person for an indecent act by coercive means under Section 283 is commonly prosecuted together with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act.
The prosecution sought punishment under Section 283 paragraph one together with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act; the trial court found the defendants guilty under Section 283 paragraph one.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
What is the penalty under Section 283?
The base penalty is imprisonment from five to twenty years and a fine. It rises to seven to twenty years where the victim is over fifteen but not over eighteen, and to ten to twenty years or life imprisonment where the victim is a child not over fifteen.
How is Section 283 different from Section 282?
Section 282 covers procuring a person for an indecent act to gratify the offender's own sexual desire, while Section 283 covers procuring by coercive means to gratify the desire of another person.
Is consent a defence under Section 283?
The section requires a coercive means such as deception, threat, violence, undue influence, or other coercion, so genuine free consent negates that element; however, where the victim is a child the age-based tiers still apply.