Section 293: Aiding suicide of a child or incapacitated person
Statutory text (Thai original)
ผู้ใดช่วยหรือยุยงเด็กอายุยังไม่เกินสิบหกปี หรือผู้ซึ่งไม่สามารถเข้าใจว่าการกระทำของตนมีสภาพหรือสาระสำคัญอย่างไร หรือไม่สามารถบังคับการกระทำของตนได้ ให้ฆ่าตนเอง ถ้าการฆ่าตนเองนั้นได้เกิดขึ้นหรือได้มีการพยายามฆ่าตนเอง ต้องระวางโทษจำคุกไม่เกินห้าปี หรือปรับไม่เกินหนึ่งแสนบาท หรือทั้งจำทั้งปรับ หมายเหตุ: [อัตราโทษ แก้ไขเพิ่มเติมโดยมาตรา ๔ แห่งพระราชบัญญัติแก้ไขเพิ่มเติมประมวลกฎหมายอาญา (ฉบับที่ ๒๖) พ.ศ. ๒๕๖๐]
English translation
Whoever assists or incites a child not over sixteen years of age, or a person unable to understand the nature or importance of his own act, or unable to control his own act, to kill himself, shall, where the suicide occurs or is attempted, be liable to imprisonment not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand baht, or both.
ThaiLawOnline translation, written from the Thai original and verified
Firm annotation
The elements are: (1) aiding or instigating suicide, (2) of a protected victim, namely a child not over sixteen, a person who cannot understand the nature or importance of the act, or a person who cannot control his own act, and (3) an actual suicide or attempt as a result. Unlike Section 292, this offence does not require cruelty; the wrong lies in encouraging or facilitating self-destruction by a person the law treats as unable to make a free and informed decision. It sits in the Title on Offences against Life alongside Section 292, and applies whether the offender's role is active help or mere instigation.
Why this matters in practice
Because the victim is a protected class, consent by the child or incapacitated person is no defence, and exposure runs up to five years imprisonment. The prosecution must still prove the aid or instigation and a resulting suicide or attempt, so causation and the victim's capacity are the central battlegrounds. Anyone facing this charge should obtain early legal advice, as the facts often overlap with allegations of cruelty or neglect.
Cited in 1 Supreme Court decisions (1970 to 1970)
Selected citing decisions
- Decision 235/2513 (1970)
This list is selected automatically, weighted towards judgments that turn on this section rather than ones that merely recite it when passing sentence. It has not yet been reviewed by the firm.
Most often cited alongside
Sections that appear in the same judgments as this one most often. The figure is the number of decisions.
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Frequently asked questions
How is Section 293 different from Section 292?
Section 292 requires grave mental cruelty that drives any person to suicide, while Section 293 covers aiding or instigating suicide by a protected victim, a child under sixteen or a person who cannot understand or control the act, without any need to prove cruelty.
Does the child's consent excuse the offender under Section 293?
No. Because the victim is a child under sixteen or a person lacking capacity, their consent does not remove liability where the suicide or an attempt occurs.
Related guides on ThaiLawOnline
Cite this section
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Plain citation
Penal Code, s. 293 (Thailand) -
Academic citation
Penal Code (Thailand), s. 293. ThaiLawOnline, https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-penal-code/section-293/ (accessed 17 August 2026). -
Thai citation
ป.อ. มาตรา 293 -
Permalink
https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-penal-code/section-293/ -
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<blockquote cite="https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-penal-code/section-293/"><p>Whoever assists or incites a child not over sixteen years of age, or a person unable to understand the nature or importance of his own act, or unable to control his own act, to kill himself, shall, where the suicide occurs or is attempted, be…</p><footer>Penal Code, s. 293 (Thailand) — <a href="https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-penal-code/section-293/">ThaiLawOnline</a></footer></blockquote>
The Thai text is authoritative. The English is an unofficial translation by ThaiLawOnline, free to reuse with attribution.