Section 307 — Abandonment causing grievous bodily harm
English translation
If the commission of the offence under Section 306 results in grievous bodily harm to the abandoned person, the offender shall be punished with 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
Section 307 is a result-aggravated form of the basic abandonment offence in Section 306, which criminalizes abandoning a child under nine years or a person unable to care for themselves due to age, sickness, or infirmity, in a manner likely to endanger life. This section does not create a separate offence: it applies only when the Section 306 conduct actually causes grievous bodily harm, at which point the maximum imprisonment increases to seven years. The prosecution must still prove all elements of the underlying Section 306 offence, plus a causal link between the abandonment and the grievous harm. It sits within the Title on offences of abandoning children, sick persons, or aged persons, and is graded below Section 308, which applies where death results.
Why this matters in practice
Exposure under this section is real: up to seven years' imprisonment, because a grievous-harm result removes it from the minor-penalty range of Section 306. The dependency and duty relationship (the offender being responsible for the victim's care) is central, so the defence often turns on whether the accused truly had that duty and whether the harm was caused by the abandonment rather than a pre-existing condition. This is not an offence the parties can compound to end the prosecution, so an early settlement with the victim's family bears only on mitigation of sentence. Anyone facing such an allegation should obtain online consultation with a Thai lawyer before giving statements.
Frequently asked questions
What is the penalty under Section 307?
Imprisonment not exceeding seven years, or a fine not exceeding 140,000 Baht, or both, where abandonment under Section 306 causes the victim grievous bodily harm.
How does Section 307 differ from Section 306?
Section 306 is the basic abandonment offence; Section 307 applies the heavier penalty only when that abandonment actually causes grievous bodily harm to the victim.