Section 339/2 — Robbery of religious property
English translation
Section 339 bis. If the robbery is committed against property under Section 335 bis paragraph one, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment from ten years to fifteen years and a fine from two hundred thousand baht to three hundred thousand baht.
If that robbery is also committed in a place as provided in Section 335 bis paragraph two, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment from ten years to twenty years and a fine from two hundred thousand baht to four hundred thousand baht.
If the robbery under paragraph one or paragraph two causes another person to suffer bodily or mental harm, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment from fifteen years to twenty years and a fine from three hundred thousand baht to four hundred thousand baht.
If the robbery under paragraph one or paragraph two causes another person to suffer grievous bodily harm, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or imprisonment from fifteen years to twenty years.
If the robbery under paragraph one or paragraph two causes another person to die, the offender shall be punished with death.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 339 bis sits in Book II, Title XII, Chapter II (Extortion, Blackmail, Robbery and Gang-Robbery). It is the robbery counterpart to the theft provision in Section 335 bis: it takes the same category of protected property, a publicly venerated Buddha image or religious object or national heritage, and applies far heavier penalties because the taking is accomplished by force or threat of immediate danger. The section is tiered. Paragraph one covers robbery of such property; paragraph two adds weight where it occurs in one of the protected locations listed in Section 335 bis paragraph two; and paragraphs three to five graduate the penalty by the harm caused, from bodily or mental harm, to grievous bodily harm, to death. It parallels Sections 340 bis and 340 ter, which apply the same protected-property concept to gang-robbery.
Why this matters in practice
This is among the most serious property offences in the Code. Even the base tier carries a ten-year minimum, and where the victim dies the penalty is death. Robbery is a non-compoundable public offence prosecuted by the state; private settlement does not end criminal liability, although restitution and a guilty plea can mitigate sentence. Because the penalty tier turns on the protected character of the item, the place, and the resulting harm, factual proof of each element is decisive. A person accused under this section should obtain legal advice without delay.
Frequently asked questions
How is Section 339/2 different from ordinary robbery?
Ordinary robbery is punished under Section 339. Section 339 bis applies the same conduct to a specific class of property, a publicly venerated Buddha image or religious object or national heritage under Section 335 bis, and carries much higher penalties, starting at ten years' imprisonment and rising with the location and any harm caused.
What is the maximum penalty under Section 339/2?
If the robbery causes the victim to die, the penalty is death. Where it causes grievous bodily harm, the penalty is life imprisonment or fifteen to twenty years. The base tier is ten to fifteen years' imprisonment plus a fine.