Section 347 — Insurance property fraud
English translation
Whoever, in order to obtain for himself or another person a benefit from non-life insurance, damages, destroys, reduces the value of, or renders useless property that is the subject of the insurance, shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred 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 347 addresses insurance fraud at the claim stage, in the cheating and fraud chapter. Its elements are an act that damages, destroys, reduces the value of, or renders useless the property that is the subject of non-life insurance, done with the purpose of obtaining an insurance benefit for the offender or another person. Unlike Section 341, no deception of a specific victim is required as the core element; the wrongdoing is the deliberate harming of the insured property with the intent to trigger a payout. It complements Section 343, which addresses deceiving the insurer when insurance is taken out, whereas Section 347 targets manufacturing the loss that would give rise to a claim. The offence is complete on the damaging act done with the requisite intent.
Why this matters in practice
Exposure runs up to five years or a fine, or both. Because the offence turns on the purpose of obtaining an insurance benefit, proving intent is central, and cases often rest on the circumstances of the loss, the policy coverage and the claim that follows. A defence may contest whether the damage was deliberate rather than accidental, or whether it was done with the aim of claiming insurance. Such conduct is frequently charged together with related offences where forged documents or false claims are involved. Anyone facing such a charge should preserve the policy, the claim file and evidence about how the loss occurred. See our guide to fraud and scam laws in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
What conduct does Section 347 punish?
It punishes damaging, destroying, reducing the value of, or rendering useless insured property in order to obtain a non-life insurance benefit for oneself or another person.
What is the penalty under Section 347?
Imprisonment not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand baht, or both.
How does Section 347 differ from Section 343?
Section 343 targets deceiving an insurer when insurance is taken out, while Section 347 targets damaging or destroying the insured property to manufacture a claim.