Offense of Contempt of Court and Offense of Violation of Court Authority
“Contempt of Court” and “Violation of Court Authority” are laws designed to protect the court from inappropriate actions or interference, ensuring that judicial proceedings are fair and impartial. These terms are often discussed in the context of public criticism of the court, such as by the media or on social media platforms.
 

Contempt of Court Offense is defined in Section 198 of the Criminal Code.
Violation of Court Authority Offense is defined in Sections 30 and 31 of the Civil Procedure Code.

Section 198 of the Criminal Code states:
“Whoever shows contempt toward the court or judges in the course of trial or judgment, or obstructs the court’s trial or judgment, shall be punished by imprisonment from one year to seven years, or a fine from two thousand to fourteen thousand Baht, or both.”

Section 30 of the Civil Procedure Code states:
“The court has the power to issue any order to the parties or any persons present before the court as it deems necessary for maintaining order within the court premises and to ensure that the proceedings are conducted fairly and expeditiously…”

 

Under Section 31 of the Civil Procedure Code, the following acts constitute the offense of Violation of Court Authority:

  1. Disobeying or failing to comply with the court’s order regarding the maintenance of order, or behaving disorderly within the court premises.
  2. After submitting a petition and receiving permission from the court to waive court fees under Section 156/1, knowingly presenting false facts or evidence during the hearing of the fee waiver request.
  3. Knowing that a summons or other documents will be sent to oneself, intentionally avoiding receipt of such summons or documents by evasion or other means.
  4. Examining all or any documents in the case file or making copies of those documents in violation of Section 54.
  5. Refusing or failing to appear in court after the court has ordered so under Section 19 or issued a summons under Section 277.

 

Section 33 of the Civil Procedure Code prescribes the penalties for contempt of court as follows:

“If any party or person commits an offense of violating the authority of the court, the court shall have the power to impose one or both of the following penalties:

(a) Expulsion from the court premises; or
(b) Imprisonment, a fine, or both.

The expulsion from the court premises may be for the duration of the court session or for any other period as the court deems appropriate. If necessary, the court may request assistance from the police.
In the case of imprisonment and/or fine, the imprisonment shall not exceed six months and the fine shall not exceed 500 Baht.”

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247/68, Sammakorn Village, Soi 25/8, Ramkhamhaeng 112 Road, Saphan Sung Subdistrict, Saphan Sung District, Bangkok 10240, Thailand

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062-652-4259

E-mail

disavorabuth@gmail.com

About Us

With legal expertise accumulated since 2012, we are trusted professionals you can rely on for all legal matters. Whether it’s civil and commercial law — covering contracts, litigation, and legal proceedings — or labor law that helps your business avoid disputes, we’ve got you covered. We also specialize in family law, inheritance law, consumer protection law, intellectual property law, criminal law, and more. In addition, we offer comprehensive legal consultation and registration services in both Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima.

Address

247/68, Sammakorn Village, Soi 25/8, Ramkhamhaeng 112 Road, Saphan Sung Subdistrict, Saphan Sung District, Bangkok 10240, Thailand

Phone number

062-652-4259

E-mail

disavorabuth@gmail.com

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Offense of Contempt of Court and Offense of Violation of Court Authority