Category: Litigation
Acquiring Land with a Foreign Spouse
The primary concern behind Thai government regulations related to the acquisition of land by a Thai national married to a foreign spouse is the issue of nominee landownership. Under the Land Code of Thailand, the act of a Thai national owning land as an agent of a foreigner, which is to say, for the benefit […]
Acquiring Land in Thailand with a Foreign Spouse
At this time, Thailand does not prohibit its citizens who are married to (or cohabiting with) foreign spouses from acquiring land. Nevertheless, the acquisition of land by Thai nationals who are married to foreign spouses is extensively covered by government regulation and it is conditioned on the legal principle that any land owned by the […]
Criminal Law: Crime of Misappropriation
Under Thai law, if an unmarried couple breaks up, is it possible for the boyfriend to demand return of money that was given to the girlfriend during the relationship? And if so, how much of it can he get back? Under normal circumstances, the answer to that question would simply be negative. However, it would […]
Shareholders’ Right of Inspection
Under Thai law, the shareholders of a limited company are its legal owners and are entitled to certain rights according to the Civil and Commercial Code. Nevertheless, due to the nature of a limited company, the ownership rights of shareholders are not absolute and, for example, are not the same as those of the partners […]
Agency Law in International Commerce in Thailand
An important consideration when conducting an international commerce business in Thailand is the issue of agency relationships between a distributor and the overseas supplier or manufacturer. Where an agency agreement has been created, the general rule of law is that principals are held liable to third parties, such as purchasers, for the authorized actions of […]
Betrothal Agreements under Thai Law
Under Thai law, a promise to marry creates a legally binding agreement if the groom transfers property called the khongman (a “reverse dowry” or “bride price”) to the bride after the betrothal has taken place. Therefore, as a legal contract, a betrothal gives rise to legal ramifications. According to Sections 1439 and 1440 of the […]
Victims of Fraud in Thai Criminal Law
A fundamental issue that arises in Thai criminal law is whether a certain person directly affected by a crime may be considered a victim of that crime. This issue is particularly important because in Thailand, as in other countries that follow the European Continental Law tradition, victims are allowed to join the prosecution as a […]
Defenses to Defamation
Under Thai law, defamation is generally the act of imputing something regarding a person to a third person that is likely to damage the reputation of that person. Unlike in some other jurisdictions where the act of defamation only carries civil liability, defamation is a criminal offense in Thailand punishable by up to one year […]
Disinheritance from a Will
The Civil and Commercial Code generally provides two categories whereby a testator may disinherit one of his or her statutory heirs from a will. According to Section 1608, the testator “may disinherit any of his statutory heirs only by an express declaration of intention… by will” or “by writing deposited with the competent official.” Furthermore, […]
Types of Criminal Punishments in Thailand
If you commit a crime in Thailand, the Thai Criminal Code lists several possible punishments. This article gives a short review on the possible punishments, that are included in the Thai Criminal Code. According to section 18 of the Criminal Code, the possible punishments that may be imposed are: Death Imprisonment Confinement Fine Forfeiture of […]
