Act Promulgating
The Criminal Code
B.E. 2499 (A.D. 1956)
(with Amendments Updates 2022)
Unofficial Translation
By Chaninat and Leeds Co. Ltd.,Thailand Attorneys
 

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been graciously pleased to proclaim that:

It is appropriate to revise and amend the Criminal Law because since the promulgation of the Criminal Law in B.E. 2451, the circumstances of the Country have been considerably changed.

Therefore, enacted an Act by the King, by and with the advice and consent of the Assembly of the People's Representatives, as follows:

Section 1 This Act is called the “Act Promulgating the Criminal Code, B.E. 2499 (A.D. 1956)"

Section 2¹ This Act shall come into force as and from the following day of the date of its publication in the Government Gazette.

Section 3 The Criminal Code annexed to this Act shall come into force as and from 1st January, B.E. 2500. (A.D. 1957)

Section 4 When the Criminal Code is in force, the Criminal Law shall be repealed.
 

Royal Gazette Issue No. 73/ Chapter 95/ Special Issue page 1/ 15 November B.E. 2499(A.D. 1956)

Section 5 When the Criminal Code is in force, if there is in case of any law determines the punishment by referring to the punishment of the petty offences in the Criminal Law, it shall be deemed that such law refers to the punishment as follows:
If it refers to the punishment Class 1, it means the fine is not exceeding one hundred baht;
If it refers to the punishment Class 2, it means the fine is not exceeding five hundred baht;
If it refers to the punishment Class 3, it means imprisonment not exceeding ten days or the fine is not exceeding five hundred baht, or both;
If is refers to the punishment Class 4, it means imprisonment not exceeding one month or the fine is not exceeding one thousand baht, or both.

Section 6 When the Criminal Code is in force, in the matter of imprisonment is in process instead of the fine under any law, the provisions of the Criminal Code shall apply. But for the offences committed before the enforcement of the Criminal Code, the confinement shall not exceed one year for the punishment of one count, and two years for the punishment of several counts.

Section 7 In case of safety measures according to Section 46 of the Criminal Code, the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code shall apply as if it is a criminal offence. But the custody in the inquiring stage shall not exceed forty-eight hours as from the time when the arrested person arrives at the Office of the Administrative or Police officer. The time which was taken for ordinary journey in bringing the arrested person to the Court shall not be included in forty-eight hours.
Section 8 When the Criminal Code is in force, whenever the provisions of any law refer to the Criminal Law, or the provisions of the Criminal Law, it shall be deemed that the provisions of such law refer to the Criminal Code, or the provisions of the Criminal Code in the Section implying the same sense, as the case may be.

Countersigned by
Field Marshal P. Pibulsongkarm
         Prime minister

Note: The reason of promulgating this Act was because the Criminal Law R.S. 127 has been promulgated for a long time and there have been amended by several points. Therefore, it is proper to revise and bring together in order to form the single Criminal Code.

Moreover, some rules and procedures should have been improved in order to match with time and with of those in other countries at the present. Some original rules are out of date, so it should be improved in order to be conformed to the administrative principle of democracy regime.