タイの裁判制度のどのレベルにおいても、地方裁判所、州裁判所、最高裁判所を問わず、訴訟手続き中に、当事者は安全、権利の保護、利益の保全に関して懸念を抱くことがある。タイの民事訴訟法は、こうした懸念に対処するためのメカニズムを規定している。事件の当事者は、一時的な差し止め命令を求める申請書を裁判所に提出することができる。この法的手段は、相手方が損害を与えたり、法的紛争を生じさせたりするような行為 に関与したり、それを継続したりすることを阻止するためのものである。
さらに、差止命令には、相手方が係争中の財産を浪費、損傷、譲渡、売却、 移転、その他の方法で処分するなどの行為に関与することを阻止することを目的とした措置も含まれる。これらの措置は、訴訟が終結するまで、または裁判所が反対の指示を出すまで有効である。
タイの法律は、裁判所による賢明な適用を通じて、法的紛争に関わるすべての当事者にバランスの取れた配慮を提供するように設計されている。法律が一方の当事者に不釣り合いに有利な法域があるのとは異なり、タイの民事訴訟法は、特に仮処分において、原告と被告の双方に公平な待遇を保証する枠組みを提供している。
このバランスの取れたアプローチは、公正と正義に対するタイの法制度のコミットメントを強調するものであり、裁判所の最終決定が出るまで、両当事者に権利と利益を守る機会を提供するものである。
1. The Thai Civil Procedure Code in relation to the Temporary Injunction Relief for the Plaintiff
A plaintiff who files a civil case against a debtor (could be a family member or simply an acquaintance) in whatsoever liabilities and obligations e.g. loan, hire of work, lease, sale, and purchase agreement, etc., may be concerned about a remedy and compensation which has to be fulfilled by such debtor. In some cases, the debtor fails or is not willing to comply and settle any liabilities and obligations to the lender.
In the event that the debtor is unwilling to sell, transfer and/or dispose of his/her assets, the plaintiff shall submit an application to the court to order an injunction or a measure to impede such debtor's act.
The Thai Civil Procedure Code of Thailand, Section 254 stipulates that:
“In a case other than a petty case (e.g. a case having the case capital of not more than 300 thousand baht), the plaintiff is entitled to file with the Court, together with his plaint or at any time before judgment, an ex parte (one side) application requesting the Court to order, subject to the conditions hereinafter provided….”When a plaintiff seeks an injunction from the Court, there are four main purposes or measures for which such an application can be filed:
Seizure Before Judgment: This measure allows for the seizure of all or part of the property in dispute that belongs to the defendant, as well as any money or property owed to the defendant by a third party.
Temporary Restraining Order: This injunction prevents the defendant from repeating or continuing any wrongful act, breach of agreement, or the specific act that led to the case filing. It may also include other orders necessary to provide relief to the plaintiff from the defendant’s actions.
Order for Temporary Changes in Registration: This involves requesting the registrar to temporarily extinguish, amend, or revoke the registration related to the asset in dispute or the defendant’s property.
Temporary Detention of the Defendant: In certain circumstances, the court may order the temporary arrest and detention of the defendant.For the Court to consider an injunction application, the plaintiff must demonstrate that there is a valid reason for the request and that the proposed measure is necessary for their protection.
Additionally, specific criteria must be met for each type of measure. For example, if a plaintiff requests an injunction to prevent the transfer of land by the defendant, evidence must be presented to the Court showing the defendant's intent to register, amend, or revoke the land's registration. This is essential for the Court to approve the temporary injunction request.
2. The Thai Civil Procedure Code in relation to the Temporary Injunction Relief for the Defendant
The Thai Civil Procedure Code grants defendants the right to request that the plaintiff deposit a sum of money, furnish a security for payment, or procure security to cover potential unforeseen events. This provision ensures that defendants are protected against possible financial losses that may arise during the course of legal proceedings.
The Thai Civil Procedure Code, Section 253 stipulates that:
“Where the plaintiff is not domiciled or his business office is not situated within the Kingdom and he does not have property liable to execution within the Kingdom or where there is strong reason to believe that he will, if he loses the case, evade the payment of costs and expenses, the defendant may, at any time before judgment, file an application by motion with the Court for an order directing the plaintiff to deposit money or to furnish security for such payment costs and expenses.”The point of Section 253 is that the defendant can file an application to the Court for an order directing the plaintiff to deposit money or security if:
1. The plaintiff is a foreigner or is a foreign entity of which their business office or domicile is not in Thailand or does not have a property in Thailand; or
2. There is a strong reason to believe that the plaintiff will evade the payment of costs and expenses if he loses the case.
The Thai Civil Procedure Code affords defendants the right to request that plaintiffs either deposit money or provide security to cover potential payments or costs arising from unforeseen events during legal proceedings. This provision is particularly relevant in scenarios where the plaintiff, whether an individual or a business entity, has a domicile or is registered outside Thailand—for instance, if a plaintiff once operated a business within Thailand but has since relocated operations abroad.
Additionally, this right becomes pertinent if, during the examination of a plaintiff's witness, there is an indication that the plaintiff might not cover the court costs and fees should the court dismiss their charge or find in favor of the defendant. It is important to note that this motion can be filed at any stage of the proceedings, including appeals to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court.
Should the Court, upon reviewing the motion and conducting necessary examinations, find the defendant’s request warranted, it will mandate the plaintiff to deposit the specified money or security within a set timeframe. Failure to comply will result in the case being removed from the court's docket, unless the defendant opts to continue or the plaintiff successfully appeals the order.
Conversely, if the Court denies the defendant's application, the defendant retains the right to appeal this decision. It's also crucial to understand that even if the case is struck from the record, the plaintiff is not barred from refiling the case against the defendant. This is because the dismissal is procedural, without the Court having addressed the substantive issue at hand.
Juslaws & Consultの民事訴訟に関する豊富な経験に基づき、特に債権回収事件においては、仮処分を確保することが原告の権利を守るための戦略的なアプローチであることがわかりました。仮処分を申し立てることは、単に債務者の好意や倫理的行為に依存するのではなく、債務者が金銭的債務を履行するという、より確実な保証となります。このようなアプローチは、原告が外国人である場合に特に適切であり、このようなシナリオで直面する複雑さへの理解を反映したものです。
当事務所の経験豊富な弁護士は、原告を代理する場合、裁判所が判決を下す前に依頼者の権利を確保することを目的として、仮処分の申立てをお勧めすることがよくあります。タイにおける法律問題に関して、さらに詳しい情報やサポートが必要な場合、Juslaws & Consultは専門的な法律相談やサービスを提供する用意があります。クライアントのケースで裁判所の差し止め命令が必要な場合、このプロセスを促進するために最大限のサポートを提供することをお約束いたします。Juslaws & Consultは、クライアントのユニークなニーズに合わせた包括的な法的ソリューションを提供することに専念しております。
