Litigation Lawyers in Bangkok.

Which Bangkok court hears a civil claim

Bangkok has six civil courts: the Civil Court, Bangkok South Civil Court, Thon Buri Civil Court, Min Buri Civil Court, Taling Chan Civil Court and Phra Khanong Civil Court. According to the Court of Justice overview of the court system, a claim is generally filed where the cause of action arose or where the defendant is domiciled, and a claim over immovable property can also go to the court where the property sits.

Smaller claims go to a kwaeng court instead. A kwaeng court hears civil claims of up to 300,000 baht, with a simplified procedure and the option of an oral or summarised judgment.

Each court covers a set of districts. Taling Chan, Phra Khanong and Min Buri Civil Courts were created by a 2019 Act, and Taling Chan Civil Court's own history page lists its six western districts, including Bang Phlat, Bangkok Noi and Nong Khaem. To check which court covers a particular district, the Courts of Justice run a jurisdiction search by court name or area.

Specialised courts based in Bangkok

Some disputes never reach the ordinary civil courts. The Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court, the Central Tax Court and the Central Bankruptcy Court are the only courts of their kind in Thailand, and all three sit in Bangkok. Employment disputes go to the Central Labour Court in Bangkok or to one of nine regional labour courts; firms handling this work are listed under labour court representation.

The intellectual property and labour courts sit with lay judges alongside professional judges. Appeals from the specialised courts go to the Court of Appeal for Specialised Cases, so a lawyer can confirm the correct forum before anything is filed.

Court fees, mediation and online filing

Court fees follow a table in the Civil Procedure Code, and the Courts of Justice publish a court fee calculator. For a money claim, the fee is 2% of the amount claimed, capped at 200,000 baht, plus 0.1% on any part above 50 million baht. A claim in a kwaeng court pays 2% capped at 1,000 baht. These are court fees only; each firm sets its own professional fees.

Mediation is available at both ends of a case. Under the Civil Procedure Code, a court can mediate a filed case on its own initiative or at a party's request, and a party can also apply for mediation before filing anything. Pre-filing mediation carries no court fee, a settlement reached there can be turned into a judgment by consent, and if the mediation fails, a limitation period that has run out or is about to is extended by 60 days from its end. Taling Chan Civil Court takes pre-filing mediation bookings through an online form, at least one business day ahead. Ask a firm whether it also represents clients in mediation, including before a case is filed.

Claims can be filed electronically through the courts' e-Filing system for the public. A party can also ask for a civil hearing to be held by electronic means; Min Buri Civil Court publishes the request form, and the court decides whether to allow it.

Thai language, translations and powers of attorney

The Civil Procedure Code requires court proceedings and the case file to be in Thai. Where a document is in a foreign language, the court orders the party who filed it to provide a certified translation of the whole document or its essential parts, and a party who does not understand Thai must bring an interpreter.

A person holding your power of attorney cannot argue the case as a lawyer, though they can appoint one. The lawyer is appointed in writing for that specific case, and needs your express authority to settle, withdraw the claim or appeal.

Preparing for a first meeting with a Bangkok litigation lawyer

Bring the contract or other document the dispute turns on, the correspondence and demand letters exchanged so far, invoices or payment records, and the other party's full name and address, since the address usually decides which Bangkok court has jurisdiction. Note which documents are not in Thai, because each one a court relies on will need a certified translation.

Questions worth asking before you engage a firm:

• Which stages does the engagement cover: demand letter, mediation, trial, appeal, enforcement?
• Which lawyer will appear in court, and who handles the day-to-day work?
• Is the fee hourly, fixed per stage, or a mix, and are court fees and translation costs billed separately?
• In which language will you receive advice and updates, and how often?

This page is general information, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, speak with a qualified lawyer.