It is extremely unfortunate and moreover disturbing to file a criminal case against someone, to have been accused of a crime. Given the complexities involved in criminal cases, it is necessary to have a criminal law expert by your side to assist and guide you throughout the processes involved. At BLS, we come with years of experience in handling various criminal cases in Thailand, and therefore, we help our clients with legally appropriate solutions.
Criminal Cases in Thailand
Criminal cases are lawsuits through which the State prosecutes an individual or an organization for violating a penal law. Penal law is something that identifies the acts or omissions, deemed as crimes or offenses. For an individual to be prosecuted of a particular act, it is necessary that the Penal Code or the Special Penal Law identifies it as a crime. So, even if a particular act is morally or socially incorrect, and if it isn’t identified anywhere in the Penal Code or Special Penal Law, it wouldn’t be considered to be a crime under the law. Crimes are deemed as an offensive act against the peace and order of the country, and hence, when an individual or an organization is prosecuted for a crime, it is the State that actually sues him/ her/ it, and not the private injured party. In such a situation, the private party turns a witness for the State.
Organizations Responsible for the Prosecution of Crime in Thailand
In Thailand, a lot of governmental organizations are held responsible for the prosecution of criminal law. These include the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the Royal Thai Police, and the Courts of Justice.
Common Procedure of Lodging a Complaint
Usually, the injured parties reach out to the Police in order to lodge a complaint about a criminal incidence. This is followed by an investigation carried out by the Police, and then reporting the findings to the Office of the Prosecutor. It is the Office of the Prosecutor that files an appropriate criminal case in the Court.
Over the years, there have been many criminal cases filed. This has resulted in delayed investigations and further delayed prosecution. As a way out, private citizens have been permitted to hire lawyers, who’d directly file the criminal case in courts. This serves as an alternative to Police reporting. Of course, private case filing incurs some costs, and which must be paid by the private party that’s filing the case.
So, if you are confronted with a criminal case in Thailand, BLS would be of great help! Get in touch with you today!