Thailand Law Library

by Thailand Lawyer

Chapter 5: Void of Marriage

The marriage will be void only as provided in this Chapter.

The marriage which is made against Section 1449, Section 1450, Section 1452 and Section 1458 shall be void.

It is only a judgment of the Court that effects the void of the marriage which is made against Section 1449, Section 1450 and Section 1458.

The spouses, parents or descendants of the spouse may apply for a judgment of the Court effecting the void of the marriage. If there is none of the said persons, any interested person may request the Public Prosecutor to apply to the Court for such judgment.

Any interested person may allege or apply for a judgment of the Court effecting that the marriage made against Section 1452 is void.

In case there is a final judgment of the Court effecting the void of any marriage, the Court shall notify the Marriage Registrar of the matter in order to have it entered in the Marriage Register.

In case of marriage has been adjudged void, the property possessed or acquired by either party before or after the marriage as well as the fruits thereof remain as that party's property. As for the property jointly earned, they shall divided equally unless the Court deems it proper and order otherwise by taking into consideration the obligation in the family and earnings of both parties as well as their station in life, including all other circumstances.

The marriage adjudged void as being against Section 1449, Section 1450 or Section 1458 shall not prejudice the right acquired through such marriage before pronouncing the final judgment effecting the void of the marriage by the party who has married in good faith.

The marriage adjudged void as being against Section 1452 shall not prejudice the right acquired through such marriage before the cause that the maker the marriage void is known to the man or woman. But the said marriage shall not make one spouse become statutory heir of the other and have the right of inheritance to the other spouse.

In case of the marriage adjudged void as being against Section 1449, Section 1450, Section 1458 or Section 1452, if one party only acted in good faith, such party may claim compensation. However, if such marriage makes the party in good faith become destitute deriving insufficient income out of his or her property or business which used to be carried on before pronouncing the final judgment to effect the void of the marriage, or before the void of his or her marriage becoming known, as the case may be, that party can also claim living allowance, and the provisions of Section 1526 paragraph one and Section 1528 shall apply to the claim for living allowances in this case, mutatis mutandis.

The prescription for claiming compensation or living allowances under paragraph three shall be two years from the date of pronouncing the final judgment to effect the void of the marriage in case of the marriage made against Section 1449, Section 1450 or Section 1448, or from the day when the void of his or her marriage becoming known in the case of the marriage made against Section 1452.

In case of the marriage adjudged void, the agreement between the spouses as to which party to exercise the parental power over any child, or either party or both of them to be responsible for the amount of contribution of the maintenance of the child shall be made in writing. If the agreement cannot be reached, the Court shall make decision on the matter. In making such decision, if there are grounds for depriving that spouse of parental power under Section 1582, the Court may give an order depriving that spouse of the same and appoint a third person as a guardian by taking into consideration the happiness and interest of the child, and the provisions of Section 1521 shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

The marriage adjudged is void shall not prejudice the rights acquired by third person acting in good faith before entering the void of the marriage into the Marriage Register under Section 1497/1.