Thailand Law Library

by Thailand Lawyer

Domicile

The domicile of a natural person is the place where he has his principal residence.

If a natural person has several residences where he lives alternately, or various centers of habitual occupation, either one shall be considered his domicile.

The domicile of a natural person who has no habitual residence, or employs his life in voyages without a central place of business shall be held to be the place where is found.

The domicile is changed by transferring the residences with manifest intention of changing.

If a person selects any place with manifest intention of making it a special domicile for any act, which is deemed to be the domicile in respect to such act.

The domicile of husband and wife is the place where husband and wife cohabit as a couple unless either husband or wife expresses his/her intention to have a separate domicile.

The domicile of a minor is that of his legal representative who is the person exercising parental power or the guardian. In the case where the minor is under parental power of his parents and the parents have separate domiciles, the minor shall have domicile of his father or mother with whom he lives.

The domicile of an incompetent person is that of his guardian.

The domicile of a public official is the place where he exercises his function, provided that such function is not temporary, periodical or mere commission.

The domicile of a convict by a final judgment of the court or by a lawful order is the prison or correctional institution where he is imprisoned until his release.

Disappearance

If a person has left his domicile or residence without having appointed an agent with general authority and it is uncertain whether he is living or death, the Court may, on the application of any interested person or of the Public Prosecutor, order such provisional measures to be taken as may be necessary for the management of property of such person.

The Court may appoint a manager of the property after one year has elapsed from the day when he has left his domicile or residence if no news of him has ever been received, or from the day when he has last been seen or heard of.

If an agent with general authority has been appointed by the absent person but his authority comes to an end, or it appears that his management is likely to cause injury to the absent person, the provisions of Section 48 shall make required changes to the authority.

The court may, on the application of any interested person or of the public prosecutor, order an inventory of the property to be made by the agent with general authority, in compliance with an injunction to be given by the court.

Subject to the provisions of Section 802, if it is necessary for the agent with general authority to do any act beyond the scope of his authority, he must apply for court’s permission and may do so on obtaining such permission.

The manager who is appointed by the court must finish making the inventory of the property of the absent person within three months as from the day on which the appointment order of the court comes to his knowledge.

However, the manager may apply to the court for the extension of the time.

The inventory under Section 50 and Section 52 must be made in the presence of, and signed by two witnesses. Such two witnesses must be a spouse or a relative being of age of the absent person. If neither spouse nor relatives is found, or the spouses and relative refuse to be witnesses, other persons being of age may act as witnesses.

The manager has such power of an agent with general authority as provided in Section 801 and Section 802. If the manager deems it necessary to do any acts beyond the scope of his authority, he must apply for the court’s permission and may do so on obtaining such permission.

If the absent person has appointed an agent with special authority, the manager cannot interfere with such special agency, but he can apply to the court for an order removing the agent if it appears that his management is likely to cause injury to the absent person.

The court may, on the application of any interested person or of the public prosecutor or of its own motion;

1. Require the manager to give proper management security and return of the property entrusted to him.
2. Require him to give information as to the property condition of the absent person.
3. Remove him and appoint another manager in his stead.

The court may, in the order appointing the property manager, determine a remuneration to be paid to the manager out of the property of the absent person; in default of which the manager may afterwards applies to the court for determining such remuneration.

The court may, on the application of the manager or of an interested person or the public prosecutor, or of its own motion when it appears that circumstances on the property management have changed, give an order effecting the determination, suspension, decrease or increase of the remuneration, or a new remuneration payment to be made to the manager.

The authority of the manager comes to an end upon:

1. The return of the absent person.
2. No return of the absent person but the property having been managed or an agent for managing his property having been appointed.
3. The death of the absent person or adjudication of disappearance having been given.
4. The resignation or the death of the manager.
5. The manager becoming an incompetent or quasi-incompetent person.
6. The manager becoming bankrupt.
7. Removal of the manager by the court.

When the authority of the manager comes to an end under Section 58 (4) (5) or (6), the manager or his heir, administrator, guardian, curator, official receiver of the person charged with the duty to take care of the property manager, as the case may be, must inform the court without delay of such ending for the court will give an order concerning the property manager as it deems proper.

During such period of time, the said person must take all reasonable steps compatible with circumstances to protect the interest of the absent person until the property of the absent person is delivered to any person as to be ordered by the court.

If a person has left his domicile or residence and it has been uncertain for five years whether he is living or dead, the court may, on the application of any interested person or of the public prosecutor, adjudge that such person has disappeared. After five years, if a person is unknown whether he is living or dead, the court may rule that the person has disappeared.

The period of time under paragraph one shall be reduced to two years;

1. As from the day when the battle or war comes to an end and the person who had been engaged in such battle or war has been disappeared therein;
2. As from the day when the vehicle on which the person had been traveling was lost or destroyed;
3. As from the day when any peril of his life other than those mentioned in (1) or (2) has passed and the person had been in such peril.

A person against whom an adjudication of disappearance has been made is deemed to have died at the completion of the period specified in Section 61.

If it is proved by the person adjudged disappearance, any interested person or of the public prosecutor that the person who disappeared is living, or that he died at a time different from that specified in Section 62, the court must, upon the application of the said person, revoke the adjudication; but this does not affect the validity of acts done in good faith between the adjudication and the revocation.

The adjudication of disappearance and its revocation shall be published in the Government Gazette.