Getting arrested in Thailand can be a confusing experience both for the person arrested, as well as for the family of that person. After Thailand Bail bails out one of our clients, that person must still go through the legal proceedings in the Thai Criminal Court. While each and every case is unique and different, there are some similarities in the procedures of a Thai court that you should be aware of. Without understanding the legal process, it is impossible to successfully defend against it. Most other Thai lawyers will hide these details from their clients, because they think that keeping you in the dark will force you to keep them. However, we at Thailand Bail believe that the more you know, the more likely you will be to choose us for bail and criminal defense legal services. The following article is a brief description of the various hearings and what happens at each hearing.

The first hearing for criminal cases in Thailand involves us getting bail extended from the first stage of the legal process to extend through the trial. After we achieve this, we can recommend our clients show up at the court with us without fear of being arrested again.

The next hearing is a readiness hearing that involves lawyers from each side coming to the court to discuss the various evidence and witnesses that they have. At this meeting, the judge will decide what evidence to allow in the trial. This is an important hearing.

The following hearing is when the official trial actually begins. The prosecutor has two (2) days to present his witnesses and evidence. This is an important hearing. After this hearing, Thailand Bail’s lawyer will present his witnesses and evidence in order to prove our defendant’s innocence. This is a very important hearing.

Usually, after each side has presented the evidence and witnesses, the judge will issue his judgment on the matter. At this point, the public prosecutor may decide to appeal the decision, but usually, we work hard to prevent this from happening, since the appeal process in Thailand can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to be completed.

For more information about the legal process in the Thai courts, contact Thailand Bail now to discuss.