Ship Arrest in Thai Waters — Admiralty Jurisdiction

ยึดเรือในน่านน้ำไทย — ศาลทรัพย์สินทางปัญญาและการค้าระหว่างประเทศ · § CrossBorder
Quick Answer
Ex parte application with 10–20% counter-security · order in 24–48 h · Marine Dept + Harbour Master execute · release upon acceptable P&I LOU.
Timeline: Arrest 24–48 h · release 3–7 days after LOU · main claim 8–14 months at IP&IT Court.
Official fee: Arrest fee THB 5,000 + Marine Dept custody THB 20,000–80,000/day + court fee 2%.
Legal Basis
Arrest of Ships Act B.E. 2534 · Arrest Convention 1952 (Thailand a party) · IP&IT Court Act B.E. 2539 · Maritime lien priority: crew wages > salvage > tort > mortgage > necessaries.
Who Needs This
Maritime creditors (cargo claimants, bunker suppliers, crew, mortgagees, salvors), P&I Clubs, financing banks.
Required Documents
- Evidence of maritime claim (B/L, BDN, crew contract, mortgage)
- AIS position + ETA at Laem Chabang/Sattahip/Songkhla
- Counter-security (bank guarantee or cash) 10–20%
- Ownership search from IMO / Lloyd's Register / Equasis
- POA notarised + apostilled if foreign claimant.
Common Pitfalls
- Wrongful arrest = liable for damages + demurrage · insufficient counter-security = refusal.
- Sister-ship arrest requires common ownership at the time debt accrued · beneficial ownership alone insufficient.
- Bareboat charterer ≠ owner · liens differ · plead precisely.
- LOU from non-International-Group P&I may be rejected · insist on IG Club.
Typical Use-cases
- Singapore bunker supplier · USD 480K unpaid · Sriracha anchorage arrest · LOU in 3 days.
- Cargo claimant · palm oil contamination · sister-ship arrest at Map Ta Phut · USD 220K settlement.
- Filipino crew · 4-month wage arrears · arrest + repatriation · MLC 2006 enforced.
- Mortgagee bank · USD 12M default · judicial sale at Bangkok Port · 68% recovery.
FAQ
- How fast can we arrest?
- File morning · order afternoon · Harbour Master detains at once · usually 24–48 h.
- How much counter-security?
- 10–20% of claim · court decides · bank guarantee or court cash deposit.
- Sister-ship arrest possible?
- Yes, but must prove common registered ownership when claim arose · single-ship companies make it hard.
- When is release?
- Once P&I posts LOU accepting jurisdiction + amount · typically 3–7 days.
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Official sources — legal services
The information on this page follows the official sources below. Always check the latest version before you file.
- สำนักงานศาลยุติธรรม— Office of the Judiciary
- กระทรวงยุติธรรม— Ministry of Justice
- สภาทนายความในพระบรมราชูปถัมภ์ — ทนายความผู้ทำคำรับรองลายมือชื่อและเอกสาร— Lawyers Council of Thailand
- สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา — ฐานข้อมูลกฎหมายไทย— Office of the Council of State
- ราชกิจจานุเบกษา — ประกาศและกฎหมายที่มีผลบังคับ— Royal Thai Government Gazette
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Frequently asked questions
- Can a foreigner own 100% of a Thai company?
- Generally no for activities listed in the Foreign Business Act, where majority foreign ownership requires a Foreign Business Licence, a BOI promotion, or treaty rights such as the US–Thailand Treaty of Amity. Manufacturing and certain export activities are largely open, and BOI-promoted activities can permit full foreign ownership together with land-holding and visa privileges, so the right structure depends on the specific activity.
- What is the minimum registered capital for a Thai company?
- There is no general statutory minimum for a Thai-majority company, but practical thresholds apply: THB 2 million of paid-up registered capital per foreign work permit, or THB 1 million if the foreigner is married to a Thai national, and THB 3 million per foreign shareholder for a Foreign Business Licence. Capital should therefore be planned around the visa and work-permit outcome you need, not the incorporation minimum.
- How long does company registration take?
- Registration at the Department of Business Development can be completed within one to three working days once the name reservation, shareholder documents and company objectives are ready, and the VAT registration and social security registration follow afterwards. The realistic end-to-end timeline including bank account opening is two to six weeks, with the bank account usually being the slowest step for foreign directors.
- What ongoing accounting obligations does a Thai company have?
- Every Thai company must keep statutory accounts, file monthly withholding tax (PND 1, 3, 53) and VAT (PP 30) returns by the middle of the following month, file the half-year corporate income tax return (PND 51) and the annual return (PND 50), and have its financial statements audited by a Thai CPA and filed with the DBD each year. Dormant companies are not exempt — nil returns and an audited statement are still required.






