Songkran Revelers: Throwing water can land you in jail, say top lawyers
Songkran revelers who throw water to people who don’t want to play will find themselves behind bars, online top lawyers said.
Using ice-cold water during Songkran could mean a two-year stretch, deliberately damaging people’s properties who don’t want to play is serious with compensation and jail, and those who molest minors awaits a 15-year jail time.
The warnings were on the Facebook page of “Thanai Khu Jai” (your lawyer).
Here are the different scenarios and the penalties associated with them:
Case 1: You say you don’t want to play, you are on your way to do something….but you get wet all the same.
If you can show that you did not want to take part and were soaked then Article 397 has been contravened.
This can lead to a one-month jail term for the perpetrator and or a 10,000 baht fine.
Case 2: You indicated that you did not want to play and your property like a phone or documents in your wallet were damaged. The civil and business/property law under Article 420 comes into play. Compensation payments are due to the victim.
In Case 2 if it can be shown to have been a willful and deliberate act to damage property then Article 358 has been violated. Result: 3 years in jail and or a 60,000 baht fine.
Case 3: A woman is molested in a water soaking incident. Article 278 allows for a 10-year prison term and or a fine of 200,000 baht. If the victim is not yet 15 years old make that 15 years jail and 200,000 baht.
In case three if the molestation is accompanied by threats then the jail term can be 15 years and 300,000 baht.
Case 4: This concerns the use of ice and dirty water.
Using cold water is not illegal but if ice is added and it causes injury then Article 295 has been contravened. This could result in 2 years jail and or a fine of 40,000 baht.
In Case 4 if the act was proven not to be deliberate the jail term drops to one month and the fine 10,000 baht.
People can also be prosecuted for using dirty water under Articles 389 and 397 though Sanook did not mention the penalties for these.
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