How long do you have to sue? Limitation periods for Thai property and rent claims (CCC Sections 193/9-193/34)

How long can you wait before a property-related claim (unpaid rent, a loan, a contractor's bill) becomes unenforceable in Thailand? Under CCC Section 193/9 a claim is barred by prescription if not enforced within the period fixed by law. Section 193/30 sets a residual period of ten years where no other is provided, but shorter periods apply to specific claims, so the category of claim matters.

The periods that matter for property owners

• Ten years (Section 193/30) — the default for claims with no specific period.
• Ten years (Sections 193/31-193/32) — government claims for taxes and rates, and claims established by a final judgment or a compromise contract.
• Five years (Section 193/33) — arrears of interest, instalment payments, arrears of rent or hire of property other than movables, and arrears of salaries and other periodic payments.
• Two years (Section 193/34) — a long list of service-type claims, including innkeepers' charges, rent of movables, wages, and fees of certain professionals such as lawyers, doctors and engineers or architects.

Two contrasts are worth noting. Unpaid rent on a villa lease has a five-year window, while rent for movable items (furniture, vehicles) is two. A written compromise or court judgment resets the claim to ten years.

When the clock starts, stops and restarts

• Start (Section 193/12) — prescription runs from the moment the claim can be enforced.
• Interruption (Section 193/14) — a debtor's written acknowledgement or part payment, a creditor's court action, or submission to arbitration interrupts it.
• Fresh period (Section 193/15) — time elapsed before an interruption does not count, and a new period starts when the interruption ceases.
• Dismissed suits (Section 193/17) — if an action is dismissed or withdrawn, prescription is treated as never interrupted, though the creditor gets 60 days from the final judgment to re-file if the period expired in the meantime.
• Paying a barred debt (Section 193/28) — a debtor who performs a claim already barred by prescription cannot demand the value back.

Practical uses

• Landlords — chase unpaid rent within five years, and get a signed acknowledgement of the arrears if you agree a payment plan.
• Buyers with a dispute — do not let a defect or refund claim age; some claims carry their own statutory periods, see seller liability for defects and residential construction controlled contracts.
• Not the same as ownership prescription — acquiring land by long possession is a different doctrine; see adverse possession.
• Loans — private-loan interest limits are in the 15% interest cap guide.

This is general information, not legal advice; which period applies to a specific claim, and whether a document counts as an acknowledgement, should be checked with a Thai lawyer.