Although the Thai government assures everyone that theft cases in the Land of smiles are minimal, it is still beneficial to know the basics of Thai laws on Theft cases. Theft in Thailand is generally understood as unlawful taking of a property that does not being belong you. Under the Criminal Code of Thailand, whoever dishonestly takes away any thing that belongs to another person shall be imprisoned for three years and shall pay a fine of 6,000 Baht. Depending on the crime and your prison sentence you can be brought for extradition to your home country. Theft normally involves either fraud or violence in the commission of the crime.
A greater penalty is imposed if the theft is committed under the following circumstances:
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If it is committed during nighttime;
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If it is committed in places where there is calamity such as fire, explosion, flood, or in times of accident, distress to railway or other public conveyance or similar calamity or if the theft is committed by taking advantage of such accident, distress or calamity or public panic;
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If it is committed through damaging a barricade made for the protection of persons or things or by going through such barricade by any other means;
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If it is committed by using a passage which is not intended for human entrance or a passage which is opened by an accomplice to the crime;
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If it is committed by a person by disguising himself or by impersonating another person, or by hiding his face or any act which discloses his identity for a sole purpose that he will not be seen or recognized;
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If it is committed by falsely pretending to be a public official;
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If the offenders carry firearms;
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If the theft is committed in a dwelling place, official place, or a place provided for public service and his entry was without permission;
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If it is committed in a place of public worship, in a rail way station, or in  an airport or in a public parking or in a place for loading and discharging of goods in a public conveyance;
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If the subject of the crime is a thing used for public benefit;
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If the subject of the crime is a thing which belongs to or in possession of an employer;
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If the subject of the crime is a thing which belongs to an agriculturist, which is a product, a plant, an animal or an implement possessed or used for the purpose of carrying an agricultural pursuit;
Under Section 335 of the Criminal Code of Thailand, if the theft is committed under the above-mentioned circumstances, the offender shall be sentenced for an imprisonment of 1-5 years and shall be ordered to pay a fine of 2,000-10,000 Baht.
If the crime of theft is committed by taking away a Buddhist Statue or a religious object or any part thereof which is intended for public worship, the offender shall be imprisoned for a period of 3-10 years and shall be fined with 6,000-20,000 Baht. If the same is committed in a temple, dwelling place of a monk, or in a place of religious worship, ancient place of the State, official place or in a National Museum, the offender shall be imprisoned for a period of 5-15 years and shall be sentenced to pay a fine in the amount of 10,000- 30,000 Baht.
