This guide is written for people who have just received a summons for the first time and do not yet know what they should do first. There are three things most people do wrong in the first week: panicking and transferring money to scammers who sent a fake summons, staying silent and not showing up as scheduled, and giving lengthy testimony on the first day without having consulted anyone yet.
Step 0 — Check Whether This Summons Is Real or Fake
Before worrying about the case, first check whether the document you received is genuine, because fake summonses are widely used as tools to extort money — whether sent as files via chat, sent as photographs, or when someone calls claiming to be police and then sends a document along to make it look credible.
Signs that it is fake
- Pressuring you to do something within a few hours, or threatening to issue an arrest warrant immediately if you do not comply.
- Asking you to transfer money for "financial trail tracing" or "to post bail first."
- Asking for an OTP code, a password, or asking you to install an additional application.
- Asking you to add them as a friend on an app and then interrogating you over a video call.
- Forbidding you from telling anyone, including your family or a lawyer.
The safest way to check is to see which police station the document specifies, then look up the main number of that station yourself through official channels and call to ask whether a summons has actually been issued in your name. Do not call the number printed on the document or the number given by the caller, because that is the number of the person who sent the document, not the station's number.
If you find that it is fake and you have already transferred money, your matter is that of a victim of online fraud, which has its own procedures in the guide Scammed Online: How to File a Police Report to Have a Chance of Getting Your Money Back.
A Summons Is Not an Arrest Warrant, and It Does Not Mean You Are Guilty
A summons is an order to appear before the inquiry officer at the date and time specified. It is part of the inquiry process; it is not yet a judgment and it is not an arrest. Receiving a summons therefore does not mean the case is over or that you are guilty.
What must be understood, however, is that these two things are connected. In general, the process begins with the issuance of a summons, and if the recipient of the summons does not appear without reasonable cause, this may give the inquiry officer grounds to proceed with requesting an arrest warrant. The difference between "walking in to see them yourself" and "being arrested" has a real effect in practice, both on the discretion to grant temporary release and on the overall picture of the matter.
Be clear on the capacity in which you are summoned
The document will state whether you are summoned as a suspect or as a witness — the two are not the same at all.
- A summons as a suspect means you are accused of involvement in an offence; you should have a lawyer from the start.
- A summons as a witness means you are called to give facts about someone else's matter.
The point to be careful about is that these two statuses can change, depending on the evidence that appears during the investigation. If the matter you are called in to be questioned about involves you personally — for example, you are the owner of a bank account, the owner of a phone number, or the signatory on a document that is at issue in the case — going with a lawyer from the witness stage is a precaution, not making the matter bigger than necessary.
What to do on the day you receive a summons
- Keep the original documents and take photos of both the front of the document and the envelope it arrived in.
- Write down the charge and the name of the investigating officer shown on the summons, along with the case number and the scheduled date and time.
- Do not contact the other party yourself just yet — whether to apologize, to negotiate, or to ask what happened. Messages sent during this period can all become evidence.
- Do not delete anything — no chats, transfer records, emails, or photos on your device. Deleting does not make them disappear from the other party's system; it only makes you lose material that could prove your side, and it may be raised and interpreted against you.
- Gather anything that can explain the matter — such as evidence that you were elsewhere on the date of the incident, work documents, contracts, or conversations showing what actually happened.
- Consult a lawyer before the scheduled date — not after you have already given your statement.
Show up for the appointment, but you don't have to tell everything that day
People often mistake these two matters for one and the same, even though they can be separated.
Showing up for the appointment demonstrates your cooperation with the process, which works in your favor.
Giving a statement is a right you may choose to exercise. The accused has the right not to give a statement, and has the right to have a lawyer or a trusted person present during the interrogation. If you have not yet consulted a lawyer and do not yet know what evidence the accusation is based on, stating that you will give a statement at a later time is a practical and often safer option.
The reason lies in the first statement binding you for the rest of the matter. The words you speak that day are recorded, and changing your words later requires you to explain why you changed them, which is more difficult than waiting until you have complete information and then giving one consistent statement.
Before signing the statement record, read the entire document. If the recorded text does not match what you said, ask to have it corrected before signing, and always ask for a copy of any document you sign.
What to prepare on the day of the appointment
- Original national ID card
- The summons you received
- Documents related to the matter that your lawyer considers appropriate to bring
- A lawyer, or at least someone you trust to attend the hearing
- Plenty of spare time, because the questioning usually takes much longer than expected
What you should not do is go alone with the intention of "settling it all in one day." Explaining in good faith without knowing where the key issues of the case lie often leads to saying more than what was asked, and it is that extra talk that later becomes a problem.
Each type of case has different points to watch out for
A summons is the same entry point, but what you need to prepare and the defenses you use differ according to the charge.
- Charges involving mule accounts and money laundering from online fraud have their own procedural steps and specific defenses. Read Defending mule account cases
- If you are detained or concerned about temporary release, read Bail for online fraud and money laundering cases
- Charges of defamation and computer-related offenses from posting or sharing. Read Getting attacked in posts and online defamation
- For an overview of criminal defense throughout the entire process, read Criminal case guide in Thailand
Short Summary
- First check whether the summons is genuine or fake by calling the police station using a number you looked up yourself.
- A summons is not an arrest warrant and does not mean you are guilty, but failing to appear makes things worse.
- Read carefully whether you are summoned as a suspect or a witness.
- Do not contact the other party yourself, and do not delete anything.
- Show up as scheduled, but you may choose to give a statement when ready.
- Read the entire statement record before signing, and ask for a copy to keep.
Further Reading
- Defending Mule Account Cases: A Complete Guide
- Scammed Online: How to File a Police Report to Increase Your Chances of Getting Your Money Back
- Bail in Online Fraud and Money Laundering Cases
- A Guide to Criminal Cases in Thailand
This guide is prepared by Suwanvara Law Firm — founded in B.E. 2529, with its head office in Khon Kaen and a branch in Bangkok. This content is general information and does not constitute legal advice for any particular case. The outcome of each matter depends on the facts and evidence of that matter. Before taking any action, you should consult a qualified professional.