Thai Supreme Court Rules Bitcoin Is Property in Landmark Theft Case

The high-court decision, numbered 4929/2569, effectively dismantled the defense’s argument that Bitcoin, as intangible electronic data, fell outside the scope of property protections. Judges concluded that because the asset possesses a measurable market value and serves as a medium of exchange, it meets the statutory requirements for property theft. The ruling relies on Sections 137 and 138 of the Civil and Commercial Code, which allow property rights to extend to intangible objects that can be possessed and valued.

The case originated from a September 2022 incident where five assailants assaulted a victim at a Koh Samui coffee shop. Under physical duress and threats against his family, the victim was forced to convert $50,000 into 2.480801 BTC and transfer the funds to a wallet controlled by the group. While the defendant argued the transaction was voluntary and devoid of tangible asset loss, the court affirmed that the transfer was coerced. Beyond the 10-year imprisonment, the defendant must provide full restitution of the 1.878 million baht equivalent.

This ruling arrives amid a rising trend of digital asset-related violence in Thailand, including recent high-profile armed robberies in Pattaya and Phuket. By codifying Bitcoin as property, the judiciary has provided law enforcement with a firmer mandate to prosecute crypto-based crimes, signaling that digital holdings now carry the same legal weight as traditional assets in Thai criminal proceedings.