Force majeure

Standard legal language (French) referring to an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond control of parties. The risks beyond the reasonable control of a party such as war and natural disasters (act of god) that could not be evaded through the exercise of due care and which is not a product or result of the negligence or malfeasance. In the Thailand Civil and Commercial Code it is described as 'any event the happening or pernicious result of which could not be prevented even though a person against whom it happened or threatened to happen were to take such appropriate care as might be expected from him in his situation and in such condition' (section 8).