Thai Law News

Stay well-informed on the latest legal developments in Thailand with The Thaiger’s Thai Law News Page. Our extensive coverage encompasses a wide range of legal topics, including criminal cases, civil disputes, court rulings, and changes in legislation. With accurate information and in-depth analysis, we provide you with a reliable source of regional news on the ever-evolving legal landscape.

  • Thailand imposes stricter penalties for unpaid tolls

    Thailand imposes stricter penalties for unpaid tolls

    The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) is set to enforce stricter penalties for unpaid tolls starting January 1, 2025. Drivers who fail to pay tolls will face fines up to ten times the toll fee, with a maximum of 2,000 baht per incident. This new regulation is part of the enforcement of Section 63 of the EXAT Act of 2007,…

  • Bangkok lowers speed limit to 60 km/h in bid to reduce road accidents

    Bangkok lowers speed limit to 60 km/h in bid to reduce road accidents

    The Royal Gazette published an announcement today, December 24, regarding a new regulation on speed limits within Bangkok, which reduces the speed of vehicles on all roads in the city to 60 kilometres per hour (kp/h), except on 13 specific roads. The Royal Gazette released details on its official website today regarding the new speed limit and noise prohibitions in…

  • Marriage equality approved, LGBTQA+ couples to wed in 120 days

    Marriage equality approved, LGBTQA+ couples to wed in 120 days

    King Rama X yesterday approved the Marriage Equality Bill allowing LGBTQA+ couples in Thailand to officially marry in 120 days after the approval. The movement to allow LGBTQA+ couples to legally register their marriages in Thailand began 23 years ago, in 2001, when former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was in office. However, Thai society had not yet widely recognised the…

  • New law mandates urine, blood tests for driver alcohol checks

    New law mandates urine, blood tests for driver alcohol checks

    The Thai Government Gazette published a new ministerial regulation to include urine and blood tests for measuring alcohol levels in drivers when breathalyser tests are not possible. This regulation aims to enhance road safety and ensure accurate alcohol detection in drivers. The regulation, dated today, September 23, was issued under the authority of the Road Traffic Act of 1979, which…

  • Spirited debate: Health ministry’s alcohol curfew talks hit a hiccup

    Spirited debate: Health ministry’s alcohol curfew talks hit a hiccup

    The Ministry of Public Health held a meeting today, February 15, to deliberate on the potential abolition of the time restriction for alcohol sales, currently set between 11am and 2pm. However, the meeting failed to reach a clear conclusion. The Public Health Minister, Chonlnan Srikaew, reported that the proposal to cancel the time limit for alcohol sales was submitted to…

  • Bangkok airport protest leaders face bankruptcy over 522 million baht compensation order

    Bangkok airport protest leaders face bankruptcy over 522 million baht compensation order

    The Central Bankruptcy Court has dealt a decisive blow to 11 pivotal figures of the dissolved People Alliance for Democracy (PAD) by issuing an absolute receivership order against them. This verdict relates to their involvement in protests that resulted in the closure of Bangkok’s two primary airports. The court order, made public via the Royal Gazette, gives an assigned receiver…

  • Thailand to adopt stricter firearm controls amid rise in gun-related crimes

    Thailand to adopt stricter firearm controls amid rise in gun-related crimes

    Thailand is adopting stricter firearm controls amid a rise in gun-related crimes. The Cabinet is set to draft a firearms act which deems all privately owned firearms and ammunition must be registered with a government agency. According to The Star, the draft act was approved on Tuesday. Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek confirmed the news adding that the current measures in…

  • “Transfer to an inactive post’ – punishment or paradise?

    “Transfer to an inactive post’ – punishment or paradise?

    Bangkok’s recent spate of police “embarrassments” (cops caught committing crimes) has led to a spate of “transfer to an inactive post” (paid vacation) notices. If most of us commit a crime, we can expect the cops to show up and – very basically – throw us in jail. But rich people rarely go to jail, and cops, even less so.…

  • Thailand’s Tourism Authority reminds visitors of current anti-smoking laws

    Thailand’s Tourism Authority reminds visitors of current anti-smoking laws

    Thailand’s government is reminding tourists of the nation’s current anti-smoking laws. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says travellers should be aware that electronic cigarettes, shishas, and electronic shishas are currently illegal. Furthermore, the TAT says there is no smoking in public areas as part of the broader Tobacco Control Law which aims to promote a clean, safe and smoke-free…

  • DLT increases fines for motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings

    DLT increases fines for motorists who fail to stop at zebra crossings

    The Department of Land Transport (DLT) increased the fine for motorists failing to stop at a zebra crossing from 1,000 baht to 4,000 baht. The DLT will also deduct one point from an offender’s driving license. A survey conducted last year by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, and the Thai Roads Foundation, revealed that almost 90% of vehicles in Bangkok…

  • Thai police torture to continue, for now

    Thai police torture to continue, for now

    Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas has written to the Ministry of Justice, asking for a delay in the enforcement of the Anti-Torture Act, claiming that his officers are not ready to give up police torture. The act was trailered in October last year, with the provision that it would come into force on February 22. The letter dated January 6 was…

  • Thailand enacts law to prevent recidivism among sexual and violent offenders

    Thailand enacts law to prevent recidivism among sexual and violent offenders

    Thailand will implement a law later this month that aims at preventing recidivism among prisoners put away for violent or sexual offences after their release from prison. Yesterday, government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said in a Cabinet meeting that the Measures to Prevent Recidivism of Sexual and Violent Crimes Act (2022) will come into force on January 23. The new act requires…

  • New foreign land ownership law in Thailand can be scrapped if Thais don’t agree

    New foreign land ownership law in Thailand can be scrapped if Thais don’t agree

    If Thai people aren’t happy with the newly proposed foreign land ownership law in Thailand, the whole plan can be scrapped, said Minister of Interior General Anupong Paochinda in Parliament yesterday. “We can improve the regulation, such as by increasing the investment to 100 million baht. The plan can be scrapped if people have serious concerns. We won’t see it as…

  • Pakistan’s transgenders dragged back into Dark Ages

    Pakistan’s transgenders dragged back into Dark Ages

    Early last month, Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan proposed the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights amends the Transgender Protection Act of 2018, leading to a firestorm of online abuse on both sides of the argument. Despite its desire to be known as a conservative society with strong Islamic inclinations, Pakistan is one of only a few countries with legislation…

  • Thailand’s new narcotics laws offers drug offenders treatment

    Thailand’s new narcotics laws offers drug offenders treatment

    The Thai Cabinet yesterday introduced a new set of narcotics laws, downgrading a number of acts to give people a second chance if they have committed minor offences. Some drug offenders will be offered drug treatment instead of prosecution. Yesterday, the prime minister’s deputy spokeswoman, Traisuree Traisaranakun, reported that the Cabinet approved the new laws under the Narcotics Act. The…

  • New draft law will allow ex-cons to expunge criminal records

    New draft law will allow ex-cons to expunge criminal records

    A new draft law will allow people who have been convicted of a crime and served their sentence to wipe the slate clean and start again. In the past ex-cons have found it difficult to find gainful employment after serving their sentence and as a consequence have gone on to reoffend. But if this new bill is passed it will…

  • Government asked to postpone PDPA law

    Government asked to postpone PDPA law

    The government has been asked to postpone the Personal Data Protection Act because some of the laws remain unclear. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking yesterday asked the government to delay the bill as some of the PDPA laws remain vague and need to be clarified. They also insist clear directions must be issued and 20 organic…

  • Demonstrators storm UN building to protest NPO law

    Demonstrators storm UN building to protest NPO law

    Demonstrators swarmed around the United Nations Building to the Government House this morning to denounce a government bill on non-profit organizations. Hundreds of vociferous anti-NPO demonstrators avoided a number of barriers, including barbed wire on different sections of Ratchadamnoen Road leading to government house in Bangkok, but still managed to voice their opposition to a law that will affect the…

  • Chadchart’s commitment to purging the metropolis of corruption

    Chadchart’s commitment to purging the metropolis of corruption

    Newly elected governor Chadchart Sittipunt revealed he plans to stamp out corruption as part of his flagship “Bangkok’s Nine Good” policy. Corruption in Thailand has been a national issue for decades. The kingdom is ranked 110th out of 180 countries evaluated in Transparency International‘s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index. The index examines public sector corruption, countries whose public sectors are perceived to be…

  • Government to expedite the revision of the civil partnership bill for same-sex couples

    Government to expedite the revision of the civil partnership bill for same-sex couples

    Following a court ruling on marriage that was seen as a setback for same-sex couples, the Thai government is now expediting the revision of draft law on civil partnerships. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krae-ngam says the law will protect the rights of all genders, according to the Bangkok Post. Wednesday the Constitutional Court upheld the language in Section 1448 of…

  • Australia sets worldwide precedent by passing pay‐to‐play legislation for social media giants

    Australia sets worldwide precedent by passing pay‐to‐play legislation for social media giants

    In a landmark decision, Australia is now requiring global digital giants, such as Facebook and Google, to pay for using local news content on their websites. The move sets a precedent that many global companies have been anticipating. The law passed yesterday after Facebook and Google reached an agreement to pay local Australian news organisations for using their stories on…

  • 3 Bangkok venues shut for violating Covid-19 prevention measures

    3 Bangkok venues shut for violating Covid-19 prevention measures

    Bangkok officials say 3 venues were ordered to temporarily close for allegedly violating Covid-19 control regulations, including Insanity Nightclub which will remain shutdown for the next 5 years. The Insanity Nightclub on Sukhumvit Soi 11 was raided in December and 150 people were arrested after reports that the club was selling baraku and operating without a permit. Police also say…

  • 111 people arrested at Koh Pha Ngan party for allegedly violating Covid-19 restrictions

    111 people arrested at Koh Pha Ngan party for allegedly violating Covid-19 restrictions

    Police raided a party in Koh Pha Ngan and arrested 111 on charges of violating Covid-19 disease control measures under the Emergency Decree. Immigration police and tourist police raided the event at Three Sixty Bar, a venue on a hilltop near Mae Haad Beach on the island known for its 360 degree view. Out of the 111 people arrested, 89…

  • 27 migrants allegedly disguised as monks arrested on illegal entry charges, Bangkok abbot under investigation

    27 migrants allegedly disguised as monks arrested on illegal entry charges, Bangkok abbot under investigation

    Immigration police arrested 27 Cambodians for allegedly entering Thailand illegally and impersonating Buddhist monks. Police say the migrants allegedly disguised themselves as Buddhist monks at Wat Talom in Bangkok’s Phasi Charoen district. The temple’s abbot is also under investigation for allegedly assisting and hiding illegal migrants. Police searched the temple after receiving a tip that hundreds of monks lived in…