Thailand
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- constitutional monarchy; note - interim military-affiliated government since May 2014 Constitutional monarchy - provisional military government since May 2014
- CONSTITUTION
- many precedents; final draft concluded on March 29, 2016, approved by referendum on August 7, 2016, signed by the king on April 6, 2017; note - the final version has several amendments not reflected in the one adopted by the referendum (2016)
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on the civil system with influences of English common law
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- In transition; following the military coup of May 2014 - National Legislative Assembly or Sapha Nitibanyat Haeng Chat
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court, judges appointed by the King
RELIGIONS
94.6% Buddhists; 4.6% Muslims; 0.7% Christians; 0.1% others
From the country
MARCH 22, 2021ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: SEVEN DEATH SENTENCES FOR FAMILY MASSACRE
The Supreme Court on 18 March 2021 sentenced to death seven men convicted of the mass murder of a family in Krabi in 2017.
MARCH 6, 2021ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: SUPREME COURT PASSES DEATH SENTENCE ON PATTANI BOMBERS
The Supreme Court on 3 March 2021 decreed the death penalty for six men convicted of a string of bombings and attempted bombings in central Pattani in 2016.
FEBRUARY 20, 2021ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: DRUG BARON'S SONS GET DEATH
Two sons of convicted drug baron and former Kuomintang fighter Lao Ta Saenlee were sentenced to death on 17 February 2021 by the Criminal Court for drug trafficking and money laundering.
FEBRUARY 9, 2021IsraelDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: ISRAELI ON DEATH ROW TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ISRAEL
After being sentenced to death and managing to survive in one of the harshest prisons in Thailand — and after a long legal battle in the Israeli Supreme Court led by Adv. Nechama Tzivin — Israeli citizen Yigal Makhlouf will soon be transferred to Israel a
- JANUARY 20, 2021ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: BANYIN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF CHUWONG
Former deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangpakorn on 20 January 2021 was sentenced to death for the premeditated murder of construction tycoon Chuwong Sae Tang that he tried to pass off as a car accident six years ago.
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: KILLERS OF EDINBURGH MILLIONAIRE AND WIFE HAVE DEATH SENTENCES OVERTURNED
Killers of an Edinburgh millionaire and his Thai wife have had their death sentences overturned, news media reported on 7 September 2020.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: THE KING COMMUTES THE DEATH PENALTY TO SPANISH ARTUR SEGARRA FOR LIFE
The King of Thailand has commuted the death penalty to which the Spanish Artur Segarra was sentenced for the murder in 2016 of his compatriot David Bernat in Bangkok, to life imprisonment, the Corrections Department confirmed to Efe on 17 August 2020.
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: KING COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE FOR MYANMAR MEN IN BRITISH TOURIST MURDER CASE
Two migrant workers from Myanmar on death row in Thailand for the 2014 murder of two British backpackers had their sentences commuted to life in prison on 14 August 2020 thanks to a royal decree.
AUGUST 31, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: GOLD ROBBER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING TODDLER, GUARD, AND SHOP EMPLOYEE
A gold robber who killed three people including a toddler in January on 27 August 2020 was sentenced to death after a court has found him guilty of nine charges.
MAY 18, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: MAN GETS DEATH FOR CADET'S MURDER
The Nakhon Sawan provincial court on 12 May 2020 sentenced the owner of a private military cadet school to death while his wife and mother-in-law were sentenced to life imprisonment for the fatal disciplinary beating of a 15-year-old student.
MAY 9, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: 3 GET DEATH FOR MURDER OF WOMAN
Two soldiers and one policeman on 7 May 2020 were sentenced to death in Thailand for the murder of a woman in Kanchanaburi in 2016.
FEBRUARY 28, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: COURT UPHOLDS THREE DEATH SENTENCES FOR METHAMPHETAMINE SMUGGLING
The Region 2 Provincial Court of Appeals in Rayong province, near Pattaya, on 26 February 2020 upheld the conviction and death sentence of Australian Luke Joshua Cook, his Thai wife Kanyarat Wediphitak and a Californian man, Tyler Gerard.