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
- FEBRUARY 11, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: DEATH PENALTY UPHELD FOR 'NONG SNOW' KILLER
The Supreme Court on 11 February 2020 upheld the death sentence passed by the two lower courts on a former village headman for the murder of a teenage schoolgirl in Kamalasai district in 2015.
JANUARY 9, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: MAYOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF MUNICIPAL DIRECTOR
The Criminal Court in Songkhla has sentenced six people, including the Muang Singha Nakhon municipal mayor, to death and another to life imprisonment for the murder of a municipal director in July last year, reported the Bangkok Post on 24 December 2019.
- JANUARY 1, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTY
Under the Penal Code alone, the death sentence can be applied to 35 crimes
Under the Penal Code alone, the death sentence can be applied to 35 crimes
NOVEMBER 20, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR SPANISH MURDERER
The Supreme Court on 20 November 2019 upheld the death sentence for Spanish national Artur Segarra Princep, 40, for the premeditated murder of compatriot David Bernat, 41, in 2016.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: EX-MP RECEIVES DEATH SENTENCE FOR MASTERMINDING MURDER
The Khon Kaen Provincial Court on 24 September 2019 sentenced Nawat Tocharoensuk, the former Khon Kaen MP of the Pheu Thai Party, to death for being the mastermind behind the 2013 murder of Suchart Kotthum, the former chief administrator of Khon Kaen Prov
SEPTEMBER 13, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: MAN CONVICTED OF MURDERING FAMILY, SENTENCED TO DIE
A Thai provincial court on 11 September 2019 convicted and sentenced a 37-year-old man for murdering five family members – including his pregnant wife.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH FOR 2 MYANMAR MEN IN BRITISH MURDERS
Thailand's Supreme Court on 29 August 2019 upheld the conviction of two Myanmar migrants sentenced to death for the murder of two British backpackers on a resort island in 2014.
AUGUST 6, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2015 MURDER OF JAPANESE PARTNER
The Supreme Court has sentenced a woman to death over the 2015 murder of her elderly Japanese partner, a member of the prosecution said on 6 August 2019.
JULY 15, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: DEATH SENTENCE FOR SEVENTH MAN IN WORAYUTH FAMILY SLAUGHTER
A seventh defendant in the murder almost exactly two years ago of a family of eight in southern Krabi province was sentenced to death on 9 July 2019, while the same sentence was upheld for the mastermind behind the crime and for five accomplices.
- JULY 12, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: MURDERER IS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A GERMAN BACKPACKER
A Thai man who raped and murdered a German backpacker was sentenced to death on 10 July 2019.
- JUNE 4, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: 3 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING BRITISH MAN AND WIFE
Three men in northern Thailand were found guilty on 31 May 2019 of murdering a British expat and his Thai wife and sentenced to death.
- MARCH 11, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: GUNMAN IN 2017 DEALERSHIP RAID SENTENCED TO DIE
One of several gunmen accused of stealing pickup trucks at gunpoint and killing a hostage was sentenced to death on 12 February 2019 by a southern court.