Legal know-how
Guides and explainers about Criminal & Fraud, written for people who are not lawyers.
Thailand's 2014 animal welfare law protects owned and stray animals alike. Cruelty carries up to 2 years in prison or a fine of up to 40,000 baht, and abandoning an animal an administrative fine of up to 40,000 baht. What the law forbids, the exceptions and how to report.
In Thailand a child aged 12 or under cannot be punished for a crime, and older children and teenagers are dealt with under special rules rather than adult ones. The age bands, a child's rights on arrest, diversion instead of prosecution, and what parents are liable for.
For compoundable offences such as fraud, embezzlement, defamation and trespass, the victim must file a proper complaint within 3 months of learning of the offence and the offender. The 3-month rule, the Section 95 time limits and how to file correctly.
When someone close to you is arrested or remanded, the first question is bail. Who can apply, whether to go to the police, the prosecutor or the court, the forms of release, the security accepted, and what to do if bail is refused.
Edited photos, leaked private images or personal details posted to shame you: Thai law offers criminal penalties under the Computer Crime Act, a right to have data erased under the PDPA, and civil damages. When each one applies, and how to keep the evidence.
Thai law lets an arrested person inform a relative, see a lawyer in private and stay silent. What officers must tell you, when the state provides a lawyer, how long you can be held, and how bail works.
Thailand's 2022 traffic-law amendment made drunk-driving penalties much heavier, especially for a second offence within two years. The alcohol limits, the penalty for each situation, what happens if you refuse the test, and what to do if you are charged.
In Thailand defamation is a crime, and a social-media post is usually treated as defamation by publication, which carries a heavier penalty. What counts, the good-faith and fair-comment defences, the 3-month complaint deadline, and what to do whether you were defamed or accused.
The first hours after you pay a scammer matter most. Call your bank or the 1441 hotline to have the receiving account frozen, file a police report within 72 hours, keep every piece of evidence, then plan your recovery with a lawyer.
