Thai Cabinet backs tough bill barring domestic violence settlements
The government is moving ahead with a Cabinet-backed bill to break the cycle of domestic violence, make the offence non-compoundable, increase penalties and make Thai society safer.
- The Thai Cabinet has approved a draft bill that would make domestic violence a non-compoundable offense, preventing cases from being settled privately out of court.
- This new legislation aims to overhaul the existing 2007 law by closing loopholes, introducing tougher penalties for offenders, and expanding the definitions of domestic violence and family members.
- The bill also includes preventative measures to protect at-risk individuals before violence occurs and allows for leniency for offenders who were themselves victims of prolonged abuse.
Nikorn Soemklang, Minister of Social Development and Human Security, said the Cabinet had approved his ministry’s draft bill to protect victims of domestic violence.
The measure would overhaul the existing law, which has been in force since 2007, or for almost 20 years.
That law was found to contain loopholes, to have failed to keep pace with changing social conditions and to be ambiguous enough to hamper officials’ work.
Nikorn said the changes amounted to a comprehensive overhaul intended to close those gaps.
Key provisions would make domestic violence a non-compoundable offence in line with international standards, while broadening and clarifying the definitions of domestic violence and family member.
The ministry also proposed protective measures that could be applied before an incident occurs, both to safeguard people deemed at risk and to prevent violence from escalating.
Tougher penalties would also be introduced to punish offenders more severely and act as a deterrent.
At the same time, the bill would allow relevant agencies to allocate budgets to fully support its implementation.
It would also provide grounds for leniency or mitigation of punishment where an offender was a former victim whose mental health had been impaired by prolonged and repeated abuse.
Nikorn said the bill’s ultimate aims were to protect victims, prevent violence, reduce repeat incidents and establish a swift and fair support system, making Thai families and society safer and stronger.
He added that the Cabinet had expressed strong hope that the House of Representatives would approve the bill promptly, enabling mechanisms and procedures suited to current conditions to be put in place.
He said it would not only address domestic violence more effectively but also help curb crime and the abandonment of children, people with disabilities and older people.
These problems, he said, could in turn give rise to other social issues.
