LibGuides: Researching Thai Law in English: Web Resources

About

There are numerous free websites that can assist in locating Thai primary law, as well as secondary information on Thai legal topics. Links to available English translations of Thai law are listed below at right.

Thai Government Information (English)

Thai Judiciary (English)

Administrative Court
Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court Decisions (1998, 1999, 2001-2004)
Posted on AsianLII (Asian Legal Information Institute).
Constitutional Court
Includes some rulings and summaries of rulings in English.
Constitutional Court Decisions (1998-2003)
Posted on AsianLII (Asian Legal Information Institute).
Summaries of Thai Supreme Court Decisions (selected 2005-2009)
Posted on the Thail Law Forum website.
Thai Supreme Court Decisions (selected 1994, 1995, 1997-2000, 2002, 2003)
Posted on AsianLII (Asian Legal Information Institute).

Constitution (English)

Note that the "World Constitutions Illustrated" database in HeinOnline includes current and past versions of the Thai Constitution in English-language translation. The current constitution was promulgated in 2017.

Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (2017). Source: Constitute

Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (2017). Source: Office of the Council of State. Official English-language translation.

Legislation and Regulations (English)

Note that all Thai legislation is dated B.E. for Buddhist Era, which began in 543 B.C.

Act on Ancient Monuments, Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums (1961)
Source: UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws.
Administrative Court Laws
Source: Thai Administrative Court.
Child Protection Act (2003)
Source: UNHCR Refworld website.
Environmental Legislation: Thailand
Source: ECOLEX, a database of environmental laws, administered by several international organizations (FAO, IUCN, and UNEP).
Labor Laws: Thailand
Source: NATLEX database, the International Labour Organization.
Laws & Agreements Related to Human Trafficking
Source: Website of UNIAP (United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking).
Laws Related to Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking: Thailand
Source: UN Women's Global Database on Violence Against Women.
Legislation
Source: Office of the Council of State. Unofficial and official translations; some are marked as such. For an explanation of the difference between these two types of translations, see the home page of the Office of the Council of State (English-language version).
Legislation: Thailand
Source: Lexadin, a Dutch legal website design company.
Narcotics Control Laws
Source: Office of the Narcotics Control Board (Thailand).
Samuiforsale.com
Collection of Thai laws, including the Penal Code and Civil and Commercial Code. Sponsorship is unclear. According to the site, "Samuiforsale provides general Thai legal information and law resources in English over the Internet."
Thailand Laws Database (Thailand Law Forum)
Source: Website of Thailand Law Forum.
ThaiLaws.com
Large collection of Thai laws in English translation. Sponsorship is unclear. According to the website, "The objective of www.thailaws.com is to provide the useful information about Thailand, Thai Acts, and legal information for any visitors with free of charge."
World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII): Thailand
Several non-profit regional legal information initiatives created and now maintain World LII. A number of links to English translations of Thai legislation are offered.

WWW Resources

Doing Business: Thailand
This page provides access to the current "Doing Business" English-language guide for Thailand, based on annual World Bank surveys. The guide provides detailed information on starting a business, dealing with permits, hiring workers, etc.
Guide to Law Online: Thailand
The Law Library of Congress provides this collection of links to Thai laws and government information.
Judicial Assistance: Thailand
U.S. State Department (Bureau of Consular Affairs) information on such matters as service of process and taking depositions in Thailand.
Peace Palace Library
Located in The Hague, the Peace Palace Library serves the International Court of Justice and has been collecting international legal materials since 1913. The Library's website provides access to its online catalogue. Search on the word "Thailand" for a list of the Library's holdings.
Restorative Justice Online: Thailand
Provides a listing of articles on restorative justice developments in Thailand. The articles include coverage of victims' rights, juvenile crime, the protection of victims, and domestic violence resolution.
Thailand Family Law Center
Website that is managed and maintained by Chaninat & Leeds, a Thai law firm. The site includes Q & A sections on topics, such as Thai child abduction, adoption, divorce, marriage, and paternity rights.
Thailand Law
Site that provides information on a variety of legal topics, including family, criminal, IP, commercial and tax laws. Sample legal forms are included. Sponsorship is unclear, but appears to be Siam Legal, a Thai law firm.
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library
This is an extensive online collection of 60,000+ human rights treaties and other human rights documents. Numerous links are also provided to human rights websites. Additionally, there is a site-specific search engine available, and a section on "Resources for Researching Country Conditions."

Int'l/Regional/Local Organizations

SSRN (Social Sciences Research Network)

SSRN is an electronic repository for international social sciences scholarship that includes the Legal Scholarship Network (LSN). Thousands of downloadable abstracts, working papers, and published papers are available without charge. Users need to go through a free registration process in order to log in and download documents.