Senate approves amendment to parental control law

The Senate on Monday voted unanimously in approval of a draft amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code in Section 1567, which covers the rights of parental control.

The draft, which was previously approved by the lower house, was deliberated on Monday in all three readings.

Section 1567 of the Civil and Commercial Code stipulates that a person exercising parental power (natural guardian) has the right to:

• Determine the child’s place of residence;
• Punish the child in a reasonable manner for disciplinary purposes;
• Require the child to do such work as may be reasonable to his or her ability and condition in life;
• Demand the return of the child from any person who unlawfully detains him/her.

The draft proposed an addition to the second item, stipulating that such punishment must not involve abuse or inflict harm with violence on the body or mind, or is not conducted in an improper manner.

Under this amendment, parents still have the right to punish, admonish, or correct the behaviour of their underage children, provided such actions do not involve abuse or violence towards the child's body or mind, nor should they diminish the child's human dignity. 

Additionally, such actions must not be improper, demeaning, abusive, or harmful to the child's physical or mental well-being, or negatively impact the child's development.

The amendment aims to adjust Thailand’s law to be in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, in which Thailand has become a signatory partner and agreed to comply with its framework.

After passing all three readings, the Senate president will forward the draft to the prime minister, who will submit it to His Majesty the King for signing, before announcing it in the Royal Gazette.