On 11 June 2025, Thailand’s Cabinet gave in-principle approval to a new draft of the Child Protection Act, aiming to replace the current legislation enacted in 2003. The draft, developed by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, seeks to modernize legal safeguards for children in line with evolving social conditions, the Thai Constitution, and international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The proposed legislation establishes clear legal rights for children, including protection from violence, the right to survival, and guarantees against discrimination. Under the new provisions, guardians are required to ensure that children are raised in safe, supportive environments, while the state bears responsibility for assisting families in fulfilling these obligations.
Child protection officers—who may now be appointed through various authorities—will be empowered to intervene in cases where children are deemed at risk, including placing them in temporary foster care when necessary. Oversight will be strengthened through three levels of policy bodies: national, provincial, and a specific committee for Bangkok. In addition, new child protection assemblies will be created to review local practices and systems.
Local administrative bodies will be obligated to include child protection in their planning and budgets, maintain updated data systems, and assist in enforcement efforts. The judiciary will also gain broader powers in handling child-related cases, including implementing measures to prevent children from being re-traumatized in legal proceedings.
Children considered at risk of criminal behavior will be directed to rehabilitation programs. The bill also introduces legal protections for children born via assisted reproductive technologies, including requirements for surrogate mothers to breastfeed for a minimum of three months.
Tougher penalties are included for child exploitation. Organizing boxing matches for children under 15 will be punishable by imprisonment or fines, and the sale or transfer of children under 15 for financial gain, regardless of consent, may result in 3 to 20 years of imprisonment and heavy financial penalties. The dissemination of media depicting violence against children will also be outlawed.
To support the enforcement and rollout of the new measures, a Child Protection Promotion Fund will be established under the Department of Children and Youth, drawing from existing funds and new state allocations. This fund will be exempt from return as state revenue. Public consultations and a legal impact assessment have already been completed, and the Ministry has mapped out a path to issue 15 related pieces of subordinate legislation.
The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security led the legislative initiative. The Cabinet meeting where the bill received preliminary approval was attended by senior government officials, though their names were not central to the announcement.
