Bangkok: Law students from Thammasat University submitted a petition to five political parties to amend two laws, urging them to use the laws to create equality and avoid further burdening the poor. Five political parties jointly received draft amendments to the law to abolish imprisonment in lieu of fines and to amend the Organic Law on the Election of Members of Parliament from Associate Professor Dr. Prinya Tevanarumitkul and students from the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University. The aim is to make the law a tool for creating equality, avoiding further hardship for the poor, and ensuring the utmost transparency in elections, which are the heart of democracy.
According to Thai News Agency, today at the press conference room on the 1st floor of the Parliament building, Mr. Koravee Prisnanantakul, MP from the Bhumjaithai Party; Mr. Parit Wacharasindhu, MP from the People's Party; Mr. Chaturon Chaisang, MP from the Pheu Thai Party; Mr. Atthakorn Sirilatthayakon, MP from the Kla Tham Party; and Mr. Sathit Wongnongteuy, MP from the Democrat Party, received a letter from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Prinya Thevanarumitkul, along with students from the Legal Service for Society program, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University. The proposal included two main solutions: abolishing imprisonment in lieu of fines and amending the Organic Act on the Election of Members of Parliament to address issues of transparency in past elections.
The first proposal is to abolish imprisonment in lieu of fines. Under Section 29 of the Criminal Code, if a convicted person cannot pay a fine, they must be imprisoned instead. Although Section 30/1 allows for community service in lieu of a fine, courts generally do not grant this option. As a result, 5,048 people are currently imprisoned for failing to pay fines, with an annual total of approximately 40,000 people. The Faculty of Law proposes that if someone cannot afford to pay a fine, they should be required to perform community service, with the Department of Probation overseeing this.
The second proposal addresses transparency issues in the February 8, 2026 election by amending the Organic Act on the Election of Members of Parliament. Key points include ensuring ballot papers for constituency elections list the names of candidates and their parties to prevent misuse, ensuring transparent vote counting with public participation, and requiring the Election Commission to announce polling station results promptly with a specified timeframe.
Associate Professor Dr. Prinya Tevanarumitkul stated after submitting the letter that consultations with the five political parties showed a positive sign that both the government and opposition parties agreed on the principles, particularly regarding election ballot improvement and helping the poor avoid imprisonment due to fines. The Faculty of Law will continue to monitor how these proposals are incorporated into the parliamentary process, with the goal of using the law to create equality and ensure the most transparent elections.