Is changing the age of criminal responsibility in Thailand wise

[webfact]

In recent weeks, there was a chorus of voices throughout social media, and even by the police chief, calling for the government to lower the age of criminal responsibility in Thailand from 15 to 12 years old.

 

This comes after the tragic events earlier this month where five teenagers, with ages ranging from 13 to 16 years old, were caught on security camera attacking “Auntie Kob” (ป้ากบ), a middle-aged woman in Sao Kaeo province. Her body was later found ditched in a lake. 

 

This event is also followed by the shooting at Siam Paragon shopping centre last October by a mentally-ill 14 year old teenager, killing three people and injuring four more–an incident in the heart of Bangkok that shocked Thailand and raised tough questions about gun control, punishment for serious crimes, and mental illness.

 

In Thai law, a child younger than 15 years old cannot be held criminally liable for their acts. However, the court can impose measures for behavourial control, including formally admonishing the child and their parents or legal guardian, imposing safeguards such as a probation officer to oversee the child’s behaviour, or ordering the child to be cared for by an appropriate individual, organization, or institution.

 

By Lynn Sasinpong

 

Full story: THAI ENQUIRER 2024-01-24

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

[Crossy]

In the UK (England and Wales) it's 10 years.

 

[retarius]

Yes it's wise but is it fair?

A court in Texas 'more or less absolved' a 16 year old of various charges after he stole his father's car, got blind drunk, drove the car the wrong way on a highway and killed 4 people. He got a suspended sentence after his lawyer pleaded that he had 'affluenza', and that his affluent parents had never made him responsible for anything.

Seems to me that Thai boys are never held to account by indulgent parents...so if they are prosecuted now it might be a case of 'indulgenza'. 

[smedly]

19 minutes ago, Crossy said:

In the UK (England and Wales) it's 10 years.

 

I think they mean lowering the peceived average adult mental age, this sounds about right

[ChipButty]

Lets make it 10 years old, 

[jacko45k]

29 minutes ago, retarius said:

Seems to me that Thai boys are never held to account by indulgent parents...so if they are prosecuted now it might be a case of 'indulgenza'. 

In the case you mentioned, it would have seemed wise if the justice system had stepped up to the plate and given the brat something the parents failed to, rather than more of the same!

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

the court can impose measures for behavourial control, including formally admonishing the child and their parents

Two of the culprits were sons of policemen.  Will they be admonished?

[Tropicalevo]

The human race is constantly evolving.

Children these days tend to be larger than previous generations. eg a 16 year old kid who chucks darts.

If the child is old enough to rape, steal, murder etc etc, then the child is old enough to go to gaol.

[Gottfrid]

Of course it´s a good move. If a 12 year old is mature enough to kill, then that person will also me mature enough to take the punishment for such action.

[Woof999]

I'd love for the age of criminal responsibility to be linked to the age of intellectual maturity, but in these wonderful parts that might put someone into old age.

 

Whatever the age is, if someone commits a serious crime under that age, their parents should face the penalties due as if they had committed the crime themselves. That should be the case anywhere, not just in Thailand. About time that parents started parenting.

[lordgrinz]

In the case of violent behavior or outright murder, yes.

 

Quote

Is changing the age of criminal responsibility in Thailand wise

 

[Pouatchee]

If a society raises its youth in a system that has no consequences then we see exactly what is going on now. Lower the age of accountability and set examples. Maybe the parents will start to care, then, maybe not.

 

Also, get rid of the no fail policy in schools. When I was a kid, i dreaded the thought of being ever held back. I was also afraid of the law and walked the straight and narrow. 

 

Unfortunately, now back in my country  i rrad a lot about young gang members in montreal doing hits on rival gang members and these are only kids. 2 weeks ago some guy posted a rap video of himself and his 6 mates on youtube...

 

So, will things ever get better, even if we lower the age of accountability if nothing is done to enforce rules?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, retarius said:

Yes it's wise but is it fair?

If you do the crime you can do the time... 

On a side note S.Korea is very soft on juvenile crime, as a result many youths are let off completely and continue their crime spree as they know they are above the law, even if caught.

They need to know where the boundaries lay.. cross the line and you're done.

 

Edited January 24 by hotchilli

[jvs]

On one hand you have the fact that the brain is not fully developed until 24 or so?

I do believe however that most people regardless of age know right from wrong.

Parenting should play a big role in raising kids but all over the world we see this fail.

Yes i do think the age should be lowered but that will not directly reduce crime.

It will just stop the same kids from doing it again.

Mopping the floor when the tap is still running.

[lavender19]

The problem being the majority of Thai males have mental age of a five year old

[TeacherJane]

A 12 year old knows that theft, arson, rape, murder, and et cetera, are wrongful both in that they incur a punishment, and in a more abstract, moral sense

 

Children's awareness of this is, in fact, before the age of 12. Though awareness does not occur overnight, it is completed before age 12 in the developmentally normal, for gods sake.

[khunPer]

Yes.

[Skeptic7]

1 hour ago, lavender19 said:

The problem being the majority of Thai males have mental age of a five year old

Right on...Thai ADULT males included❗Just to be clear🤣

Edited January 24 by Skeptic7

[retarius]

9 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

The human race is constantly evolving.

Children these days tend to be larger than previous generations. eg a 16 year old kid who chucks darts.

If the child is old enough to rape, steal, murder etc etc, then the child is old enough to go to gaol.

Is he old enough to get a life sentence and spend his life in jail? Are kids entitled to a couple of mistakes? I don't know, I'm asking.

[ikke1959]

with a lack of education of parents and teachers here in Thailand they could lower it to any age...Ban all the news facts on TV that shows criminal activities. If you watch news in the morning you only see criminals, robbers, accidents.. The worse you behave the more attention you get on TV...

[rovinman]

11 hours ago, retarius said:

Yes it's wise but is it fair?

A court in Texas 'more or less absolved' a 16 year old of various charges after he stole his father's car, got blind drunk, drove the car the wrong way on a highway and killed 4 people. He got a suspended sentence after his lawyer pleaded that he had 'affluenza', and that his affluent parents had never made him responsible for anything.

Seems to me that Thai boys are never held to account by indulgent parents...so if they are prosecuted now it might be a case of 'indulgenza'. 

 

All the more reason to make the Parents   "Criminally Responsible", and make the Fines,   "Bigger",    ""MUCH Bigger"" than the AFFLUENT"S wealth  !

[anterian]

Does a child know the difference between naughty and wicked, it is like the debate over age of consent, it depends not 

on the physical age but the emotional and intekkectual age. A this varies between individuals the Law has to establish a sensible break point.

As a parent and retired teacher I would suggest the age of eight.

[Confuscious]

Thailand being Thailand, this would only lead to further inequality between citizens.
Kids of a Policeman or kids from a well-known whatever will always duck the law in Thailand.
Only kids from poor people (and their parents) will foot the bill for their actions.
Before imposing such a law, make everbody be punished for their crimes.

[lordgrinz]

30 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

Thailand being Thailand, this would only lead to further inequality between citizens.
Kids of a Policeman or kids from a well-known whatever will always duck the law in Thailand.
Only kids from poor people (and their parents) will foot the bill for their actions.
Before imposing such a law, make everbody be punished for their crimes.

 

If Thaksin is any indicator, fat chance in Hell of that happening.

Edited January 24 by lordgrinz

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, retarius said:

Is he old enough to get a life sentence and spend his life in jail? Are kids entitled to a couple of mistakes? I don't know, I'm asking.

That is a difficult question to answer in the world wide context. However, here in Thailand, they would never spend their life in gaol.

So yes, go to gaol.

[connda]

Hate to say it, but 12 year olds in a gang environment make good hit-men hit-boys.  This isn't the world I grew up in.  It's become violent with extreme violence carried out by younger and younger people.  Adults use kids to avoid prison. 

So yeah.  Good idea.  And then bust the adults controlling them as well.

[Bday Prang]

16 minutes ago, connda said:

Hate to say it, but 12 year olds in a gang environment make good hit-men hit-boys.  This isn't the world I grew up in.  It's become violent with extreme violence carried out by younger and younger people.  Adults use kids to avoid prison. 

So yeah.  Good idea.  And then bust the adults controlling them as well.

               just beat me to it,  teenage hitmen, reminds me of those child soldiers in africa that are mare than capable of either shooting you or hacking you to death with a machete. Just shows what kids  are capable of doing.  

What ever age of criminal responsibility they come up with, 8 sounds good to me,  society needs protecting from psycho kids of any age who has committed murder or rape if they are  capable of murdering another  person  then lock them up. No point in faffing about with probation and supervision orders  that inevitably will not be enforced, Straight and directly to jail, without passing go, minimum 20 years and not released unless they are rehabilitated beyond all doubt

              I think the punishment of parents should be on a case by case basis,  depending on the degree of negligence,  and the deviousness of the brats, involved many of whom can run rings round their parents,  Obviously a more severe punishment for police officers and others in authority who have used their influence to avoid having their own kids punished