Deputy PM Vows to Repeal 930 Laws to Boost Competitiveness
Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapan announced plans to repeal 930 laws to reduce regulatory burdens and improve Thailand's global competitiveness. Speaking at a national commerce seminar in Chiang Rai, he outlined a shift from control-based regulation to deregulation and better regulation, emphasizing continuous legal review, reduced bureaucracy, and digital transparency to lower costs for businesses and citizens.
Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapan declared the repeal of 930 laws to unlock Thai businesses and reduce costs for global competition. Speaking as special keynote at the 44th National Chambers of Commerce seminar "Unlocking New Growth: New Potential for Growth" on "Unlocking Laws and Regulations to Strengthen Thai Business Resilience" at Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai Province, he emphasized updating laws and regulations to align with the rapidly changing global context — geopolitics, geo-economics, AI technology, social structure, and trade patterns. Laws should not merely be control tools but must shift from a Control mindset to Deregulation, Better Regulations, and Better Regulations for Better Life, so state rules facilitate life, investment, and business growth.
The world is increasingly complex — geopolitical competition, return of trade barriers, environmental challenges, technology, and aging societies — making once-suitable laws obsolete. If the state keeps old rules without review, it adds costs and constraints for citizens and entrepreneurs. Modern regulation must focus on outcomes for people and businesses: each law must answer whether it is necessary, limits rights only as needed, complies with rule of law, avoids excessive burden, and includes stakeholder consultation and post-implementation assessment.
Pakorn outlined four key approaches to unlock laws and raise national capacity: 1. Continuous law review — prevent outdated rules, especially business regulations. Thailand has about 930 acts and many subordinate laws, each creating procedures and burdens. Quantity is not the answer if laws create unnecessary restrictions. 2. Reduce procedures, costs, and discretion — vague rules create uncertainty and uneven enforcement. Regulations must be clear, measurable, and aligned with international standards to give businesses certainty, which directly affects investment decisions. 3. Use Digital Government for transparency — shift approvals and licensing to electronic systems, reducing unnecessary official contact. Example: Customs Department's cargo clearance. Future steps: make steps, documents, conditions, and timelines visible, moving from citizen manuals to electronic licensing processes.
