Thai Party Proposes Death Penalty for Corruption and Repeat Offenses

At 9:30 a.m. on September 17, 2025 at Parliament, the Phalang Pracharat Party, led by party chairman General Rangsit Kittiyanan and list MP Chris Potranun, announced three draft law amendments imposing capital punishment for corruption and repeat offenses. The three bills would amend the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Penal Correction Act by establishing death as the maximum penalty for corruption involving both givers and receivers with no sentence reduction, and elevating penalties for state officials and justice system personnel. General Rangsit stated that corruption is a critical national problem undermining investment and tourism confidence, as Thailand currently scores only 33 out of 100 on the Corruption Perceptions Index and ranks 116 globally. He argued that weak anti-corruption laws attract foreign criminal networks to operate in Thailand. The draft bills would impose a maximum death penalty for corruption by both givers and receivers, with no possibility of sentence reduction after court judgment, though defendants could appeal within one year if presenting new evidence. The legislation also covers repeat offenses and expands penalties to state officials violating their duties through corruption under Criminal Code Section 157, with a maximum penalty of death. Coverage extends to justice system officials including judges, prosecutors, and investigating officers. General Rangsit stated the three draft bills are complete and the party is now gathering support from 17 additional MPs to reach the required 20 names before submitting to the House Speaker for consideration on the parliamentary agenda.