Bangkok, Thailand – July 30, 2025
In 2025, Thailand passed major changes under the Thailand sexual harassment law 2025, updating key protections under the Criminal Code.In a major step toward protecting victims and strengthening human rights, the Thai Parliament has passed a groundbreaking amendment to the Criminal Code, significantly expanding the legal definition of sexual harassment in Thailand. The updated legislation introduces stricter penalties and recognizes modern forms of harassment, including online and digital harassment, to better protect individuals across all environments.
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Expanded Definition of Sexual Harassment in Thailand
The new Thailand sexual harassment law 2025 encompasses a wide range of misconduct, going beyond traditional physical acts to include:
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- Verbal Harassment – Lewd comments, sexual jokes, or inappropriate remarks that cause humiliation or emotional distress.
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- Behavioral Harassment – Inappropriate gestures, intrusive staring, or any sexually suggestive non-verbal conduct.
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- Stalking – Persistent surveillance, unwanted attention, or actions that make the victim feel unsafe or threatened.
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- Online Sexual Harassment in Thailand – Sending unsolicited explicit content, cyberstalking, digital threats, or harassment via social media and messaging platforms.
The inclusion of digital harassment in Thailand’s criminal law reflects a growing concern over cyber abuse and modern threats to personal safety.
Stricter Penalties for Offenders
Redefining Defilement in Thai Criminal Law
In addition to expanding harassment provisions, the amendment redefines “defilement” under Thai law. Previously limited to genital-related penetration, the new definition now includes the use of any body part or object, broadening the scope of prosecutable sexual assault cases in Thailand.
Why This Criminal Code Amendment in Thailand Matters
This amendment is more than just a legal technicality, it’s a landmark reform with real impact. It:
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- Closes legal loopholes that previously allowed subtle or digital misconduct to go unpunished
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- Aligns Thai law with international human rights standards
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- Empowers victims by acknowledging a wider range of abusive behavior
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- Sends a message that Thailand is serious about eradicating sexual harassment
Legal and Social Impact in Thailand
The new law is expected to:
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- Promote a culture of consent and respect
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- Encourage more victims to come forward
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- Deter potential offenders with stricter penalties
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- Shape public understanding of what constitutes sexual misconduct under Thai law
By addressing both physical and digital forms of sexual harassment, Thailand joins other nations in updating its criminal code for the realities of today’s world.
New legal definition of
“Sexual harassment” in Thailand
The amendment adds a brand-new definition in Section 1 (19):
“Sexual harassment” means any act, by body, words, sounds, gestures, communication, watching, stalking, or any other act, including by computer systems, telecommunication devices, or other electronic devices, towards another person, of a sexual nature, in a way that is likely to cause the other person:
- annoyance or disturbance,
- shame or humiliation,
- being insulted or degraded,
- fear, or
- a sense of being unsafe in terms of sexual safety.
Key points:
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- No physical contact is required. Harassment can be verbal, visual, or online.
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- The focus is whether the behaviour is sexual in nature and likely to make the target feel harmed, embarrassed, or unsafe.
- Both offline and online acts are clearly covered (including social media, chat apps, and other electronic systems). Read more
Sexual harassment is now a stand-alone crime (Section 284/1)
Section 284/1 of the Criminal Code is completely new. It creates several levels of criminal liability for sexual harassment, with different penalties depending on the seriousness of the conduct.
Overview of penalties
| Type of sexual harassment | Typical examples (simplified) | Maximum imprisonment | Maximum fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| General sexual harassment (284/1 para 1) | Sexual comments, leering, sending explicit messages – not reaching “indecent act” level | 1 year | 20,000 THB |
| Repeated / continuous harassment affecting normal life (284/1 para 2) | Multiple incidents, constant messages or following that disrupt daily life | 2 years | 40,000 THB |
| Public or online harassment (284/1 para 3) | Doing 1 or 2 in public, “before others”, or via a public computer system (e.g. public posts on social media) | 3 years | 60,000 THB |
| Harassment of a child under 15 (284/1 para 4) | Any sexual harassment of a person aged under 15, whether or not the child “consents” | 5 years | 100,000 THB |
All of these can be punished by imprisonment, fine, or both.
General sexual harassment – everyday cases
If someone sexually harasses another person and the act does not yet amount to a separate offence of “indecent act”, Section 284/1 paragraph 1 applies.
Typical scenarios might include:
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- Repeatedly making sexual remarks about someone’s body.
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- Sending unsolicited sexual jokes or comments in a private message.
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- Staring at a person’s private parts in a way that is clearly sexual and makes them uncomfortable.
Penalty: up to 1 year’s imprisonment, a fine up to 20,000 THB, or both.
1. Repeated or continuous harassment
If harassment is continuous or repeated more than once and makes it difficult for the victim to live a normal life, paragraph 2 increases the penalty: up to 2 years’ imprisonment or 40,000 THB fine, or both.
Examples could include:
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- Constant sexual messages from an ex-partner, despite clear refusal.
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- Daily stalking combined with sexual comments.
Here, the law recognises long-term harassment as more serious than a one-off incident.
2. Public or online shaming
Paragraph 3 covers harassment committed:
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- in a public place,
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- in front of other people (“before the public”), or
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- in a publicly accessible computer system (for example, a public Facebook post, TikTok video, or comment on a widely visible account).
The penalty increases to up to 3 years’ imprisonment or 60,000 THB fine, or both.
Practical examples:
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- Posting sexually explicit comments under someone’s photo on a public page.
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- Playing a “joke” in a crowded office or train that humiliates someone sexually.
3. Harassment against children under 15
Where sexual harassment under Section 284/1 is committed against a child under 15, paragraph 4 applies even if the child appears to agree.
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- Penalty: up to 5 years’ imprisonment or 100,000 THB fine, or both.
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- This offence cannot be settled by “compromise” (not compoundable).
The law treats all sexual harassment of children as serious, whether online or offline.
4. Which sexual harassment offences are “compoundable”?
Under Section 284/1, only the first three categories (general, repeated, and public/online harassment involving adults) are expressly described as compoundable offences. This means:
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- The victim’s complaint (or withdrawal of complaint) can affect whether the case goes forward, provided it is done within the time limits under the Criminal Code.
However:
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- Harassment against children under 15 (para 4), and
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- Harassment involving abuse of authority (Section 284/2 – see below) are not compoundable.
Need Legal Help with Harassment or Cyber Abuse in Thailand?
If you are experiencing harassment or want to understand your rights under Thai sexual harassment law, our team at Lex Bangkok can assist. We provide confidential consultations and legal guidance.
Contact us: info@lexbangkok.com
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