Legal Measures for the Protection of the Right to Privacy: A Comparative Study between Thailand and Foreign Jurisdictions with Implications for Legal Development
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Abstract
This study examines the legal measures for protecting the right to privacy in Thailand and compares them with international and foreign frameworks to identify pathways for legal reform. Using a doctrinal and comparative legal research design, the study analyzes constitutional provisions, statutory instruments, judicial precedents, and scholarly interpretations. Primary sources include the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019), and relevant provisions of the Civil and Commercial Code and Criminal Code, alongside international instruments such as the UDHR (1948) and ICCPR (1966). Secondary data from peer-reviewed journals and authoritative commentaries supplement the analysis. The findings reveal that Thailand’s legal framework for privacy protection remains fragmented, reactive, and inconsistently enforced. While constitutional guarantees affirm the right to privacy, their implementation lacks coherence and judicial depth. The Personal Data Protection Act represents progress toward compliance with global norms, yet its enforcement mechanisms and institutional independence remain weak. Comparatively, France and the European Union demonstrate more robust protection through centralized regulatory authorities and enforceable remedies, while the United States provides practical models of sectoral and judicial safeguards. The study concludes that Thailand must codify a unified Privacy and Data Protection Code, strengthen the independence of the Personal Data Protection Committee, and integrate proportionality tests in adjudication to balance privacy with competing rights. Comprehensive legislative and institutional reform supported by judicial innovation and public education is essential for aligning Thailand’s privacy protection with international human rights standards and ensuring effective, rights-based enforcement in the digital era.
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