Thailand's New Sexual Harassment Law

Addressing a Long-Standing Call for Reform, or Another Loophole?

Abstract

In late 2025, Thailand introduced its first criminal provisions specifically addressing sexual harassment, through amendments to the Criminal Code, which entered into force on 30 December 2025. Prior to this reform, sexual harassment was addressed only indirectly—through workplace-specific provisions under the Civil Service Act and Labour Protection Act, or through broadly framed offences such as "indecent assault" and Section 397 of the Criminal Code—leaving significant gaps, including for technology-facilitated forms of harassment. The new law defines "sexual harassment", which explicitly covers conduct carried out through computer systems and electronic devices, and empowers courts to order the removal of sexually harassing "obscene" content online—supported by the Court of Justice's new CIOS online platform, launched in January 2026. While these reforms mark significant progress, this Commentary argues that important challenges remain, including concerns about consistency with international human rights law and standards, the risk of both over- and under-criminalization due to vague language, and practical limitations in enforcement against offshore online platforms and for individuals without digital access. The Commentary concludes that clear, rights-compliant guidelines are urgently needed to ensure consistent interpretation and meaningful access to justice for victims and survivors.