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Thailand also emphasizes Rule of Law, as indicated in the
provision concerning Rule of Law in Thailand’s 2007 Constitution. The
3
draft Thai Constitution also stipulates that Rule of Law is a major
principle. In addition, in recent years, many public and private sector
organizations have been encouraged to respect Rule of Law. For
example, the operation of both public and private sectors must comply
with the principle of good governance, a component of which is Rule of
Law. Moreover, the enactment of the Royal Decree on Criteria and
Procedure on Good Governance, B.E. 2546 (2003) also includes several
criteria that are in accordance with Rule of Law.

The Thai term translated as Rule of Law, laknittitham, is rather
abstract and there is no clear definition. As a result, many individuals
from various parties, ranging from organizations exercising state power
to the general public, cite the phrase “Rule of Law” just to serve their
own ends without realizing its true meaning. Besides, there are also
problems concerning respect for Rule of Law from various organizations,
particularly those with state power. Such problems include transparency,
conflicts of interest, and corruption. The arbitrary exercise of state
power and violation of Rule of Law can cause serious conflicts, even
political crisis. In addition, abuses can prompt the people to question
Rule of Law in terms of equality and access to various types of
fairness, including in economic and social terms.

King Prajadhipok’s Institute, as an academic institute with the
mission to develop democracy and good governance for the sustainable
benefit of the people, is aware of the importance of Rule of Law, which
is a key principle to promote the development of democracy in a stable
and sustainable way. Therefore, the 17 KPI Congress is held as a
th
public forum to exchange academic knowledge and experience, as well
as to present information based on research concerning various issues
related to Rule of Law. This will lead to the accumulation of information

3 The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2550, Article 3, Paragraph
2.

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