The House of Representatives and the Senate have approved an amnesty bill aimed at exonerating those who committed political offences during the past 20 years. The bill excludes royal defamation cases, including those involving minors.

The House of Representatives held a final deliberation on the amnesty bill, known as the Promotion of a Peaceful Society Bill, on Wednesday (8 July). The bill was approved by 306 to 141 votes, with 2 abstentions. 

The bill covers a wide range of political offences between 1 January 2005 and 16 September 2025. This period witnessed political protests by several key groups, from the People's Alliance for Democracy or Yellow Shirts, the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship or Red Shirts, the People's Democratic Reform Committee and the anti-junta movement in 2014 to the youth-led mass protests in 2020.

Approximately 6,000 people are expected to benefit from the Promotion of a Peaceful Society Bill.  

According to Section 3, the bill does not cover three categories of offences: corruption, offences against life and limb, and royal defamation. The exclusion of royal defamation cases while granting amnesty for cases overthrowing the government and terrorism has drawn criticism from civil society. 

In October 2025, the bill passed the House of Representatives in the second and third readings. At the time, an amendment which would open a door to amnesty for those charged as minors was proposed but rejected. The bill was forwarded to the Senate for further deliberation last week (30 June). 

Senators voted 126 to 15 in favour of the original version of Section 3, rejecting the proposed amnesty for minors facing royal defamation suits. 

Senators also voted 102 to 16 in favour of adding an exemption to Section 11 of the bill. 

Section 11 states that those under 18 who committed offences which are not eligible for an amnesty would be offered rehabilitation before the case is forwarded to the public prosecutor. The prosecutor may then exercise discretion to offer special proceedings instead of criminal prosecution, and may request the court to order the termination of the case if it is already under trial.

A majority of senators voted to add a rider that Section 11 will not apply to royal defamation cases. 

The Promotion of a Peaceful Society Bill was eventually passed by the Senate by a vote of 102 to 3, with 22 abstentions. The bill was returned to the House of Representatives for final deliberation on 8 July.

Pheu Thai Party MP Chaturon Chaisang supported granting amnesty for those under 18 who faced royal defamation charges. He noted that other cases that are more serious than royal defamation are eligible for an amnesty, and that royal defamation cases should also be exonerated. 

He added that royal defamation cases had been eligible for an amnesty after the 6 October 1976 Thammasat Massacre. The MP also advocated a change to the Senate’s proposed Section 11, stating that the notion behind rehabilitation for minors, who faced royal defamation charges, is not about amnesty but rather a measure in line with the juvenile law. 

People’s Party MP Sasinan Thamnitinan raised a question about the purpose of this bill, saying that shutting the door on those facing royal defamation charges will not resolve the conflict as the bill was meant to do. Instead, it signalled that the government does not want reconciliation in society.

The Promotion of a Peaceful Society Bill finally passed in both houses of parliament. The Prime Minister will now submit it to the King for royal assent.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) observed that there have been attempts to downplay royal defamation cases. During the parliamentary sessions discussing the bill, many argued that such cases represent only a small proportion of cases involving political expression. 

According to TLHR, at least 392 people have been charged in 408 royal defamation cases between the 2014 coup and 16 September 2025 (the last day designated for amnesty), while the bill covers 20 years since 2005. TLHR believes the actual number is likely to be higher.

According to statistics compiled by state agencies, a total of 1,493 cases involving royal defamation were brought before the courts between 2005 and February 2024. However, the exact number of individuals involved is not specified, and these figures cover only cases that had already reached the courts.

Meanwhile, data from the Office of the Attorney General shows 3,792 cases involving offences against the monarchy (Sections 107-112 of the Criminal Code) were presented to public prosecutors between 2010 and 2023.

However, these figures do not include cases heard by military courts after the 2014 coup, when the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) ordered that royal defamation cases be tried before military courts.

As of 8 July, there are at least 54 political detainees, but only around 10 are expected to benefit from the bill. Meanwhile, many cases remain under legal proceedings.

In addition, 5 detainees face Section 110 charges (violence against the Queen), and it remains unclear whether such cases will be eligible for an amnesty.