Ruttaphon unveiled a proactive justice plan in seven areas to help citizens access justice, bringing government services directly to the people, preventing case delays that further burden the poor, assisting online victims in recovering 130 million baht, and mediating debts to reduce burdens by over 5 billion baht.
At 09:05 on 12 September 2026 GMT+7, Police Lieutenant General Ruttaphon Naowarat, Minister of Justice, gave an interview on the program “Talk with Anutin’s Cabinet” broadcast on Thailand's National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT2HD), regarding the government’s proactive justice initiatives, stating that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul emphasizes that delayed justice is injustice. Therefore, the Ministry of Justice has set seven main policy areas:
1. Implementing royal initiatives and royal policies effectively.
2. Suppressing all forms of crime.
3. Tackling drug-related problems.
4. Protecting rights and providing remedies so citizens can access justice processes.
5. Developing laws and the justice system.
6. Rehabilitating offenders to reintegrate into society without reoffending.
7. Professional management.
Each department must work within set timeframes, avoiding months-long delays in public cases. I and the permanent secretary of the Ministry personally inspect complaint centers to ensure citizens immediately know how their cases will proceed.
“When citizens come to the complaint center, the next steps will be taken promptly to provide assistance, remedies, and access to justice. This is a directive for all departments in the ministry.”
Regarding the saying “prisons are for the poor,” Ruttaphon said the Ministry of Justice now operates the Justice Fund, community justice centers in every province, and hotlines to assist the poor or those denied justice with bail fees, attorney fees, victim compensation, and legal advice. The Justice Fund does not assist every case but uses a committee to carefully allocate funds to those truly in need, preventing the poor from giving up before their cases are heard.
On drugs, the ministry uses the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) working with police, military, provinces, and districts to cover prevention, suppression, rehabilitation, and monitoring. They intercept drugs at the Thai-Lao-Myanmar borders before they flood the country. The ONCB coordinates with neighbors to set checkpoints, train officials, and track suspects who flee across borders. They focus on arresting traffickers, influential figures, and seizing assets, having intercepted precursor chemicals that could have produced over 1 billion methamphetamine tablets.
For online crime, fake accounts, online gambling, and transnational networks, the Minister of Justice revealed that the Prime Minister appointed him chair of the subcommittee to suppress technology and transnational crimes. Since no single agency can solve the problem alone, the police, Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Anti-Money Laundering Office, Department of Business Development, Land Department, and Revenue Department cooperate. Currently, seven task forces operate: four on online and money laundering cases, three on nominee cases. They conduct field inspections in Pattaya, Chonburi Province; Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, Surat Thani Province; and Phuket Province to examine foreign networks, nominees, and unusual property holdings in Thailand.
Ruttaphon added that what online victims want most is the return of their defrauded money. The police established the ACSC center as a war room, with police, Anti-Money Laundering Office, and banks working together. When a report is made, they quickly block money flows from front-line fake accounts through subsequent layers and cash withdrawal points. In cases where assets have been seized, the police and DSI coordinate with the Anti-Money Laundering Office to auction assets like luxury cars, distributing proceeds to nearly 700 victims in almost 600 cases totaling over 130 million baht.
Regarding household debt relief, the Ministry of Justice uses the Rights Protection Department to assist before lawsuits and the Enforcement Department after court orders. In fiscal year 2026, 23 nationwide mediation sessions helped over 60,000 participants, with over 40,000 debt cases involving more than 8 billion baht. Mediation reduced citizens' debt burdens by over 5 billion baht. In many cases, monthly payments dropped from 10,000–15,000 baht to 1,500 baht, and credit card debts of hundreds of thousands were reduced to 15,000 baht.
“The remaining funds can then be used to support their families. Next year, new debt mediation sessions will begin around January to give those in distress a chance to stabilize, support their children, and live happily.”
