- May 4, 2021
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Public Law Offices
The Public Law Offices in Thailand are a legal aid system part of the Universal Basic Services provision. Thailand’s legal system combines civil and common law principles, and written laws are often described broadly to facilitate case-by-case interpretation. Normatively, lawyers in Thailand are not qualified to represent a person in court, as legal aid is considered a matter of the state welfare provision or a communal matter. Thus, public defenders and public advocates exclusively defend and represent the defendant and the aggrieved party, respectively. Graduates with law degrees can pursue the qualification exam offered by the Ministry of Justice to receive certification for either public defenders or public advocates. Additionally, the Public Law Offices cannot provide legal guidance or opinion. Instead, lawyer professionals in Thailand, employed by local public law offices, normally handle such a request. The organization’s motto is “To protect the truth,” which is a direct wordplay with the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s motto, “To expose the truth.” Furthermore, public defenders are granted the same investigative prerogatives as the public prosecutor and the detective in charge of a criminal case. Normally, a lawyer accompanies a public defender as their assistant for investigating and general legal guidance.
