Bill offers leniency for accidental bad chequesThe House of Representatives on Wednesday passed its first reading of the government-sponsored bill seeking to decriminalise the writing of bad cheques except in fraud cases. Addressing the chamber, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong said the bill to amend the Offences Arising from the Use of Cheques Act BE 2534 (1991) would prevent the use of criminal liability against individuals who unintentionally write bad cheques. They agreed that no one should be prosecuted under criminal law if they did not have dishonest intent. Anusorn Iamsa-ad, a list-MP of the Pheu Thai Party, also supported the bill and said anyone who intends to commit fraud must face legal action. Provisional clauses in it stipulate that those detained for writing bad cheques should be released when the law takes effect.
