(Photo: Chanat Katanyu)The "rule of law" is an age-old notion that sounds paradoxically both archaic and dynamic. Originally, the English version of the rule of law advocated the supremacy of law, meaning that everyone is subject to the law; equality before the law, including fair trials; and constitutionalism, implying a balancing act among different state institutions, even where the state does not have a written constitution. The third element was premised on the perceived role of the judiciary, enjoying independence and invigorated by judge-made law, or "common law". In reality, non-democracies often invoke the term to validate their power base, epitomised by what is better described as "rule by law". By contrast, official data reveal an increase in violence against women, underscoring the need for a new anti-domestic violence law.

Source: Bangkok Post January 21, 2026 05:49 UTC