LEGAL MEASURES FOR PROTECTING COCKFIGHTING

Abstract

This research aims to study the legal measure for the protection of cockfighting in Thailand, focusing on the stages before, during, and after the fight. It also examines the agencies involved in overseeing cockfighting and the penalties for those who violate the laws. The study compares Thailand’s cockfighting laws with those of the Philippines and Indonesia, which have similar traditions of cockfighting. This is qualitative research that uses legal document analysis and policy comparison. The findings reveal that cockfighting in Thailand still involves practices such as sharpening the roosters' spurs by attaching sharp blades during the fight, using stimulants that harm the roosters, and killing the losing rooster for food. However, Thai law exempts cockfighting from being considered animal cruelty and does not treat it as illegal under any conditions, which represents a legal loophole in Thailand. In contrast, the Philippines and Indonesia, both countries with a similar tradition of cockfighting, have laws prohibiting animal cruelty and imposing penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for violations. Therefore, Thailand should establish legal measures for cockfighting, such as banning the sharpening of spurs or the use of sharp blades, prohibiting the use of harmful substances that are detrimental to the roosters, and ensuring proper care for the roosters after the fight, including a ban on killing the losing rooster. Furthermore, local authorities should be empowered to oversee cockfighting arenas comprehensively, and penalties for violations should include both imprisonment and fines. This would help preserve Thailand's cockfighting tradition in a humane and regulated manner