LEGAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE THAI AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS: BUDDHIST LEGAL INNOVATION AMID CONTEMPORARY TRADE DYNAMICS
Keywords:
Legal Development, Agricultural Exports, Buddhist Legal Innovation, Trade Facilitation, SustainabilityAbstract
This research aimed to: 1) analyze legal and institutional problems, limitations, and barriers affecting Thai agricultural exports amid contemporary international trade dynamics; 2) comparatively examine legal mechanisms, measures, and trade facilitation systems for agricultural exports in Thailand and selected jurisdictions with relevant good practices, and synthesize approaches applicable to the Thai context; and 3) develop legal reform guidelines and a Buddhist legal innovation model to promote efficient, equitable, and sustainable Thai agricultural exports. This study employed a qualitative research design. Twenty-five key informants were purposively selected from government agencies, business operators, academics, and farmer representatives, together with nine experts participating in a focus group discussion. The research instruments consisted of a document analysis form, semi-structured interview guidelines, and focus group discussion guidelines. Data were analyzed through content analysis, comparative legal analysis, and integrative synthesis.
The research findings revealed that:
1) some existing laws do not yet fully accommodate digital systems; regulatory responsibilities remain fragmented across multiple agencies; administrative procedures are partly duplicative; legal adaptation has not kept pace with emerging international trade standards; and regulatory compliance imposes relatively greater burdens on small-scale operators; 2) comparison with Vietnam, China, and the ASEAN Single Window identified key good practices, including single submission of information, legal recognition of electronic documents, integrated risk management, and cross-border data connectivity; and 3) legal reform should encompass Digital Legal Reform, an Integrated Regulatory System, Risk-Based Regulation, Adaptive Trade Law, and Inclusive and Sustainable Regulation.
The new knowledge generated from the study is the D-S-I Legal Innovation Model, comprising Dhammādhipateyya as the value foundation, Sāraṇīyadhamma as the collaborative mechanism, and the Four Iddhipāda as the implementation mechanism. These elements were synthesized into the concept of Adaptive and Ethical Facilitative Law, aimed at making Thailand’s agricultural export laws more efficient, equitable, adaptive, and sustainable.
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