The Ministry of Agriculture was forced Thursday to retreat in disarray over a bill on animal welfare and prevention of animal cruelty which required pet owners pay pet registration fees or face a hefty fine.
Agriculture Minister Grisada Boonrach agreed to withdraw the proposed law for further review after it triggered a public outcry.
Critics were upset about a measure in which owners would have to pay 450 baht to register each of their pets and a fine of 25,000 baht if they fail to do so.
Sorawit Thaneto, director-general of the Department of Livestock Development, said Mr Grisda decided that the bill should be pulled out for a rework.
The ministry would work with the Council of State, the government's legal adviser, various agencies and the public to improve the bill and ensure responsible pet owners would be left no worse off, he said.
"We will review it with the Council of State based on the principle of not adding to people's burdens before re-sending it to the cabinet. We will also hold public hearings before proceeding," he said.
The government's hasty retreat came after the measure drew an angry backlash as well as concerns that it could encourage people to abandon their pets.
The measure was included in proposed amendments to the Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animals Act which were approved in principle by the cabinet on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reportedly made some observations during the cabinet meeting that the measure could add burdens on pet owners and instructed agencies concerned to review the details.
Under the proposal, pet registration would be a legal requirement and pet owners would have to pay a fee of 450 baht in total for a pet's registration.
The fees were broken into a registration fee of 50 baht, a pet book of 100 baht, and an identification token of 300 baht.
Local administrative bodies were responsible for issuing regulations involving pet registration and penalties for non-compliance of up to 25,000 baht. Those who failed to pay the penalties would face legal action.
Buddhipongse Punnakanta, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister, said Thursday Gen Prayut was aware of the ministry's efforts to tackle animal abandonment and anticipated public concerns about fees and fines.
He said the prime minister instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and the Council of State to review the bill and make sure it would not add to people's burdens.
According to Mr Buddhipongse, the bill was unlikely to be dropped entirely, but withdrawn for changes because it had other merits.
"[Authorities concerned] have to be careful and ensure the public won't be affected. Pet registration is a good thing and we have to do it right too," he said.
The bill drew mixed responses with supporters saying it would help mitigate the problem of abandoned animals as the owners of a particular animal can be traced.
Meanwhile, opponents argued the fees were too high, especially for those keeping several pets.
Some were concerned that more pets would be abandoned because people could not afford to register them, while many suggested the government should make sure registration fees and fines go towards supporting animal services and safeguarding public health.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam played down the criticism, saying the bill would have to be further examined before being introduced.
He said it was possible the bill would be dropped if the public strongly objected, while noting that the review would likely take several months and may not be completed before the election.
Mr Wissanu said the bill was proposed to ensure responsible ownership, but admitted the government would have to make sure pet owners would not be burdened by the bill.
The revised version would see the fees and fines reduced, he added.
- Earlier report: Pet bill about-turn