The cabinet has approved in principle increasing the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 from 10 in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
It also gave a green light to changing the age during which measures other than criminal ones can be applied to 12-15 from 10-15 under the code.
The changes are in line with the ICCPR and medical opinions that children aged 12 are not very different from those aged 10 in terms of cognitive skills, said deputy government spokeswoman Traisuli Traisoranakul.
The change would bring down the number of juvenile criminals, thereby cutting state expenditures, she said.
“Other measures will be used such as close supervision or vocational training so children have a chance to grow up to be good citizens,” she said.