Challenges regarding the implementation of the International Crime Classification for Statistical Purposes (ICCS) in Thailand

Abstract

This article aims to examine the International Crime Classification for Statistical Purposes (ICCS) and operating manuals published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as an international case study, particularly the Republic of Korea, to draw lessons and explore challenges regarding the structural, policy-related, and technical challenges involved in the ICCS within the context of Thailand. The study focuses particularly on the data infrastructure of the Royal Thai Police, which currently utilises the CRIMES system to collect and manage nationwide criminal case data. Although the ICCS is widely recognised internationally as a comprehensive classification framework that enables effective comparative analysis of crime statistics, its application in Thailand remains limited by several constraints.

Key findings suggest that the challenges of adopting the ICCS in Thailand manifest at both the legal-conceptual and technical-structural levels. These include discrepancies between the legal categorisation under Thai criminal law and the behavioural classification approach used by the ICCS, and the lack of a technical framework to map CRIMES data directly onto the ICCS codes. Additional challenges include limited behavioural-level data collection, weak inter-agency cooperation, and a lack of understanding among personnel regarding the ICCS standards. A case study of the Republic of Korea, which has successfully developed a crime database that integrates the ICCS through a sophisticated crime code mapping system, in-depth training programs, and cross-sectoral policy coordination, provides a valuable model for Thailand.

The article proposes a series of policy recommendations, including the development of dual coding systems, the enhancement of database architecture to support behaviour-based classification, the enactment of legal or regulatory measures to facilitate the use of the ICCS for statistical purposes, and the establishment of continuous training and data quality evaluation mechanisms. These measures aim to support Thailand’s efforts to develop a robust, internationally standardised crime data system without undermining the rule of law or the principle of legal certainty in domestic criminal law.