Paper Title
Mental Illness and Juvenile Criminal Justice in Thailand: The challenges

Abstract
This article will examine how juvenile offenders with mental illness are treated by the Thai criminal justice system. This is typically a valid defense for offenders who have been accurately diagnosed with a mental disorder in accordance with the Mental Health Act of the B.E. 2551. In accordance with Section 65 of the Thai Criminal Code, in support of an insanity defense at trial, the defendant is required to provide witness testimony. To determine whether the perpetrator of a crime suffered from a mental illness at the time of the offense or if they satisfy the requirements to be classified as mentally impaired under the Criminal Code, expert medical witnesses are employed. Concerns regarding juvenile offenders in Thailand were identified as obstacles by the study. In lieu of punitive measures, the juvenile justice system prioritizes therapeutic activities. The public became dissatisfied because of this circumstance, as juvenile delinquency is occasionally regarded with the same gravity as adult delinquency. Juvenile offenders encounter considerable difficulty in effectively asserting the insanity defense, which contradicts conventional wisdom. Keywords - Juvenile offender, Criminal Justice, Mental iIlness, Law