"Community Justice Center in digital era: Administrative innovations for enhancing citizen access to justice in Thailand"

Abstract

In the digital era, technology has become an essential infrastructure for public administration, compelling Thailand’s justice system to adapt to increasing social complexity. At the community level, many citizens continue to face significant barriers in accessing justice services. As frontline mechanisms of the Ministry of Justice, Community Justice Centers (CJCs) are therefore required to transform toward becoming “Digital Community Justice Centers.” This article aims to analyze the roles, development, and potential of digital innovations applicable to the administration of CJCs, while also examining existing limitations related to infrastructure, personnel capacity, budgeting, legal frameworks, and public trust. The findings indicate that the adoption of digital tools—such as online database systems, video-call mediation, mobile applications, and digital legal consultation platforms-can significantly enhance service efficiency, transparency, and accessibility. Nevertheless, sustainable success depends not solely on technological advancement but on strengthening human capacity, modernizing legal frameworks, and designing systems that are genuinely people-centered. This article proposes policy recommendations for advancing CJCs in the digital era and argues that the true measure of digital justice reform lies not in technological sophistication but in ensuring that citizens feel justice is more accessible, equitable, and closer to their everyday lives.