Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
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| Attribute | ThailandReviewed | Cape VerdeReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law (Portuguese tradition) |
| System of government | Constitutional monarchy | Unitary semi-presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand | Constitution of the Republic of Cabo Verde |
| In force since | 2017 | 1992 |
| Capital | Bangkok | Praia |
| Official languages | Thai | Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole |
| Currency | Thai baht (THB) | Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) |
| Population | 71,700,000 | 600,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary and centralised, with 76 provinces headed by appointed governors plus Bangkok, which elects its own governor. Pattaya has a special administrative status. Local administrative organisations exist at municipal and sub-district level with limited functions, and the deep south provinces are subject to special security legislation. | Semi-presidential: a directly elected President with limited powers, a Prime Minister accountable to the National Assembly, and an independent judiciary with a separate Constitutional Court. |
| How law is made | Bills pass three readings in the House of Representatives and are then considered by the Senate, which may delay. Money bills require Cabinet endorsement. Before royal assent, a bill may be referred to the Constitutional Court for pre-enactment review. The King signs; if assent is withheld, Parliament may reaffirm the bill by a two-thirds majority after 90 days. Constitutional amendment requires specified majorities in a joint sitting including Senate support, and referendums for some chapters. | Bills are debated in general and in detail by the National Assembly, voted, then sent to the President for promulgation. The President may veto or request prior constitutional review by the Constitutional Court. |
| Legal profession | Lawyers are licensed by the Lawyers Council of Thailand under the Lawyers Act 1985 after a law degree and the ethics course; a separate and much harder Thai Bar Association examination is required for judicial and prosecutorial careers. Notarial services are performed by lawyers holding a notarial services attorney licence. Foreign lawyers may not appear in Thai courts and foreign ownership of law firms is restricted under the Foreign Business Act. | Advogados admitted through the Ordem dos Advogados after a law degree and traineeship; notaries and registrars form separate careers on the Portuguese model. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.