The publication ethics of  Journal of Thai Studies (JTS) follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. Further information on publication ethics can be found on the COPE website: https://publicationethics.org/

          All journal participants (editors, reviewers and authors) are required to adhere to the established ethical standards as follows:

 

1. Editors

          The editorial team operates with impartiality to ensure that all submitted manuscripts are evaluated based on scholarly merit, originality and relevance to the journal’s scope.

 

1.1 Editorial Independence and Fair Evaluation

          Manuscripts are assessed solely on their academic content, free from discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, nationality, political views or institutional affiliation. Editorial decisions are made in strict alignment with the journal’s mission, ensuring that published content meets the highest academic and ethical standards. The personal opinions of the editorial board or peer reviewers do not influence the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript.

 

1.2 Confidentiality and Integrity in Peer Review

          The editorial team and peer reviewers maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts, disclosing information only to those directly involved in the review and publication process. The names of authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout the peer review process, ensuring an unbiased evaluation. Unpublished manuscripts, rejected submissions and any proprietary data or ideas contained within them are not used or shared by editors or reviewers without the author’s explicit written consent.

 

1.3 Editorial Accountability and Decision-Making

          The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Managing Editor, editorial board, and peer reviewers, holds final responsibility for accepting or rejecting manuscripts. This decision is guided by the journal’s policies, ethical considerations and academic standards. Articles suspected of containing plagiarism, fabricated data or other forms of academic misconduct are thoroughly investigated. If ethical violations are confirmed, appropriate corrective actions, including retraction, are taken.

 

1.4 Editorial Impartiality and Conflicts of Interest

          Editors and reviewers must disclose any potential financial, academic or personal conflicts of interest that could influence their judgment. No editorial board member uses privileged information from submitted manuscripts for personal research or other purposes without explicit permission from the author.

 

 

2. Reviewers

          JTS upholds a rigorous and impartial peer review process to ensure the highest standards of academic integrity and scholarship.

 

2.1 Confidentiality and Impartiality

          The peer review process is strictly double-blind, neither authors nor reviewers are aware of each other’s identities. Reviewers must maintain absolute confidentiality regarding the manuscript’s content and the review process. The information from the manuscript is not used for personal research, gain or any other advantage. Reviewers must decline assignments where they have any personal, academic or financial conflict of interest with authors or affiliated institutions.

 

2.2 Objective and Scholarly Evaluation

          Reviews must be conducted fairly, professionally and without bias to ensure that acceptance or rejection is based solely on academic merit. Personal opinions, unsubstantiated criticisms or irrelevant commentary unrelated to the quality and validity of the research must not influence the review. Reviewers must provide clear, constructive and respectful feedback to help authors strengthen their manuscripts.

 

2.3 Academic Integrity and Citation Standards

          Reviewers must identify any missing citations and recommend relevant published works that the author has overlooked. Any suspicion of plagiarism, data fabrication or significant overlap with existing published material must be reported to the editorial team immediately.

 

2.4 Timeliness and Professional Responsibility

          Reviewers must complete their assessments promptly and within the given time set for review. If unable to meet the deadline, they have to inform the editorial team as soon as possible to allow for alternative arrangements. If reviewers feel unqualified to assess a manuscript because of its specialized nature, they have to decline the review assignment rather than provide an inadequate evaluation.

 

2.5 Ethical Conduct and Avoidance of Bias

          Reviewers must recuse themselves from evaluating manuscripts where their relationships – competitive, collaborative or otherwise – could compromise impartiality.

 

 

3. Authors

          Authors submitting to  JTS are held to the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical responsibility. By submitting a manuscript, authors affirm their commitment to rigorous scholarship, transparency and accountability.

 

3.1 Intellectual Responsibility 

          Authors bear full responsibility for the originality, accuracy and integrity of their work, including research design, argumentation, analysis, citations and conclusions. The editorial and review teams do not assume responsibility for these aspects and expect authors to uphold the highest standards of academic rigor.

 

3.2 Commitment to Scholarly Discourse

          Authors must engage constructively with feedback from editors and peer reviewers, considering critiques with academic maturity. Authors have to prepare to revise their work to maintain the journal’s standard of excellence, including formatting and guideline compliance. Revisions must be made in good faith, with a clear commitment to improving the clarity and quality of the research.

 

3.3 Academic Integrity and Citation Standards

          Plagiarism in any form, whether direct copying, paraphrasing without attribution or misrepresenting another’s work as one’s own, is strictly prohibited. Proper acknowledgment and full citation of all sources, both in-text and in the references, is mandatory. This includes works that have influenced the research, ensuring due credit is given to previous scholarship. The use of quotation marks and citations must follow academic best practices, leaving no room for ambiguity in source attribution.

 

3.4 Authorship and Contributions

          Authorship must accurately reflect individual contributions. Only those who have made substantial contributions to the research and manuscript preparation must be listed as authors. Contributors who have only provided a supporting role should be acknowledged in a designated section rather than listed as co-authors. Misrepresentation of authorship is considered a serious ethical violation.

 

3.5 Originality and Prior Publication

          Authors must certify that their submission is original, has not been published elsewhere and is not under review by another journal or conference. Simultaneous submission is unethical and results in immediate rejection.

 

3.6 Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

          Authors must disclose any financial, institutional or personal conflicts of interest that could influence the research findings or interpretation. Full transparency regarding funding sources and external support is required.

 

 

Research Involving Human Subjects

          If the study involves human subjects, authors must provide a valid Human Research Ethics Certificate (REC) approved by an institutional ethics committee or proof of ethics training from the National Research Council of Thailand. Research involving human participants must adhere to ethical guidelines to ensure respect, consent and confidentiality.

 

 

Statement on Publication Ethics and Misconduct

          JTS  upholds the highest ethical standards and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward publication malpractice or misconduct. Allegations of ethical violations are taken seriously and the journal is committed to ensuring integrity at every stage of the publication process. Submitted manuscripts are rejected or published articles are retracted, if they are found to violate the following misconducts:

 

1. Plagiarism

          Any form of plagiarism is strictly prohibited and considered a serious offense. Authors must properly acknowledge all sources. All submitted manuscripts are identified similarity by plagiarism checkers. If similarity rate exceeds 30 percentage (excluding quotation and reference), the submission is rejected and appropriate actions are taken.

 

2. Fabrication and Falsification

          Authors are responsible for presenting honest, verifiable findings. Any attempt to manipulate, distort, or misrepresent research findings causes a serious violation of ethical standards and is subject to rejection and possible further action.

 

3. Multiple Submissions

          Manuscripts must be original and not under consideration elsewhere. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals or conferences is strictly unethical. If identified, the manuscript is rejected without review.

 

4. Authorship Disputes

          Authorship must accurately reflect each contributor’s role in the research. Disputes or misattributions must be resolved prior to submission. If a conflict arises during or after submission, the review process is halted or required withdrawal until the matter is settled with written evidence.

 

5. Peer Review Manipulation

          The journal does not accept any attempt to manipulate the process, including the suggestion of reviewers or exerting influence over review findings. Any breach results in immediate rejection.

 

          

Investigation Process

          If misconduct, plagiarism or significant errors are discovered in a submitted manuscript or a published article, the journal takes corrective action in accordance with ethical guidelines, including rejection, retraction or issuing corrections. Authors, reviewers and readers are encouraged to report any suspected ethical violations. The journal is committed to conducting thorough investigations and taking appropriate action.

          When ethical misconduct is suspected or reported, JTS conducts a transparent and fair investigation using the following process:

          1. Formation of an Investigation Committee: An independent committee, free from conflicts of interest, is appointed to ensure an impartial review.

          2. Initial Consideration and Evidence Review: The committee examines the complaint, utilizing plagiarism detection software and analyze suspicious content.

          3. Comprehensive Evaluation: The committee thoroughly assesses all available evidence to determine the extent of ethical violations.

          4. Opportunity for Author Response: The accused author is given a chance to clarify or respond to the allegations.

          5. Confidentiality and Fairness: All investigations are conducted with strict confidentiality to ensure fairness for all involved parties.

          6. Final Decision and Actions: If misconduct is confirmed, JTS takes appropriate actions based on COPE guidelines, including:

                    - Manuscript rejection or retraction (for published articles)

                    - Issuing corrections or expressions of concern

                    - Notifying the author’s affiliated institution or funding agencies

                    - Implementing suspension or bans on future submissions

          7. Outcome Notification: If no misconduct is found, JTS notifies all concerned parties of the investigation results.

 

AI-generated Content Policy

     Manuscripts prepared with use of generative AI in all steps must be done with caution. The AI generated contents must undergo thorough review and careful editing and are recommended to explicitly disclose in the manuscripts during the peer review process, and will appear in the published version. Full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the AI generated contents belongs entirely to all authors.