Publication Ethics

The Journal of the Association of General Surgeons of Thailand is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and follows the guidelines and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the publication process.

Duties of Authors

Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their manuscripts are original works. Proper citation and acknowledgment of the work of others must always be provided. Plagiarism in any form is considered unethical and unacceptable.

Exclusive Submission
Manuscripts must not be submitted simultaneously to more than one journal. Submission to this Journal implies that the manuscript has not been previously published and is not under consideration elsewhere.

Authorship Criteria
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript.

Data Integrity and Reporting Standards
Authors must present accurate data and an objective discussion of their findings. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may influence the interpretation of their findings.

Ethical Approval
Research involving human participants must include approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB), and informed consent must be obtained. Animal studies must comply with institutional and national ethical guidelines.

Duties of Reviewers

Confidentiality
Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and must not share or use unpublished information for personal advantage.

Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted objectively, with constructive feedback provided to improve the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and decline review if such conflicts exist.

Timeliness
Reviewers should complete their reviews within the agreed timeframe.

Duties of Editors

Editorial Responsibility and Fairness
Editors are responsible for making publication decisions based on the scientific merit, originality, clarity, and relevance of the manuscript.

Confidentiality
Editors must not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and publisher.

Conflict of Interest
Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest.

Publication Decisions
Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit and without discrimination.

Peer Review Process

The Journal follows a double-blind peer review process. Manuscripts are reviewed by at least three independent experts. The identities of authors and reviewers remain confidential.

Ethical Oversight

The Journal requires ethical approval documentation for studies involving human participants or animals. Informed consent must be obtained where applicable.

Handling of Misconduct

Suspected misconduct includes but is not limited to:

  • Plagiarism

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Duplicate publication

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

The Journal will investigate allegations in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Actions may include:

  • Request for clarification from authors

  • Rejection of manuscript

  • Retraction of published article

  • Notification to authors’ institution

Retraction Policy

Articles may be retracted if:

  • There is clear evidence of unreliable data

  • Plagiarism is detected

  • Ethical standards were violated

  • Duplicate publication occurred

Retraction notices will be clearly identified and linked to the original article.

Corrections and Errata

If errors are identified, the Journal will publish corrections or errata to maintain the integrity of the academic record.

Archiving and Integrity of Record

The Journal ensures permanent availability and preservation of published articles through ThaiJO and institutional archiving systems.