Gender
Human rights
Democracy activists step up anti-government campaign
The pro-democracy movement intensified its protests against the government after students unfurled the banner of revolt with the first youth-led street protest on July 18.The protesters gathered again at Democracy Monument on Sunday evening (July 26), reiterating their demands that Parliament be dissolved, intimidation of ...
The Nation Reporter
Draft law on tackling forced disappearances, torture gets green light
The Cabinet on Tuesday (June 23) gave the go-ahead to a draft law on the prevention and suppression of torture and forced disappearances, deputy government spokesperson Rachada Thanadirek said.This bill aims to protect every citizen from being tortured or “disappeared” by state officials as well ...
The Nation Reporter
Our disappearing rights
It’s been over a week since the disappearance of Wanchalearm Satsaksit, an exiled Thai activist living in Cambodia, touched off a heated debate in Thai social media and beyond.Mr Wanchalearm has been an ardent critic of the current government and its military predecessor; he fled ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
Rights groups call for government to act after abduction of Thai activist in Cambodia
Following Thursday’s broad-daylight abduction of an exiled Thai political activist in Cambodia, both country’s police forces have bluntly refused to investigate, prompting calls by critics and human rights groups, including US-based Human Rights Watch, for swift action. Human rights defender Angkhana Neelapaijit warns that Thai ...
Covid Catch-22: Saving lives or rights?
Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, several countries have given special powers to their leaders, regardless of the political system in place, to ensure that they can manage and fight the virus efficiently and in a timely manner. There is a high level of anxiety and ...
Kavi Chongkittavorn
Forged in crisis, Thailand's youth are discovering their political voice
Just as dusk spread across Bangkok on a recent Sunday evening, the mood in a cavernous warehouse near a busy traffic intersection was electric. The crowd chanted anti-establishment slogans in response to the provocative hip-hop blasting out from the stage, as headliners Rap Against Dictatorship ...
Freedom of press still lacking in Thailand
Last Thursday news reports broke about a Thai journalist who had been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for defaming the owner of a poultry farm via a tweet. A court convicted Suchanee Cloitre in December for a tweet referencing a dispute over working conditions at ...
Sheith Khidhir
UNHCR welcomes Thai Cabinet approval of national screening mechanism
In a development welcomed by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the Thai Cabinet approved on 24 December 2019 the establishment of a screening mechanism to distinguish people who need international protection from economic migrants. This follows the Cabinet’s January 2017 approval of a proposal to ...
Isaan human rights defenders between fight or flight
Over 300 people gathered at Ubon Ratchathani University on Monday to discuss the state of human rights in the Northeast and the country.The 10th Annual Isaan Human Rights Festival gathered communities from across the region, activists, scholars, students, and foreign diplomats. Ambassador of Sweden, Staffan ...
Dictating the internet
Disinformation or freedom of expression? Hate speech or free speech? Threat to national security or whistleblowing on corruption and tyranny?These time-honoured debates have assumed a new urgency in the internet era, where digital privacy is under attack and fake news sometimes comes from the same ...