Human rights
Civil and political rights
Collective brainstorming needed to solve Thailand's problems: Poll
A majority of people say the country should unite to brainstorm ideas to resolve longstanding conflicts, according to a survey by the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.The poll was conducted online on Sept 23-25 on 1,263 people throughout the country to gauge ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
Majority agree with youth demonstrations: Poll
A majority of people agree with demonstrations staged by young people and led by students of the Free Youth group and Student Union of Thailand, saying that they have the right to free expression in a democracy, according to the result of an opinion survey ...
Bangkok Post Reporter
Thai pro-government rally raises risk of new confrontations
Dozens of Thai demonstrators singing patriotic songs and shouting “long live the king” rallied in the capital on Thursday in response to a series of anti-government protests led by student groups in recent weeks.The crowd, a mix mainly of the retired and some vocational students ...
LGBT activists call for democracy and gender equality
LGBT activists held a demonstration on Saturday (25 July) at the Democracy Monument in the name of gender equality, LGBT rights, and democracy, as well as calling the government out for their failure in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and demanding the dissolution of parliament.The event ...
Anti-Government Protests Mount in Thailand as Young Thais Demand Change
Anti-government “flash mobs” have spread across Thailand as tech savvy youth demand democratic reforms as the country staggers forward in the initial stages of COVID-19 recovery. The number of rallies has increased in the kingdom, with more than 40 anti-government protests organized on short notice since ...
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
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
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 ...
Thailand’s Government Slowly Moving to Stifle Free Speech
Thailand has slowly been moving to stifle free speech under Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration. Gen. Prayut was inaugurated in July following the transfer of power to a civilian government.Since an activist was arrested for allegedly posting “inappropriate content” on Facebook. Gen. Prayut’s ...