The family of indigenous rights activist Porlajee Rakchongcharoen has filed a lawsuit against the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) for 26 million baht in damages over park officials’ involvement in Porlajee’s alleged abduction and murder.

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) urge Cambodian authorities to implement without delay the recommendations made by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) to address and resolve cases of enforced disappearances in the country, including that of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit.

Thailand must reveal the fate and whereabouts of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit who was forcibly disappeared 20 years ago, UN experts* said today (11 March).

As the 20th anniversary of lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit's disappearance arrives without justice or truth for his family, Amnesty International Thailand's regional researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong says cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand highlights its culture of impunity and calls on the Thai authorities to take steps to ensure accountability and redress for all victims of enforced disappearance before seeking a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.

Sitanun Satsaksit, sister of missing activist in exile Wanchalearm Satsaksit, was met by a police blockade yesterday (21 February) when she attempted to protest in front of the Shinawatra family residence during a visit by former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen with Thaksin Shinawatra.

During a review by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), the Cambodian delegation denied involvement of government agents in the disappearance of Thai activist in exile Wanchalearm Satsaksit, and therefore does not consider it a case of enforced disappearance.

3 years after activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit went missing while living in exile in Cambodia, no progress has been made into the investigation of his disappearance, while activists in Cambodia and Thailand held public gatherings on Sunday (4 June), the anniversary of his disappearance.

The trial of four Kaeng Krachan National Park officials charged with the murder of indigenous rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen began on Monday (24 April), 9 years after he went missing. His family say their lives have been turned upside down by his disappearance.

As four park officials charged with pre-meditated murder for their alleged involvement in the abduction and death of indigenous right activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen go on trial, civil society organizations have demanded that they be suspended to make sure the judicial process cannot be tampered with.

On the 9th anniversary of the disappearance of indigenous rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen, activists in Bangkok staged a protest to raise awareness about enforced disappearance and to call for reform of the justice system.

<p>He worked for the current Bangkok governor and was photographed with an ousted Thai premier and a current Phnom Penh deputy governor. Missing since 2020, Wanchalearm Satsaksit also helped other Thai dissidents flee to Cambodia. But his associates have sought to erase all ties.</p>

<p>Sitanun Satsaksit, sister of missing activist in exile Wanchalearm Satsaksit, submitted to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) on Monday (4 April) a statement calling for the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) to address Cambodia&rsquo;s failure to investigate Wanchalearm&rsquo;s disappearance.</p>