On 14 May 2024, 28-year-old monarchy reform advocate Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom died while detained at the Corrections Hospital after a long hunger strike to demand judicial reform and an end to the detention of political dissidents. To this day, the circumstances of her death remain unclear, leading to questions about the Corrections Hospital’s standard of care and the justice system as a whole. 

The Thanyaburi Provincial Court postponed yesterday’s (13 January) inquest into the death of detained activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom after two witnesses were unable to attend and the victim’s family lawyers sought a postponement to examine and obtain additional evidence.

On the morning of 14 May 2024, monarchy reform advocate Netiporn Sanesangkhom was pronounced dead after over 2 months of hunger strike demanding judicial reform and an end to the detention of political dissidents. She reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest while detained at the Corrections Hospital, but the circumstances of her death remains unclear and an inquest is scheduled for next Monday (13 January) at the Thanyaburi Provincial Court. For 2024, Prachatai has named Netiporn our Person of the Year.

Last Thursday (8 August), pro-democracy activists gathered in front of the Bangkok Remand Prison on what would have been the 29th birthday of activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom, who died in detention following a long hunger strike to demand the release of political prisoners, while her cause of death has yet to be explained by the authorities.

78 days after the death of activist Netiporn ‘Bung’ Sanesangkhom, who died in prison following a long hunger strike, a lawyer has urged the authorities to expedite their investigation and disclose all findings to the public before the court inquest into Bung’s death proceeds, asserting that her death occurred at the Correctional Hospital.

Lawyer Krisadang Nutcharas has filed a petition with the Chief Justice of the Criminal Court calling for an inquest into the death of activist Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom, who died in detention on 14 May after a long hunger strike to demand judicial system reform and the release of political prisoners.

Following the death of pro-democracy activist Netiporn 'Bung' Sanesangkhom, the Clooney Foundation for Justice filed a petition with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on Netiporn's behalf seeking remedies for violations of her rights, including reparations for her family and an opinion from the Working Group urging Thailand to stop misusing detention to stifle criticism of the monarchy.

The Corrections Hospital has refused to hand over CCTV footage from its hospital ward at the time detained activist Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom went into cardiac arrest, claiming that it would “affect security.”

The family and lawyer of activist Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom, who died on 14 May following a long hunger strike to demand judicial reform and the release of political prisoners, have raised questions about the credibility of Netiporn’s medical records obtained from the Corrections Hospital after several discrepancies were noted.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls on the Thai authorities to investigate the death of detained activist Netiporn "Bung" Sanesangkhom, which has raised concerns about possible negligence by prison officials in referring her for life-saving medical treatment.

Following the death in detention of activist Netiporn "Bung" Sanesangkhom while she was on a hunger strike to call for judicial system reform and the release of political dissidents, five human rights organizations issued a joint statement calling for the Thai authorities to conduct an independent and credible investigation into her death, release political prisoners held in pre-trial detention, and support the proposed amnesty bill for those facing political prosecution.

Medical records from Thammasat University Hospital state that pro-democracy activist Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom had no vital signs upon arrival and that an endotracheal tube was found in her esophagus instead of her windpipe, says Krisadang Nutcharus, Netiporn’s lawyer.