A group of activists have filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court against the police over the violent dispersal of a protest on 18 November 2022, demanding a court order prohibiting the use of excessive force to disperse protests, as well as 12 million baht in damages.

The Metropolitan Police have declared a no-protest zone within a 50-metre radius around the parliament complex from 3 – 6 July, while the new parliament is in session and voting for House Speaker and Deputy Speakers.

12 activists and protesters have been found guilty of sedition, among other charges, for participating in the 18 July 2020 Free Youth protest and given a suspended sentence of 2 months in prison and a fine of 2000 baht each.

The crackdown on the 18 November 2022 protest march against the government under Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and its pro-corporation economic policies was a violation of press freedom and the right to peaceful assembly, as several protesters and members of the press were injured, says the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

A new report by the CIVICUS Monitor rates civic space in Thailand as 'repressed,' as the royal defamation law continues to be used to criminalise dissent and spyware has been used against activists. Protesters were also prosecuted and faced excessive force while concerns remain about a restrictive NGO bill. 

<p>A new report published by the human rights group ARTICLE 19 has found that the Thai government&rsquo;s treatment of pro-democracy protesters violated their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including by exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic to enact repressive emergency measures and using the royal defamation law against protesters.</p>

<p>A 19-year-old protester who was arrested during a <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8839">protest on 13 October 2020</a> has been sentenced to 2 years and 5 days in prison on charges resulting from the protest, including violation of the Emergency Decree and resisting officials.</p>

<p>Thailand is currently hosting the APEC Economic Leaders&rsquo; Week, taking place between 14 &ndash; 19 November at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), with the 29th APEC Economic Leaders&rsquo; Meeting on 18-19 November. Meanwhile, activist groups and civil society organizations are planning series of protests over the week against what they see as an attempt by the government to boost its legitimacy and greenwash the country&rsquo;s major polluters.</p>

<p>The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced today (23 September) that the State of Emergency will end on 1 October, while over 1000 people are still facing charges for violating gathering bans imposed under the Emergency Decree by participating in pro-democracy protests.</p>

<p>The Central Juvenile and Family Court yesterday (22 September) dismissed charges against an 18-year-old gender equality activist accused of violating the ban on gatherings under the State of Emergency for giving a speech at a protest in October 2020.</p>

<p>From 9.00 &ndash; 17.00 for the past three days, activists and members of the public stood in front of the UN headquarters in Bangkok to protest against the denial of bail for detained activists and to demand that UN agencies pay attention to the Thai authorities&rsquo; violation of civil and political rights.</p>