<div> <div>The release of Cambodian political fugitive Sam Serey early on Friday morning earned the praise of the international community while stoking tensions with Cambodian officials. But a researcher at Human Rights Watch is doubtful that his release indicates a broader change in the way Thailand treats refugees and asylum seekers. </div> <div> </div> <div>Thailand released Sam Serey on 27 April to be flown back to Denmark, where he has permanent resident status. Serey was arrested last Wednesday for overstaying his visa. </div></div>

<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/asia/thailand" target="_blank">Thailand</a>’s government has failed to abide by its pledge to make enforced disappearance a crime under Thai laws, Human Rights Watch said today. August 30 is the United Nations International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.<br /></p>

<p>Separatist insurgents in&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=http://www.hrw.org/asia/thailand&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1472174002081000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFbEEEStrBVL5ZnelFIm-00oyUPRw" href="http://www.hrw.org/asia/thailand" target="_blank">Thailand</a>’s southern border provinces have committed an apparent series of bombings against civilians that may amount to crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch said today.&nbsp;<br /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/asia/thailand">Thai</a>&nbsp;authorities should urgently release a student activist detained since August 6, 2016, for peacefully protesting the military junta’s proposed constitution, Human Rights Watch said today. Until his release, the Department of Corrections should transfer Jatupat Boonphatthararaksa, who has been on a hunger strike since August 7 at Phu Khiao prison in Chaiyaphum province, to a hospital where he can be under medical supervision.</p>

<div>(New York, August 10, 2016) – The new constitution approved in Thailand’s August 7, 2016 referendum strengthens and prolongs military control of the government, Human Rights Watch said today. The vote followed a crackdown by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) against “Vote No” campaigners and others opposed to the proposed charter.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>“The Thai junta’s campaign of repression against opponents of the proposed constitution ensured that the referendum wouldn’t be fair,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. </div>

<div>Drop Sedition Charges and End Repression Before August 7 Poll</div> <p></p>

<div>(New York) – Thai authorities should drop trumped-up criminal proceedings against a woman who has sought justice for her army conscript uncle, who was tortured to death by soldiers in 2011, Human Rights Watch said today. Naritsarawan Kaewnopparat, 25, faces up to five years in prison and a 100,000 baht (US$2,900) fine if found guilty of defamation and publicizing false information online under the Computer Crimes Act.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On the morning of July 26, 2016, police arrested Naritsarawan at her office at the Ministry of Human Security and Social Development in Bangkok. </div>

<div>The State Department trafficking office does extensive work monitoring human trafficking and forced labor around the world and providing assistance to governments that stand willing to tackle these terrible abuses.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On the whole, this year’s trafficking report accurately reflects and critiques the record of countries around the world in addressing human trafficking and forced labor, unlike the report issued last year, which was marred by strong indications of political interference.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Human Rights Watch is pleased to see that Uzbekistan h </div>

<p>The Thai military should immediately withdraw its criminal complaints against three human rights defenders for reporting alleged torture by government security forces in southern&nbsp;<a href="http://hrw.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8-48%3c4-%3eLCE593719%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=4432086&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=101231&amp;Action=Follow+Link">Thailand</a>, Human Rights Watch said today.<br /></p>

<p>The&nbsp;<a href="http://hrw.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8-4682-%3eLCE593719%26SDG%3c90%3a.&amp;RE=MC&amp;RI=4432086&amp;Preview=False&amp;DistributionActionID=100095&amp;Action=Follow+Link">Thai</a>&nbsp;government should promptly act on pledges to make torture and enforced disappearance criminal offenses, Human Rights Watch said today.<br /></p>

<p>The Thai government’s pledges to the United Nations Human Rights Council to respect human rights and restore democratic rule have been mostly meaningless, Human Rights Watch said today.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hrw.org/thailand">Thailand</a>&nbsp;appeared before the council for its second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva on May 11, 2016. The UPR is a UN examination of the human rights situation in each country.<br /></p>

<div> <div> <div>Facebook has rebutted Thai Facebook users’ concerns that the company has compromised its privacy policy to the Thai government, following the arrests of online activists charged with private Facebook chat content.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On Tuesday, 10 May 2016, Facebook insisted that it never provides user information and does not cooperate with the Thai junta’s censorship practice, rejecting the allegations in the past few weeks that Facebook has supported the junta in the recent cyber crackdown against the junta critics, <a> </a></div></div></div>