Interview
2 May 2018
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.
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.
5 Apr 2018
The Thai Liberal Party leader shares his vision of reforming the military by moving all troops out of Bangkok and instead using the space to build schools, hospitals and parks while abolishing unnecessary military units.
2 Apr 2018
Although Pheu Thai is currently facing a multitude of challenges, Chaturon Chaisang believes that the party can overcome them, from institutionalizing the party to opening up the party to participation by the new generation.
27 Mar 2018
Overall analysis of the coming elections by Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee: Three hurdles that new parties face in the coming elections, together with the single-ballot system, opportunities for pro-military parties and campaign strategy when policies aren't the main focus suggest that little immediate change will be achieved.
26 Mar 2018
In the 10 years of the 2008 Internal Security Act, an important legacy of the 2006 coup d’?tat, Prachatai's Kritsada Subpawanthanakun talked with political scientist Puangthong Pawakapan who argues that ISOC has changed its status to a permanent agency which continues to build the legitimacy of the armed forces in various ways, beginning with its involvement in the judicial process, monitoring of civilians and seeing democracy as a danger to security.
23 Mar 2018
This past 15 March, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and Piyabutr Saengkanokkul led 26 people from the new generation to register the Future Forward Party at the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT).
The founding members of the Future Forward Party at a press conference on 15 March 2018
22 Mar 2018
Kittichai Ngamchaipisit is one of the founders of the Commoners Party, nearly 10 years in the making by activists who aim to amend the constitution for increased citizen participation and eventually hold a new referendum on their draft constitution. Kittichai likens the Party to a market where civil society groups can sell their policies. The Commoners Party hopes for seats in parliament as one wing of the civil society movement as a policy bridge to parliament. Even if they do not win any seats, Kittichai says, the party will continue to fight for citizens.
19 Mar 2018
Eight years ago, Anticha Saengchai came out as lesbian to her husband, family, and society. She then moved with her girlfriend to Pattani and opened a bookstore and learning space called Buku Books & More. This is the story of Anticha’s of coming out, and of gender rights in the three provinces of the Deep South.
15 Mar 2018
We're talking to Pratubjit Neelapaijit, as the daughter affected by the disappearance of her father Somchai Neelapaijit and the 14 lost years with no return in terms of law, reflecting on the contradictory state of human rights where the state chooses to support some cases, and chooses to arrest only some people. She points out that developing a democratic society is the way out and that all sides have a role in reconciliation.
International Women's Day has come around again in March.
9 Mar 2018
7th of March, the day before International Women’s Day, was an important day for Aum Neko. It was the day, after four years of living as a political refugee in Paris, that her gender transition was legally recognised: the day she legally became Madame Saran Chuichai. But for Aum, legal recognition is irrelevant to her experience of womanhood. In her eyes, she has been a woman all her life and believes passionately in "self-determination" when it comes to gender identity. Aum is a transgender Thai woman. Unlike in Thailand, where trans people cannot change their gender, gender recognition laws were introduced in France in 2016.
15 Feb 2018
“Goodbye” might be a symbol of the end of love for most people, but for a lèse majesté exiled junta critic, Nuttigar Woratunyawit, saying goodbye is an act of love.
4 Feb 2018
During the past four years, the junta has added many terms to the dictionary of Thai politics. Examples are Pracharat, Thai-ism democracy, attitude adjustment and etc. Prachatai talked to Petra Desatova, a PhD candidate from Leeds University, Her PhD thesis examines the attempt of the junta to rebrand Thailand. She argues that these terms are not merely a play on words, a systematic attempt to strengthen its authoritarian regime
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