<p>Flash mobs at the Victory Monument, the Ministry of Education and close to Chulalongkorn University met harsh police responses with at least 8 people arrested and a journalist injured by a pipe bomb.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/thailand">Thailand&rsquo;s&nbsp;</a>government in 2020 escalated its repression of basic rights in the face of a growing, youth-led democracy movement demanding political and constitutional reforms, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/13/thailand-rights-crisis-rapidly-worsens?fbclid=IwAR0r2vNVrc82Edi59BvBR96JO2LEOMd1KKSVvqHEkQsc5F7QuGQj9-OM1_8">Human Rights Watch</a> said on Wednesday (13 January) in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021">World Report 2021</a>.</p>

<p>Proposed by the parliament speaker, Chuan Leekpai, the reconciliation committee, aimed to find a way out of political turmoil, is packed with senators, academics, military officers and government coalition MPs. No opposition MPs or pro-democracy protesters are included.</p>

<p>Silences, Histories, and the Future: On Thongchai Winichakul&rsquo;s Moments of Silence: The Unforgetting of the October 6, 1976, Massacre in Bangkok</p>

<p>3 more people have been charged with royal defamation under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, bringing the number of people facing Section 112 charges to 40.</p>

<p>The ongoing protests in Thailand are having a negative impact on the mental health of young activists as many protesters face legal charges for the work they are doing. For those struggling with mental health issues, there is very little assistance being provided to them.</p>

<p>Two months after authorities in Thailand lifted severe emergency restrictions on peaceful protest, Amnesty International remains deeply concerned that Thai authorities are continuing to escalate and intensify their crackdown on peaceful protesters and those expressing support for them across the country.</p>

<p>The Thai government have always maintained that the measures they have taken against pro-democracy protests follow international procedures. Prachatai has talked to the UN Special Rapporteur to find out what these standards actually are.</p>

<p>Representatives of four high school student activist groups tell stories of the harassment and legal prosecution they now face after speaking out about human rights violations they face in school, reiterating that the right to freedom of expression is a constitutional right, while vowing to keep fighting nonetheless.</p>

<p>Amnesty International has issued an <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa39/3470/2020/en/">appeal</a> for its members worldwide to send letters to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha calling for an end to criminal prosecutions of peaceful protestors.</p>

<p>Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26621&amp;LangID=E">statement</a> today (18 December) raising concerns over the Thai authorities charging protesters with charges under Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, Thailand&#39;s lèse majesté law.</p>

<p>Two students facing charges under the lèse majesté law for participating in a &ldquo;fashion show&rdquo; during a pro-democracy protest on Silom Road went to hear the charges yesterday (17 December), while members of the We Volunteer protest guard group and other protesters gathered outside the police station in Thai traditional dress to show support.</p>