Thailand has reverted to ‘Not Free’ status, says Freedom House in its new Freedom in the World Report, due to the dissolution of the Move Forward Party, the forced repatriation of activists, refugees, and asylum seekers to countries where they faced ill-treatment, and on going prosecution and detention of pro-democracy activists.

Thailand was rated ‘Partly Free’ in the 2024 report following the “comparatively open and competitive” 2023 general election, which drew record turnout and in which the progressive opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most seats in the House of Representatives. However, However, the MFP was blocked from forming a government by the unelected Senate. Meanwhile, press freedom remains constrained and activists continue to face prosecution for royal defamation.

Thailand’s status reverted to ‘Not Free’ in the 2025 report after the MFP was dissolved in August 2024 by the Constitutional Court for campaigning to amend the royal defamation law and members of its executive board were banned from politics for 10 years.

Later in August 2024, then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from the Pheu Thai Party, was dismissed by the Constitutional Court for appointing a person with a prior criminal conviction to his cabinet. He was replaced by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Although the Senate completed its first selection process in June 2024 to replace a military-appointed Senate, the report noted that the process was denounced as undemocratic and resulted in a new Senate dominated by candidates affiliated with the conservative Bhumjaithai Party, while the announcements of results was delayed by complaints of fraud and vote-buying and investigations into candidate qualifications.

Meanwhile, the royal defamation law continued to be used against activists and citizens, several of whom face lengthy prison sentences. Mongkhon Thirakot, an online clothing vendor and activist, was sentenced to over 50 years in prison on multiple counts of royal defamation, while human rights lawyer Anon Nampa is facing 18 years. Many of the accused have been held in extended pre-trial detention and denied bail or offered bail under strict conditions.

In May 2024, activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom died while held in pre-trial detention on a royal defamation charge following a long hunger strike to protest the detention of political dissidents and demand judicial reform.

Press freedom remains constrained, as several laws remain which restrict free and independent media, including the criminal defamation laws and the Computer Crimes Act. The report noted that, although conditions became less restrictive around the 2023 election campaign, the press remains unable to freely report on key issues, including the MFP’s campaign to amend the royal defamation law. In February 2024, two journalists, including one from Prachatai, were arrested for covering an incident in March 2023 where an activist sprayed protest graffiti onto the wall of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Thailand has not ratified the UN convention on refugees, says the report, and the Thai authorities have reportedly detained foreign activists, refugees, and asylum seekers, and deported them to their home countries, where they face ill-treatment. Rohingya and refugees from Myanmar are treated as illegal migrants, denied access to a refugee status determination procedure, and detained in camps. Those arriving by boat are pushed back to sea. Immigration detention facilities are reportedly overcrowded, while detainees face abuse and lack of adequate food and healthcare.

The report noted one improvement, however. In September 2024, the Marriage Equality Act, which amends sections of the Civil and Commercial Code concerning marriage and family to allow marriage registration regardless of gender, received royal assent and was signed into law. LGBTQ couples were able to register their marriages in Thailand for the first time in January 2025, when the Act came into effect.

Nevertheless, women remain underrepresented in politics and government, although the percentage of women MPs rose to more than 19% of the House of Representatives compared to 16% in the previous House. Of the 200-seat Senate selected in 2024, 45 are women. Only 4 MPs are openly LGBTQ+.

Issues of women’s rights and welfare are generally not prioritized, and Thai women remain vulnerable to domestic abuse and sexual assault, which often goes unreported as the authorities frequently discourage victims from pursuing charges. Only a few cases result in arrest or prosecution.