Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit, former human rights commissioner, and Human Rights Watch’s senior researcher Sunai Phasuk filed a petition with the police chief on Saturday (18 October) requesting police protection after they received death threats and online harassment for criticising a social media influencer’s activities in areas along the Thailand-Cambodia border.

The petition requests that the police protect Angkhan and Sunai, as well as their families, due to continued harassment which affects their safety and could lead to hate crimes against human rights defenders. It notes that the harassment involved hateful and degrading speech, which could amount to several criminal offences.

The petition calls for an urgent investigation to identify and prosecute their harassers. It also requests that the plaintiffs and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) be informed of the result of the investigation, to assure that the Thai police take action.

Angkhana confirmed that she and Sunai are requesting that police protect them and investigate their harassment. She said that she is being harassed for a social media post questioning a well-known Thai social media influencer’s action in broadcasting the sound of howling ghosts to disturb Cambodians living along the border.  She added that the government should not allow such actions.

Since 10 October, Guntouch Pongpaiboonwet, also known as Gun Jompalang, has used large speakers to broadcast noises resembling howling ghosts and aircraft engines along the border in Sa Kaew with the intention of disturbing the Cambodian military and civilians each evening.

On her Facebook page, Angkhana questioned why the Thai government allowed such actions. She noted that the Cambodian Human Rights Committee has already raised the issue with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

She says that the action amounted to psychological torture, violating the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

According to Angkhana, the harassment began after her posts were mentioned on the famous TV programme Hone Krasae and in a news report on Amarin TV. She received threatening phone calls and netizens decried her as being unpatriotic and siding with Cambodia. She also alleges that fans of Guntouch have moved beyond the limits of freedom of expression by making death threats against her and harassing members of her family.

“Sunai and I expressed our opinions in good faith and out of goodwill for the country. We have no bad intention and only raised questions about the government, but Gun Jompalang and his fans are all attacking us,” she said.

Noting that hate speech and threats are a criminal offence, Angkhana said that the police have the responsibility to investigate. She said that for now, she and Sunai are only calling for an investigation.  She is reportedly not pressing further charges because she is not capable on her own of finding out who her harassers are as most do not use their real names or pictures.

According to Sunai, the police chief previously said he and Angkhana would be protected if they asked to be. Having now presented evidence of the threats against them, he said he hope that the police will identify their harassers and press charges.

Sunai added that even the UN Special Rapporteur who made a social media post about the threats against Angkhana is facing backlash from netizens. Despite the risk of speaking against the tide of public opinion, he says he will keep to speak out against human rights violations. He stressed that his comments were made because he meant well and did not want Thailand to be at a disadvantage in international politics.

Angkhana also said that she would continue to speak out. Noting that people have different opinions, she stressed that the expression of those opinions should not lead to hate or violence.

“Sunai and I are Thai citizens, and we love our country as much as anyone. For me personally, or for Sunai, we express our love for our country by trying to make sure that Thailand can stand proud on the international stage, that whatever it does is in line with international conventions. I am not doing it for attention or praise.  My warning are well-intentioned and issued in good faith,” Angkhana said.

Pol Lt Gen Yingyot Thepchamnong, a police spokesperson, said that police chief Pol Gen Kittirat Panphet has been made aware of the petition. He said that the police are responsible for the protection of the public and added that Angkhana has the right to request protection for herself and her family under the Witness Protection Act. He said that the police will act in accordance procedures, investigate the matter and enforce the law accordingly.

The hosts of Arun Amarin, Amarin TV's morning news programme, apologized to Angkhana during their Sunday morning broadcast (19 October). One of the hosts, Supachoke Opaskul, said that they did not intend to broadcast misinformation or accuse Angkhana of anything, but that some content slipped through the vetting system and caused a misunderstanding. Supachoke also said that they have been summoned by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to explain the situation.