Amnesty International Thailand and activist Payu Boonsophon filed a petition with the Ministry of Justice today (18 November) demanding an investigation into a clash between crowd control police and protesters on 18 November 2022, which injured 33 people and left Payu blind in one eye, as well as for victims to be compensated.

On 18 November 2022, protesters marched from Lan Khon Muang square in front of the Bangkok City Hall to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, where the APEC Ecnomic Leaders’ meeting was taking place. The protest was called by a network of activist groups and civil society organizations who have been gathering at Lan Khon Muang for three days against what they see as the Thai government’s attempt to boost its legitimacy on the international stage and the lack of participation from civil society in determining the policies being proposed at APEC meetings. They also spoke out against the Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model (BCG), raising concerns that the model would worsen community right issues facing marginalized and vulnerable groups, would take away their resources and land, and is an attempt at greenwashing the country’s major corporations with its carbon credit model.

During the march, protesters were met with police blockades. Twice, crowd control police in full riot gear violently dispersed protesters using shields, batons, and rubber bullets, injuring many protesters, with several reporting that they were physically assaulted by the police, who kicked and punched them. At least 33 people were injured, including several journalists, and 25 were arrested.

Payu was shot in the right eye with a rubber bullet during the second attempt by crowd control police to disperse protesters gathering on Dinso Road and lose the sight in that eye as a result.

3 years after the incident, Payu and representatives of Amnesty International Thailand filed a petition with Justice Minister Pol Maj Gen Rutthapon Naowarat and police chief Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet to call for an independent and transparent investigation into the police’s use of force to disperse protesters. They also call for victims of the crackdown to be appropriately compensated in line with international human rights principles.

Petcharat Saksirivetkul, Amnesty International Thailand’s campaign supervisor, said that Thailand should show that the use of excessive force to disperse protests will no longer be acceptable. The government needs to conduct an independent investigation and punish officers responsible for the violation. The victims should be appropriately compensated, while the government should also implement reform of its crowd control method in line with international standards to prevent future violence.

Meanwhile, Payu said that what is worse than the physical pain is that the truth has not been revealed. He said that the clash was not just the dispersal of a peaceful protest, but a violation of human dignity for people exercising their rights. He is not filing the petition just for himself, he said, but to prevent future violations.

“I don’t want my case to become just a personal tragedy, but the beginning of the end of impunity, so that human rights and dignity will have real meanings for everyone,” Payu said.

Petcharat noted that Payu’s case shows a systematic failure that all government agency should urgently fix. The police should take responsibility for the action of its officer and use of excessive force for crowd control, she said, while the anti-torture and enforced disappearance committee is legally required to consider whether the incident is inhumane or an act of ill-treatment. It must also certify the injured protesters’ status as victims of such actions and ensure proper compensation.Agencies responsible for public assembly should revise their crowd control protocol so that operations are in line with international standards. This is to protect citizens exercise their right to peaceful protest.

She noted that the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) has raised concerns about Payu’s case, and has proposed that Thailand implement reforms of its law and officers’ protocol, as well as conduct a prompt investigation into the incident and ensure the victims are compensated.