Opinion
24 Nov 2023
The 20-year statute of limitations for the legal cases related to the Tak Bai incident will be running out in October 2024. The incident remains an obstacle to transitional justice in the Deep South, writes Hara Shintaro, as the culture of impunity in the region made it unlikely that justice will be delivered.
29 Oct 2023
Since the latest crisis between Palestine and Israel started on 7 October 2023, questions have been raised about what impact the situation in the Middle East might have on Thailand's Deep South. Hara Shintaro writes about the reaction of the insurgent group BRN and other locals to the crisis, noting that it is unlikely the crisis in Palestine will affect the situation in Thailand's Deep South.
5 Oct 2023
Following the sentencing of Myanmar Now photojournalist Sai Zaw Thaike to 20 years in prison for dissemination of false information and sedition for reporting on the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, the Press Freedom Monitoring in Southeast Asia (PFMSea) calls for an immediate and unconditional release of all journalists who have been detained or imprisoned in Myanmar for doing their job.
2 Oct 2023
Bangkok, 26th September 2023— "Media Transformation in Shifting Scenarios," a public forum organised by Prachatai, took note of the challenging landscape faced by mass media workers in an age of political polarisation. Media professionals continue to face multiple threats, from legal restrictions and surveillance to censorship and risks to personal safety. These challenges, in turn, have had a significant impact on media workers’ freedom of expression. The seminar raises a crucial question: following the change of government, can meaningful change be anticipated?
2 Oct 2023
In May 2023, a man arrested for alleged involvement in the October 2013 ATM bombings in Yala and Pattani was released After serving nine years and six months in prison. However, two days before his release, the Songkhla prosecutor filed for a court order to place him under special preventive measures based on a law designed to control the behaviours of ex-criminal who commit sexual or violent offences. Ahead of the court ruling on 4 October, Hara Shintaro asks whether it is appropriate for such a law to be applied to suspects in security cases in an area where several special security laws are already being enforced.
11 Sep 2023
After the May 2023 general election, the eight-party coalition led by the Move Forward Party signed an MOU to form a democratic government, but the document was revoked when Pheu Thai left the coalition along with the Prachachat Party, an influential party in the Deep South, to form a coalition with parties under strong military influence. Hara Shintaro writes on the impact of revoking the MOU on the peace process in the Deep South and the possibility of rebuilding trust in the process under the current political situation.
1 Sep 2023
With the breaking of the 8-party coalition under the Move Forward Party and the formation of a new government headed by Pheu Thai, questions have been raised about how the peace process will progress in Thailand's Deep South. Hara Shintaro writes about the prospects of peace in the Deep South under the new government.
19 Jun 2023
The Move Forward party emerges top of the poll in the 2023 general election with 151 seats. Although the breakthrough marks the beginning of a rocky transition to democratic politics after nearly a decade of militarized rule, Dulyaphab Chaturongkul asks if it will have to make compromises in the coming months and whether that should decide the fate of the democratic coalition.
9 May 2023
In convening the DRAPAC23 Assembly, EngageMedia envisions a space for changemakers to build and strengthen knowledge, collaborations, and momentum to advance the digital rights movement after over two years of virtual convenings and limited networking opportunities.
In this blog post, EngageMedia Executive Director Phet Sayo invites old and new allies in the digital rights space to join in the collaborative sense-making process and reflect on the lessons and challenges ahead in navigating the digital rights landscape.
13 Apr 2023
With the arrival of the Songkhran holiday comes concerns over road accident and traffic safety. However, Hugo Volkaert writes, the holidays are not why the yearly number of road accidents and casualties in Thailand are among the highest in the world. Design flaws in the road network is part of the problem.
20 Jan 2023
A recent letter from the Royal Thai Police to the Ministry of Justice indicates that the police now want to delay implementation of the newly-touted points system for improving driver behaviour.
15 Nov 2022
The summit meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Bangkok’s Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) is right around the corner.
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