Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls on the Thai Senate to promptly pass the Marriage Equality bill, which was approved by an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives yesterday (27 March), noting that passing the bill is an opportunity for Thailand to match its positive global reputation on LGBT rights with tangible legal protections.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls on the Thai Senate to promptly pass the Marriage Equality bill, which was approved by an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives yesterday (27 March), noting that passing the bill is an opportunity for Thailand to match its positive global reputation on...
The Thai parliament yesterday (27 March) voted 399 to 10 to approve the Marriage Equality bill at the final reading, paving the way for Thailand to become the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage for all. At the same time, the use of gendered language in the bill leads to the concern that some rights will remain limited for LGBTQ people.
The Thai parliament yesterday (27 March) voted 399 to 10 to approve the Marriage Equality bill at the final reading, paving the way for Thailand to become the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage for all. At the same time, the use of gendered language in the bill leads to the...
A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to prison over a short video clip on TikTok, joking with a stray cat. The message in the clip was allegedly intended to insult two kings. He was earlier given a suspended sentence.
A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to prison over a short video clip on TikTok, joking with a stray cat. The message in the clip was allegedly intended to insult two kings. He was earlier given a suspended sentence. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported that on Tuesday (26 March) the Appeal...
Pro-democracy ctivist Nawat Liangwattana has been hit with a 6th royal defamation charge for delivering a speech at an August 2023 protest to commemorate those who died in the 2010 crackdown.
Activist Nawat Liangwattana has been hit with a 6th royal defamation charge for delivering a speech at an August 2023 protest to commemorate those who died in the 2010 crackdown. Nawat reported to the Pathumwan Police Station last Saturday (23 March) after being informed of the charge, according to...
Tomorrow (27 March), the marriage equality bill will return to parliament for its second and third readings. Meanwhile, the human rights organization Fortify Rights has called on parliament to ensure that the bill provides equal rights to LGBTQ people.
Tomorrow (27 March), the marriage equality bill will return to parliament for its second and third readings. Meanwhile, the human rights organization Fortify Rights has called on parliament to ensure that the bill provides equal rights to LGBTQ people. Participants in the 2023 Bangkok Pride Parade...
Left without answers following the disappearance of her husband, human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, Angkhana Neelapaijit has not only spearheaded the search for him but also campaigned for the criminalization of enforced disappearance in Thailand. Today, 20 years later, Angkhana is a member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. We speak to Angkhana 20 years after Somchai’s disappearance about her life since her husband went missing and her hope for Thailand after the enforcement of the new anti-torture and enforced disappearance law.
On 12 March 2004, human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit went missing in Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng district, after eyewitnesses saw him being pushed into a car by a group of men. He remains missing to this day. Somchai had been representing five people suspected of being involved in the January 2004...
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) urge Cambodian authorities to implement without delay the recommendations made by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) to address and resolve cases of enforced disappearances in the country, including that of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit.
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) urge Cambodian authorities to implement without delay the recommendations recently made by a United Nations (UN) body to address and resolve cases of enforced...
Thailand must reveal the fate and whereabouts of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit who was forcibly disappeared 20 years ago, UN experts* said today (11 March).
Thailand must reveal the fate and whereabouts of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit who was forcibly disappeared 20 years ago, UN experts* said today (11 March). “Thai authorities must comply with the country’s international obligations, investigate this crime and hold perpetrators of Somchai’...
As the 20th anniversary of lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit's disappearance arrives without justice or truth for his family, Amnesty International Thailand's regional researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong says cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand highlights its culture of impunity and calls on the Thai authorities to take steps to ensure accountability and redress for all victims of enforced disappearance before seeking a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.
As the 20th anniversary of lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit's disappearance approaches without justice or truth for his family, Amnesty International Thailand's regional researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong says cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand highlights its culture of impunity and calls on...
One year since the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act came into effect, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said the Thai authorities has fallen short in implementing the Act and that it is concerned about the failure to provide proper training for responsible authorities on enforcement and to ensure prompt, thorough, and effective investigation and prosecutions in cases of alleged torture and enforced disappearances.
As Thailand marks today the first anniversary of the entry into force of the groundbreaking Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) calls on the Thai authorities to do much more to make its protections real in practice....
A series of photographs and essay by Real Frame photographer Yostorn Triyos explores life in communities on the banks of the Salween River after the Covid-19 pandemic and the February 2021 Myanmar coup, such as Sop Moei and Mae Sam Laep where people continues to live in uncertainty amidst the war. Meanwhile, the Thai and Myanmar government's project to build 6 dams across the Salween River has been put on hold due to the pandemic and the war.
Rewinding to 2005, there were attempts by the Thai and Myanmar governments to build 6 dams across the Salween River. One of these is the Hatgyi Dam, in which the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is interested in co-investment, located 47 km from Sop Moei village. However, the dam...
Following the February 2021 coup in Myanmar and subsequent violence against protesters, a large number of people from Myanmar came to Thailand seeking safety and are now living as refugees in urban areas. Some came with valid visas, while some are undocumented, but all are unrecognised as refugees and unprotected under Thai law.
The use of violence by the Myanmar government after the 2021 coup in suppressing the people has resulted in a great number of Burmese people running for their lives to Thailand. Some came in legally with valid visas, some are undocumented. Although this group of people do not have a clear status as...
During the pandemic, Thai musicians and workers in the music industry faced unemployment as bars and entertainment venues were ordered to close. Many had to sell their instruments to keep themselves afloat, or make a living doing whatever else they could, while some left the industry altogether.In "Unplugged: Music in Crisis," Thai musicians talk about their lives during and after the pandemic, and the future of creative economy in Thailand.
When Covid-19 hits, they were the first to be out of a job, and when the lockdown ended, they were the last to get back to work. During the pandemic, Thai musicians and workers in the music industry faced unemployment as bars and entertainment venues were ordered to close. Many had to sell their...
The "Forest Reclamation Policy,” led to regulations to stop encroachment on forest resources in 2014. Enforcement resulted in more than 46,000 villagers around the country being arrested and sued.  Most were villagers who lived on, or had land plots that overlapped with, forest preserve areas in various ways.
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) announcement No.64/2557, better known as the "Forest Reclamation Policy,” led to regulations to stop encroachment on forest resources. Enforcement resulted in more than 46,000 villagers around the country being arrested and sued.  Most were villagers...
A series of previously unpublished photographs of the 6 October 1976 Thammasat University massacre taken by Thai photographers working for newspapers at the time of the massacre is now on display in a new exhibition at the Kinjai Contemporary gallery.
A series of previously unpublished photographs of the 6 October 1976 Thammasat University massacre taken by Thai photographers working for newspapers at the time of the massacre is now on display in a new exhibition at the Kinjai Contemporary gallery. The entrance to Kinjai Contemporary gallery...
How should the Thai government protect civilians in the country's Deep South? Hara Shintaro writes that dissemination of information about humanitarian principles and International Humanitarian Law could be an effective way to ensure better security for civilians and the Thai authorities should allow activities related to the dissemination of humanitarian principles so that respect for these principles becomes the norm in the conflict area.
Since 4 January 2004 when the latest wave of violence suddenly emerged in the southern border provinces of Thailand known as Patani, more than 7,000 people have been killed and over 13,000 injured, causing thousands of women to be widowed and more children orphaned. Among all these casualties, more...
On Sunday (17 December), Just Home, a network of activists and citizens in Pattani, marched from the Pattani City Hall to the Pattani Central Mosque to call for a ceasefire in Palestine.
On Sunday (17 December), Just Home, a network of activists and citizens in Pattani, marched from the Pattani City Hall to the Pattani Central Mosque to call for a ceasefire in Palestine. The march passing through Pattani city (Photo by Asmadi Beheng) Activist Anas Pongprasert said that the network...
When Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in November, they did not discuss the conflict in Thailand's Deep South. As the Thai government prepares for a new round of peace talks, Hara Shintaro writes that there is a need for more public participation in the peace process.
  When Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in November, they did not discuss the conflict in Thailand's Deep South. As the Thai government prepares for a new round of peace talks, Hara Shintaro writes that there is a need for more public participation in...
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.
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...
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.
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,...

News

Mar 28, 2024
The Thai parliament yesterday (27 March) voted 399 to 10 to approve the Marriage Equality bill at the final reading, paving the way for Thailand to become the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage for all. At the same time, the use of gendered language in the bill leads to the concern that some rights will remain limited for LGBTQ people.
Mar 27, 2024
A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to prison over a short video clip on TikTok, joking with a stray cat. The message in the clip was allegedly intended to insult two kings. He was earlier given a suspended sentence.
Mar 26, 2024
Pro-democracy ctivist Nawat Liangwattana has been hit with a 6th royal defamation charge for delivering a speech at an August 2023 protest to commemorate those who died in the 2010 crackdown.

Highlight

12 Apr 2023
A series of photographs and essay by Real Frame photographer Yostorn Triyos explores life in communities on the banks of the Salween River after the Covid-19 pandemic and the February 2021 Myanmar coup, such as Sop Moei and Mae Sam Laep where people continues to live in uncertainty amidst the war. Meanwhile, the Thai and Myanmar government's project to build 6 dams across the Salween River has been put on hold due to the pandemic and the war.
11 Mar 2023

Following the February 2021 coup in Myanmar and subsequent violence against protesters, a large number of people from Myanmar came to Thailand seeking safety and are now living as refugees in urban areas. Some came with valid visas, while some are undocumented, but all are unrecognised as refugees and unprotected under Thai law.

11 Mar 2023

During the pandemic, Thai musicians and workers in the music industry faced unemployment as bars and entertainment venues were ordered to close. Many had to sell their instruments to keep themselves afloat, or make a living doing whatever else they could, while some left the industry altogether.

In "Unplugged: Music in Crisis," Thai musicians talk about their lives during and after the pandemic, and the future of creative economy in Thailand.

Feature

Mar 11, 2024
People without a home and people without a place of shelter in Khon Kaen – many have to live lives in the public park surrounding Bueng Kaen Nakhon reservoir. Besides mutual encouragement among the homeless to resolve to fight for a life, Ban Home Saen Suk (Khon Kaen Homeless Commune) is a shelter that helps revive the potential of its members to get established to the point that they don’t have to go back to being homeless.
Mar 4, 2024
In Khon Kaen's Nam Phong district, a natural marsh covering 600 rai of land which once served as a fishing area and water source for agriculture became a holding pond for factory wastewater discharge. It became so polluted between 1992 - 1998 that fish stocks began dying. Factories in the area have been repeatedly ordered to close, but they later reopened and the marsh remains polluted.
Feb 20, 2024
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Bangkok's homeless population has been rising. With many of them elderly, advocates and experts now say raising the elderly pension is one solution. Meanwhile, imposing a wealth tax could help combat housing insecurity.

Round Up

Dec 17, 2022
A monarchy supporter with a large online following was arrested on Saturday, hours after he claimed to have raised nearly 700,000 baht to cover the cost of what he described as a ritual to extend the life of King Vajiralongkorn’s eldest child.
Nov 17, 2022
Thailand is currently hosting the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, taking place between 14 – 19 November at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), with the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on 18-19 November. Meanwhile, activist groups and civil society organizations are planning series of protests over the week against what they see as an attempt by the government to boost its legitimacy and greenwash the country’s major polluters.
Oct 15, 2022
A week has passed since the Northeastern massacre that left 37 dead. In the wake of the heartbreaking carnage, authorities and the media have begun to reflect on past errors and look for a way forward.

Interview

Mar 19, 2024
Left without answers following the disappearance of her husband, human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, Angkhana Neelapaijit has not only spearheaded the search for him but also campaigned for the criminalization of enforced disappearance in Thailand. Today, 20 years later, Angkhana is a member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. We speak to Angkhana 20 years after Somchai’s disappearance about her life since her husband went missing and her hope for Thailand after the enforcement of the new anti-torture and enforced disappearance law.
Jun 28, 2023
Having spent a decade of her life promoting gender diversity. Natakamon “Priest” Siwasilp, an intersex person and a co-founder of Intersex Thailand, discovered that being intersex is a natural variation of being human. Now, she uses her voice to expand awareness about intersex people, striving for a future where intersex people are wholeheartedly accepted and granted the rights to live the lives they truly desire.

Opinion

Mar 5, 2024
Yukti Mukdawijitra, associate professor of anthropology at Thammasat University, writes about his experience in the arraignment room at the South Bangkok Criminal Court after he was indicted on a royal defamation charge filed against him over a tweet from two years ago.
Feb 7, 2024
Our resident satirist Harrison George returns with another piece on the UK government's plan to deport refugees to Rwanda, and Thailand's need to boost its human rights image.

Pick to Post

Mar 28, 2024
Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls on the Thai Senate to promptly pass the Marriage Equality bill, which was approved by an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives yesterday (27 March), noting that passing the bill is an opportunity for Thailand to match its positive global reputation on LGBT rights with tangible legal protections.
Mar 25, 2024
UN experts said today (25 March) that they are alarmed by the royal defamation sentences against human rights lawyer Anon Nampa. They called on the Thai authorities to overturn Anon's conviction and drop the remaining charges against him and others facing prosecution. The Thai authorities must also bring the Criminal Code in line with international human rights standards and release those sentenced for exercising their rights to freedom of expression.
Mar 14, 2024
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) urge Cambodian authorities to implement without delay the recommendations made by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) to address and resolve cases of enforced disappearances in the country, including that of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit.