<div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/UNHumanRightsAsia/photos/a.657330534369993.1073741828.654755261294187/1248290651940642/?type=3&amp;theater">The UN Human Rights Office for South-East</a> Asia is concerned with the lack of progress on the investigation of the enforced disappearance of prominent Karen human rights defender Mr Pholachi “Billy” Rakchongcharoen who has been missing for four years. </div> <div> </div> <div>Billy was last seen when he was arrested by Kaengkrachan Park officials on 17 April 2014 for allegedly possessing illegal bottles of wild honey. </div>

<h2><strong>INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE VICTIMS OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES</strong></h2> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Thai Lawyers for Human Rights and the Cross Cultural Foundation write to you on this day, the 2017 International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, to express our serious concern at the ongoing delay in passing legislation aimed at protecting against torture, ill-treatment and enforced disappearance and the </div>

<p dir="ltr">Almost three years after the disappearance of Billy, the ethnic minority activist, the lives of the Karen in Kaeng Krachan remain in trouble, facing intimidation, drought and displacement.</p>

<p>Almost three years after the disappearance of a well-known Karen activist, Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation has refused to accept the case.</p>

<p>The former chief of a National Park has been appointed head of a new park protection unit despite the fact that he is the prime suspect in the enforced disappearance of a Karen rights activist.</p> <p>The&nbsp;<u>Daily News</u> reported on Tuesday, 3 May 2016, that Thanya Netithamkul, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), announced that the Department recently established a new forest and wildlife protection unit called the Tiger Corps Operation Unit.</p>

<div> <div>The two-year-long investigation into a Karen activist’s disappearance has made no progress. </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">Human rights advocacy groups urged the authorities to take actions against the prime suspects of the enforced disappearance of a Karen activist after two years of no progress. &nbsp;</p> <p>On Thursday, 7 April 2016, representatives of 22 human rights advocacy groups, such as Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), Network of Thailand’s Ethnic Minorities and Human Rights Lawyer Association (HRLA), submitted a joint statement on the enforced disappearance of Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, aka Billy, a Karen human and community rights activist, to the Department of National Parks (DNP).</p>

<p>Almost two years of after the disappearance of a Karen activist, the police have found several flaws in the testimony of national park officers and put up a 200,000 baht reward for information.</p> <p>Last Thursday, 14 January 2016, Angkhana Neelapaijit, Head of the Sub-Committee on Civil Rights of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), held a meeting to review progress in the case of the enforced disappearance of Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, aka Billy, a Karen human and community rights activist, who disappeared on 17 April 2014.</p>

<p>The wife of a Karen human rights defender who was disappeared last year has requested the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to investigate the disappearance of her husband as influential people are suspected in the case.</p> <p>Phinnapha Phrueksaphan at 10 am on Thursday, 6 August 2015, submitted a letter to the DSI to request the agency to take up the case of her husband, Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, aka Billy, a Karen human and community rights activist, who disappeared on 17 April 2014.</p>

<p>Phetchaburi Provincial Court accepted an appeal to hold an emergency trial to find a missing a Karen human rights activist who disappeared in April 2014.</p> <p>The Provincial Court on Tuesday accepted the appeal to hold an emergency trial under Article 90 of the Criminal Procedure Code to investigate the alleged unlawful detention of Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, aka Billy, a Karen human and community rights activist, who disappeared on 17 April 2014.</p> <p>The appeal request was submitted by Phinnapha Phrueksaphan, Billy’s wife.</p>

<p>The Karen tribes living in protected areas and national parks of western Thailand are worried about losing their livelihoods and being sidelined when the areas are declared a UNESCO natural world heritage site.</p>

<p><span>(BANGKOK,&nbsp; 16&nbsp; APRIL&nbsp; 2015)&nbsp; -&nbsp; The&nbsp; United Nations Human Rights Office for&nbsp;</span><span>South-East Asia&nbsp; (OHCHR) reiterated concerns about the lack of progress in</span><br /><span>the&nbsp; &nbsp;investigation&nbsp; &nbsp;on&nbsp; &nbsp;the&nbsp; &nbsp;enforced&nbsp; disappearance&nbsp; of&nbsp; Mr.&nbsp; Pholachi&nbsp;</span><span p> </span></p>