The trial for the murder of indigenous rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen has concluded, said the Cross-Cultural Foundation (CrCF). The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases will deliver a verdict on 28 September.

Three years after a group of villagers from the Bang Kloi indigenous Karen community were prosecuted for returning to their ancestral land in the Kaeng Krachan forest, the community is calling on the new government to help them return to the original location of their village at Chai Phaen Din, from which they were evicted over 20 years ago.

Following the death of an indigenous activist from dengue fever, indigenous and community rights groups are demanding that the Ministry of Public Health take responsibility, saying that her death is the result of racial discrimination and negligence by a local hospital.

Pinnapa Pruksapan, widow of murdered indigenous rights activist Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, has requested that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) continue to protect her and her family, after the DSI said that they are not important witnesses in Porlajee’s murder trial and will no longer keep them under its protection.

The trial of four Kaeng Krachan National Park officials charged with the murder of indigenous rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen began on Monday (24 April), 9 years after he went missing. His family say their lives have been turned upside down by his disappearance.

On the 9th anniversary of the disappearance of indigenous rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen, activists in Bangkok staged a protest to raise awareness about enforced disappearance and to call for reform of the justice system.

<p>Members of the Bang Kloi indigenous community employed as weavers in the local craft centre suffer poor working conditions and are paid less than the minimum wage, say activists from the Save Bang Kloi Coalition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indigenous Karen communities from Samoeng District, Chiang Mai, filed a petition on Tuesday (11 October) to oppose the designation of forest land as part of Ob Khan National Park, as the land includes their community forest and spiritual area.</p>

<p>Activists from the Save Bang Kloi Coalition submitted a petition on Tuesday&nbsp;(20 September) calling for the public prosecutor not to indict 29 members of the Bang Kloi indigenous Karen community charged with encroachment for returning to their ancestral home in the Kaeng Krachan forest in early 2021.</p>

<p>Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn, former Superintendent of Kaeng Krachan National Park, has filed a perjury complaint against human rights lawyer Waraporn Utairangsee, who was the legal representative for the Bang Kloi Indigenous Karen community and its spiritual leader Ko-i Meemi.</p>

<p>The indigenous Hmong community on Mon Jam, a mountain in Chiang Mai&rsquo;s Mae Rim District and now a famous tourist destination, staged a protest on Monday (29 August) to block forestry officials from demolishing their houses and homestays.</p>

<p>Community rights and indigenous rights activists in Chiang Mai were blocked by crowd control police today (24 August) during their march to submit a petition to an APEC leaders meeting at the Le Meridien Hotel.</p>