Thailand's military government must deliver the free and fair elections

Thailand Human Rights Campaign joined the 12th Asia Europe People's Forum (AEPF12) during 29 September - 1 October 2018 in Ghent, Belgium

Unending Repression
Thailand has been ruled by a military junta since May 2014 when the army toppled a democratically elected Pheu Thai government led by Yingluck Shinawatra, promising to make Thailand a rights- respecting democratic country and that is far from reality after over 4 years.

Civil rights suffering

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)-the ruling military government body has resorted to a range of tactics aims at silencing anyone who criticise them or raise concern over political developments in the country.

The military junta under Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha has banned political activities and public assembly, enforced media censorship, arbitrarily arrested dissidents, and detained civilians in military facilities. Authorities have used less majesty (insulting monarchy), sedition and computer crime charge to suppress free speech.

It’s unjustified suppression of the key human rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. Activists, including human rights defenders, have been targets. The suppression as extended to human rights researchers for their works on rights violations, lawyers for defending their clients, journalists for reporting on sensitive topics, academics for expressing opinion on academic freedom, and politicians for criticizing the government.

The lesson to be learned

In April 2016, the government enacted the Referendum Act, a law governing the constitutional referendum which was held on 7 August 2016. Article 61 of the Act provides for up to ten years imprisonment and a fine for “ anyone to disseminate texts, pictured or sounds that are inconsistent with the truth or in a violent, aggressive, rude, inciting or treating manner aimed at preventing a voter from casting a ballot to vote in any direction or not vote”.

Suppression of the campaigns on the Constitutional Referendum in 2016

In the month before the ballot, all critics voices were aggressively suppressed, with public forum cancelled, independent monitoring initiatives shut down, and books, pamphlets, letters, and other campaigns material seized.

In all, more than 100 individuals were charged with criminal offences relating thief peaceful activities, while dozen of students activists were arrested and arbitrarily detained for protesting against military rule. Hundred remain under investigation or be hide bar.

These tell us that human rights violations almost invariably intensify in the lead-up to polling day.

The 2019 General Elections

People remain skeptical as the regime has repeatedly postponed long-promise elections. The two bills were approved on September 12th by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and officially published in the Royal Gazette. Under the constitution, the government must comply with the new laws within 150 days from its enactment, expected to be held in May 2019.

Voters must elect 500 members to the Lower House, but military will effectively appoint 250 members to the Upper House. Both vote to select the prime minister, so the military still has the advantage and Prayut could be prime minister again.

The new military-backed constitution constrains further elected government with an appointed senate, and commits government to follow the military’s 20-year development plan.

Delays still possible

With special legislative powers accorded under Act 44, Prayut was allowed to implement any laws or regulations he saw it fit to maintain peace and stability.

The ongoing silencing of dissent

More than 200 people who have protested for elections have been charged with sedition-like offences. The authorities have repeatedly harassed and persecuted people for their speech, writing and internet posting critical of government agencies and officials under the Computer Crime Act. They faces up to five years in prison and fines for spreading false information and damage national security, if they found guilty.

Under the restrictions, the opposition parties have been unable to campaign and the military have used them as a method to shut down criticism.

Your support is needed

We urge international community to put pressure on the Thailand's military government to end repression and  lift restrictions on civil and political rights,including the Head of the NCPO Order 3/2015, the Head of the NCPO Order 13/2016, and the 2015 Peaceful Assembly Act so that upcoming national elections can be free and fair.

Download the leaflet, please click here

Stand in solidarity with women human rights defenders in Thailand on International Women's day

Today, Thailand Human Rights Campaign stand in solidarity with women human rights defenders in Thailand who face risks and attacks for their work to promote human rights. 

Thailand's interim Constitution, put in place by the military government after the May 2014 coup, remains in force. Article 44 gives the government sweeping, unchecked powers inconsistent with the fundamental pillars of the rule of law and human rights.

Junta leader Prayuth Chan-Ocha continues to exercise his “extraordinary powers” under Article 44 of the provisional constitution leading to arbitrary restrictions on human rights, which include peaceful political activities.

The military government has issued numerous orders and announcements under the interim Constitution, including some that criminalize political gatherings, allow arbitrary detention for up to seven days without charge, and provide military officers broad powers of law enforcement.

Various forms of intimidation, harassment from military officers, threats of death and enforced disappearance have been made to Women Human Rights Defenders in Thailand.

These courageous women have stood up for human rights in the face of harassment, indifference, and at times life-threatening danger,

We had a great time marching with @MillionWomen yesterday. #ProtectHer #IWD2017 #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/QK6McBa3fY

— THRC UK (@thaihrc) 12 March 2017

We call on the international community to join us in loudly calling Thai authorities to protect women Human Rights Defenders, urge them to drop all the cases, put an end to all investigations and stop harassment against women human rights defenders

Find more details about the campaign. Click here!

#ProtectHer

#ProtectHer is the campaign in protecting women human rights defenders in Thailand who face risks and attacks for their work to promote human rights. 

Women human rights defenders throughout Thailand continue to face threats, harassment, prosecution, and their legitimate work is systematically suppressed. Abuses against them do not appear to have been effectively and impartially investigated.

Who are 'women human rights defenders'?

Women who act to promote and protect human rights and all individuals who defend the human rights of women or work for gender equality are collectively known as 'women human rights defenders' or WHRDs. These defenders can be representatives of civil society and non-government organisations, grassroots activists, lawyers, journalists, and service providers who often help to ensure that women can exercise their rights.

Risks and Treats

Since the 2014 coup, Thailand’s military government has stepped up efforts to stifle all forms of dissent, including by imposing broad restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association.

Thailand’s military government has frequently resorted to arbitrary detention and criminal proceedings to silence those criticising the government or raising concerns about political developments in the country. However, it is not only political activists that have been targeted. Human rights researchers have also been investigated for their work on rights violations, lawyers for defending their clients, land rights activists for supporting communities at risk, journalists for reporting on sensitive topics, and academics for expressing opinions on academic freedom. 

Join us in supporting the ProtectHer. Show your solidarity that you stand with them. Keep sharing this among your friends and networks!

Here are some of the brave women human rights defenders (WHRDs) stories, who risk their lives.

Women human rights defenders - Pornpen Khongkachonkiet  

Women human rights defenders - Sirikan Charoensiri

Women human rights defenders - Anchana Heemmina

Women human rights defenders - Jittra Kotchadej

Immediately release the 7 student activists without charge for campaigning against the junta-sponsored charter draft

Thailand Human Rights Campaign UK (THRC UK) is deeply concerned  the 13 activists arrested for campaigning  to reject constitution in referendum. If convicted they could face up to ten years of imprisonment.

On 23 June 2016, authorities arrested 13 people while they were handing out leaflets urging people to vote “No” campaign for the referendum on the draft constitution. Campaigners wearing "vote no" campaign T-shirts had distributed leaflets about the Aug 7 referendum on the draft charter to people in Keha Bang Phli market in Bang Sao Thong district, Samut Prakan

On 24 June 2016, all the 13 campaigners were brought to the pre-trial remand hearing at the Bangkok Military Court. Seven of the thirteen  activists - students and graduates from Thammasat, Ramkhamhaeng and Kasetsart universities were ordered to be locked up by a military tribunal as they await their trial.

Six were released on bail, but continue to face charges. The remaining seven students refused to post bail and will remain in jail until a July 5 detention renewal hearing.

All of them are charged with violating the junta’s ban on political gathering of five persons and an offence against the Constitution Referendum Act 2016. They are subject to military court jurisdiction and, if found guilty, could face up to 10 years of imprisonment, fine of 200,000 Baht, and also have their right to vote revoked by court according to the Referendum Act.

The 13  activists included

1. Mr. Rangsiman Rome, 24 years, currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison

2. Mr. Korakoch Saengyenpan, 23 years, currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison

3. Mr. Anan Loket, 21 years, currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison

4.Mr. Thirayut Napnaram, 28 years, currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison

5.Mr. Yuttana Dasri, 27 years, currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison

6.Mr. Somsakol Thongsuksai, 20 years, currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison

7. Mr. Nantapong Panmat.24 years, currently detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison

8. Ms. Tueanjai Waengkham, 43 years, on temporary release with conditions imposed by military court

9. Ms. Pimai Ratwongsa, 43 years, on temporary release with conditions imposed by military court

10. Mr. Rackchart Wong-arthichart, 25 years, on temporary release with conditions imposed by military court

11. Ms. Konchanok Tanakhun, 45 years, on temporary release with conditions imposed by military court

12. Mr. Worawut Butmat, 23 years, on temporary release with conditions imposed by military court

13. Ms. Phanthip Saengathit, 22 years, on temporary release with conditions imposed by military court

THRC UK urgently calls on Thai authorities to release the 7 student activists immediately and unconditionally, with all charges against the 13 students and activists to be dropped.

Furthermore, THRC UK calls for Thai military government to respect the people’s freedom of expression and right to information by allowing campaigns, open discussions, and public exchanges about the process and the draft constitution which is the central matter to be decided upon on referendum day.

Additional information:

7 August 2016 is scheduled for the Constitutional referendum by the Thai military government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the junta-ruling body. In the run-up to the referendum, the New Democracy Movement (NDM), a group of student activists and other activists which was formed at the first anniversary of the coup in late June 2015, has started their campaign to encourage people to cast their votes to reject the draft Constitution as they are of the opinions that the draft is undemocratic.

One of 13 activists arrested this time, Mr. Rangsiman Rome, used to be remanded in custody in 2015 and has a trial pending against for violating the Order no. 3/2558 (3/2016) of the Head of the NCPO [ban on political gathering of five persons] and the Penal Code’s Article 116 [sedition-like offence]. On 25 June 2015, the 14 NDM members were arrested and charged as a result of their campaign to demand democracy. By rejecting the second motion for pre-trial remand filed by the police, the Bangkok Military Court ordered their release on 7 July 2015, after their having been remanded in prison for 12 days.

Click here to download the file

Campaign for the Free Thai Women political prisoners on Internation Women's Day

Statement on International Women’s Day

Today is a very important day for women all over the world. We, the Thailand Human Rights Campaign UK are very pleased to be joining women around the world in celebrating the achievement and lives of women.

Today, on this stage, we make a demand of the Thai military government and a plea to the international community.

We demand that the Thai military government immediately release all women political prisoners currently being held in Thailand. Our plea is that the international community lend their full support to secure this demand.

Thailand has many women activists who have sacrificed their freedom for their political beliefs. And these brave women often sacrifice so much more than their freedom, as prison conditions can have a terrible and lasting impact on their health. Thai prison conditions are notorious for being appalling.

After the military coups of September 2006 and, more recently, May 2014, the military government has prioritized prosecuting critics of the monarchy by using the arcane and draconian lese majeste laws. There is no doubt that these lese majeste laws have been used as a political weapon to stifle free speech and often give prison sentences that are decades long.

Under the current ruling military junta led by dictator General Prayut Chan-ocha the jurisdiction of military tribunals has been extended to cover civilian offenses involving lèse-majesté, national security, sedition, or the violation of any junta order. Cases tried in military courts have no right to appeal, and they are mostly adjudicated behind closed doors.   The number of individuals detained or imprisoned under Article 112 - the lèse-majesté law - has increased significantly.

We want to briefly share the story of one of the women currently imprisoned by military dictatorship. An activist, Porntip Munkong,26, was involved in the production of a play about a fictional monarch entitled "The Wolf Bride”  at Thammasat University in October 2013.

A royalist group complained to  13 police stations that the content of Porntip's play appeared to violate the lese majeste law. On 15 August 2014, immigration police arrested Porntip at Hat Yai International Airport while she was attempting to leave the country.  On 23 February 2015, The Bangkok Criminal Court sentenced Porntip to two and a half years in prison under Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code. Originally she was sentenced to five years in prison but the term was reduced to two years and six months due to confessions. She is currently detained in Central Women Correctional Institution.

We call on the Thai military government to meet our demand and to fully honor International Women’s Day and release all our sisters held in their prisons.

We humbly ask the international community to continue to fully examine all the actions of the Thai junta government and to hold them to account where possible. The people of Thailand need the international community to play a role in pressurising the Thai junta government to respect human and democratic rights.

We’re collecting inspirational quotes to send to Thai women political prisoners. Please join us in our social media campaign to send prisoners support message and let them know that they are not alone.

Full download is here: 

Stand with Thai Female Political Prisoners on International Women’s Day 2016

On International Women's day 2016, Thailand Human Rights Campaign UK calls on international women to stands in solidarity with Thai women behind bars.

Thailand has many women activists who sacrificed their freedom for their political beliefs. These brave women often sacrifice so much more than their freedom, as prison conditions can have lasting impact on their health.  There are several political prisoners sentenced to jail under lèse majesté. The only way to get released is to admit guilt. We include lese majeste prisoners as political.

Since the 22 May coup, the military government has prioritized prosecuting critics of the monarchy. The lese majeste laws have been used as a political weapon to stifle free speech.

The ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)—led by junta leader Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha—took power in a coup in May 2014. The NCPO has banned political gatherings of more than five persons. Under the interim constitution and orders issued by the NCPO, the courts were placed under its authority, and the junta extended the jurisdiction of military tribunals to cover civilian offenses involving lèse-majesté, national security, sedition, or the violation of any NCPO order. Cases tried in military courts have no right to appeal, and they are mostly adjudicated behind closed doors.   

Thailand's the military regime, the secrecy surrounding most lèse-majesté cases, it is unclear how many went to trial after the coup.

Thailand Human Rights Camoaing UK ( THRC UK) are calling international community  for the release of women political prisoners.  These women from the different sectors and the different struggles they represent are stripped of their freedom for months and years on end on the basis of trumped up criminal charges or political accusations, curtailing their democratic rights, their freedom of speech and their freedom of movement, as regimes use every repressive measure of the state to try to crush the struggle for national democracy and against imperialism.

THRC UK is launching the Free Her campaign to draw attention to the plight of Thai  women political prisoners.

We are going to share the story of these women in greater detail. We are sending a message to Thai Junta government. If you want to empower women, don’t imprison them on the basis of their views or on the basis of the rights that they are fighting for.

1. Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul aka ‘Da Torpedo’ has been convicted for giving three public speech defaming the King and has been sentenced to 15 years in jail. Her case has been finalized because. She was now serving her penalty.  

Ms. Chancherngsilpakul  is also known as “Da Torpedo”, former journalist at Pimthai Newspapers and Thai Sky Cable TV. Before detention, Ms. Chancherngsilpakul  was a political activist from Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), former name of United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).Da Torpedo was accused of making a public speech at Sanam Luang with words deemed transgressing the Lese Majeste law. The court found 3 guilty counts resulting in a 15-year imprisonment in total.  She has been denied proper medical treatment and has also been physically attacked in prison.

2 Papassanan or ‘Jedang Korat’ was convicted and sentenced to three years for burning a coffin with a message related to the president of the Privy Council of Thailand on it. Her case has been finalized and she has requested for the Royal Pardon.   

3. Porntip or Golf was alleged that she was involved in a play call "The Wolf Bride" of Iskra group which performed in a commemoration day of 14 October 1973 incident. A royalist group sent a complaint to 13 police station accusing that the content of the play seems to violate lese majeste law before the coup. On 15 August 2014, immigration police arrested her at Hat Yai International Airport while she was traveling aboard. She was taken to Bangkok and now detained in Central Women Correctional Institution.

4 Unchan works as a top-level government officer and also has online business. She was arrested by armed military officers at her house and was accused of uploading and publicizing Banpodj's audio clips with lèse majesté content.

The military court did not allow her on bail given that this is a case with severe penalty and the offense was committed under Martial Law. She is now detained at Women Correctional Institution

5 Sasivimol  a 29-year-old hotel worker  with two children in Chiang Mai Province was accused to post 7 messages that deemed to be offenses against Lese majeste on Facebook account with the name "Rungnapha Khamwichai". Sasivimol was summoned by the police to the police station in Muang District, Chiang Mai to signed a court warrant. However, soon as she arrived she charged with Le'se Majeste'.     

On 7 August 2015, Sasivimol plead guilty before the court and was sentenced for 8 years imprisonment each count together 56 years but reduced to 28 years.

6 Chayapa was accused for posting messages on Facebook about a double coup and insulting messages to the King. She was arrested on 19 June 2015 and the request for bail was denied.

Chayapa was charged for 5 counts. She was taken to the military court without advance notification or lawyers. The court sentenced her to 14 years and 60 months and reduced to 7 years and 30 months.

7 Natthida Miwangpa, a volunteer medic during the 2010 military crackdown on the red shirts, Nattatida worked alongside Kamonked Akhad, another volunteer, who was shot dead in Pathum Wanaram temple on 19 May 2010. That made her the key witness of the Army’s shooting of civilians in the temple. On March 11, 2015, five soldiers took her away from her home in Preksaksa district, Samut Prakarn province, near Bangkok. The Thai military junta initially denied any knowledge of Natthida's whereabouts, but handed her over to police six days later.

On March 17, the military handed her over to police at the Metropolitan Police Bureau, which charged her with committing terrorist acts and opposed her bail. Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha stated that Natthida is being investigated for alleged involvement in a grenade attack at the Bangkok Criminal Court on March 7, 2015.

Bannpodj's Network

Hassadin or DJ Banpodj  was arrested under article 112 of the Criminal Code for making a video clip of a political analysis program where part of the content deemed to be Lese Majeste. Apart from Hassadin, at least 9 individuals were arrested for shared the clip on the internet, other 2 were charge for supported the publicized of video clip.

The military court sentenced 8 of them for 10 years and reduced to 5 years in prison. While Saifon and 'Saichon' was sentenced to 6 years and reduced to 3 years in prison as supporters.

9 Saifon , was bank clerk when arrested. She lived with Hasdin for more than ten years.

10 Thiprachaya , 44 when arrested, former employee of the accounting sector at a private company, a graduate from the Faculty of Economics at Ramkhamhaeng University, a master’s degree in Economics at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, member of Facebook page “Kwan-Jing Khao-Jai Ngai Mue Khon-pob”

11 Nongnute , cloth retailer at Central Rama 3, member of Facebook page “Kwam-Jing Khao-Jai Ngai Mue Khon-pob”

12 Kornwan , 46 when arrested, private business owner, a high school graduate