Thailand: Authorities intimidate pro-elections protesters outside Bangkok
Event- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 13, 2018
- Event Description
The authorities have summoned a student activist who planned to hold a pro-election rally in Chiang Mai. Meanwhile, the police are searching for a pro-election protester in Buriram. On 13 February 2018, a student activist (name withheld due to privacy concerns) from the Liberal Assembly of Chiang Mai University for Democracy (LACMUD) revealed that the police had summoned him after learning that the group plans to hold a pro-election protest on 14 February in front of the university. The student went to Phuphing Police Station to meet the authorities, but the officer who summoned him was absent. He added that the authorities also know his detailed personal information, like venues of classes he has to attend in a week. The activist assumed that the university provided his information to the authorities. He stated that the LACMUD had asked the police for permission to hold the activity but the authorities denied the request, reasoning that the group has to seek approval from the university. However, the group insisted on staging the rally tomorrow. In a related development, Yupha Saengsai, a redshirt, told Prachatai that police officers had visited her house in Buriram after she participated in the last weekend pro-election protest at Democracy Monument, Bangkok. The authorities claimed that she had violated the junta's order. "I'm not worried, but people surrounding me are very terrified. My mom, my dad and my child are frightened when they know[about the intimidation]," said Yupha. "Personally, I have nothing to fear. I've chosen this path. This is what I have to face. If there's an activity next time, I will go again." In April 2016, Yupha was arrested for joining a protest that urged the junta to free eight individual prosecuted for mocking the junta head Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on Facebook. The authorities released her without charges, however.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Right to political participation
- Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Student
- Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 13.7563309
Longitude: 100.5017651
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 13 February 2018, a student activist (name withheld due to privacy concerns) from the Liberal Assembly of Chiang Mai University for Democracy (LACMUD) revealed that the police had summoned him after learning that the group plans to hold a pro-election protest on 14 February in front of the university.