- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 21, 2024
- Event Description
Sitanun Satsaksit, sister of missing activist in exile Wanchalearm Satsaksit, was met by a police blockade yesterday (21 February) when she attempted to protest in front of the Shinawatra family residence during a visit by former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen with Thaksin Shinawatra.
Sitanun travelled to Baan Chan Song La, the Shinawatra family residence, yesterday morning (21 February) intending to demand information about her brother’s disappearance after it was reported that Hun Sen would be visiting Thaksin, who has been released on parole.
However, police officers blocked her car, preventing her from reaching the residence. She decided instead to protest in front of the Siam Commercial Bank’s Sirindhorn Road branch, where she was surrounded by over 50 plainclothes officers.
Sitanun told Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) that she was held there for over 3 hours and that the police told her not to go anywhere without permission. She felt threatened because she was being surrounded by many men in plainclothes. She also noticed a unit of women crowd control officers moving towards her, but after she asked one of the men what they were doing there, the women officers moved away.
Sitanun also noticed during her conversation with the plainclothes officers that some of them has information about her place of work and could speak about specific incidents that only a person in the same building would know. The conversation made her feel unsafe, since she believed that she has been closely watched.
Sitanun said she came seeking the truth of her brother’s disappearance, since he went missing in Cambodia and used to work for the Pheu Thai Party before fleeingThailand.
Sitanun said that, while she was driving to Baan Chan Song La, she was surrounded by many police officers who asked her where she was going. When she told them her destination, she heard an officer shout an order to arrest her. She was frightened and decided to drive away and stop in front of the bank, a crowded, public area.
Deputy police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn later came to speak to Sitanun. He insisted the police were not ordered to arrest her on sight, and tried to ask her what she planned to do once she got to Baan Chan Song La. He also told her that it would affect Thailand’s reputation if she protests in front of Baan Chan Song La and that she should speak to him about what grievance she has.
Sitanun submitted a petition to Pol Gen Surachate calling for the Thai authorities to follow up on Wanchalearm’s disappearance, after the Cambodian delegation said during a review by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) that, although Wanchalearm went missing in Cambodia, no agents of the Cambodian government were involved in his disappearance. She also filed a complaint about the police harassment she experienced.
Sitanun was finally released after Cross-Cultural Foundation director Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, as Sitanun’s lawyer, told the police that Sitanun should be free to go since there is no reason to continue holding her. Sitanun headed to parliament to run an errand. However, she noticed while leaving the parliament building that she was being followed by plainclothes officers driving a car and at least 2 motorcycles.
TLHR said that a friend of Sitanun who announced on Facebook on Tuesday night (20 February) that Sitanun was staging a protest in front of Baan Chan Song La received a phone call from a person working for the Pheu Thai Party asking for information on Sitanun’s protest.
The friend received another phone call from anoter person in the Pheu Thai Party, who told her that they are worried about the protest and that speeches might be given insulting Thaksin and his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra in front of the family’s residence. The person told the friend to calm down, and that if they are not listened to, there will not be any more space to talk about Wanchalearm’s disappearance.
TLHR also noted that, while Sitanun was prevented from reaching the Shinawatra residence, Thaksin’s supporters, as well as others who said they used to support him but no longer do, were allowed to gather in front of the house and spoke to the media.
Pornpen said that many victims of enforced disappearance suffered the same fate as Wanchalearm. She called on the Cambodian government, as a signatory of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), to investigate what happened. She also called on the Thai authorities to follow up on the case with Hun Sen, who oversaw the investigation in Cambodia. She believes Cambodia authorities have enough information to make a case and thinks that the government should do its job to deliver justice to victims of enforced disappearance and their families.
Wanchalearm disappeared on 4 June 2020 while living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he fled after the 2014 military coup. Both the Thai and Cambodian authorities have repeatedly denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. The Cambodian authorities said after his abduction that his visa had expired on 31 December 2017 and that there was no evidence of him living in Phnom Penh. However, Wanchalearm’s sister Sitanun Satsaksit said he was travelling under a Cambodian passport with a Khmer alias and that he had a Cambodian bank account. So far, no progress has been made in the investigation into his disappearance.
A 2022 report by Prachatai and VOD found links between Wanchalearm and political elites both in Thailand and Cambodia. He was also deeply embedded in the Red Shirt Movement and had worked for the Pheu Thai Party. Sitanun said he worked for the current Bangkok governor, Chadchart Sittipunt from 2012 – 2014 when Chadchart was minister of transport in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s sister. Meanwhile, Thai dissident in exile Nuttigar Woratunyawit said he was part of an initiative to create an online network of Red Shirt activists and Pheu Thai supporters to counter the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, which was established by right-wing royalists in 2013 to depose the Yingluck government.
After arriving in Cambodia, Wanchalerm reportedly became acquainted with Khliang Huot, the former governor of Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changva district, who has been identified by several sources as a ‘handler’ for Thai exiles who fled to Cambodia following the 2014 coup. A photograph on Huot’s Facebook account in 2012 shows the man standing next to Thaksin and Hun Sen. Other photos show him with various Thai political figures, including Red Shirt leaders, former MPs and ministers from Yingluck’s cabinet.
He was also a supporter of fellow Thai exiles, many of whom sought advice from him about how to escape into Cambodia.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 22, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 20, 2024
- Event Description
A 53-year-old woman has been charged with royal defamation for a protest speech she made demanding the right to bail for detained political activists.
Kittiya (last name withheld), a food vendor from Si Sa Ket Province, came to the Yannawa Police Station in Bangkok on Tuesday to acknowledge a royal defamation charge, which stemmed from her activity during a protest in front of the Bangkok South Criminal Court in 2022 where she demanded the right to bail for the detained political activists.
Kittiya told a reporter that she received a summons under the royal defamation law and the Computer-related Crime Act on 17 February. Given that the summons required her to report to the Police Station on 15 February, she asked the police to issue a new summons but her request was denied. Rapeephong Chaiyarat, a member of the ultra-loyalist ‘People’s Centre for the Protection of the Monarchy’ filed the complaint.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reports that Kittaya was initially charged under the Sound Amplifier Act after she gave a speech on 19 July 2022. However, the police later concluded that her actions violated the royal defamation law, leading to additional charges.
Kittiya stated that she was not concerned about being prosecuted under the royal defamation law and it would not prevent her from continuing to fight for justice in the country. “Section 112 will not cause me to stop fighting or be disheartened. The country is being ruined like this. We need to move forward.” said Kittiya. The food vendor acknowledged that the situation might force her to close her restaurant, causing her employees to lose their jobs and her family to lose income.
She called for the proposed amnesty bill to include those charged with royal defamation as 112 cases are prolonged, causing difficulties for those prosecuted. She added that as the law allowed anyone to file a complaint, even parties not directly affected, it can be used to harass others by hiring people to file complaints
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 22, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Mar 5, 2024
- Event Description
Workers laid off from three garment production companies marched from the Democracy Monument to Government House today (5 March) to demand severance pay. They asked the government to cover the severance and press charges against the companies.
The workers were formerly employed by Alpha Spinning, AMC Spinning, and Body Fashion garment production companies. A total of over 1400 workers were laid off by the three companies.
The workers issued a statement saying that, since 2019, Body Fashion has laid off 1,174 people. In June 2023, Alpha Spinning laid off 132 people and AMC Spinning laid off another 153 people. None of the workers received severance from their former employers, and the Ministry of Labour was not able to demand that the companies pay the severance as required by the Labour Protection Law. The workers estimated that their former employers now owe them around 279 million baht.
The statement noted that the workers met with representatives of the Ministry of Labour on 22 December 2023, after two days of protest. Ministry representatives promised to ask the Cabinet to allocate an emergency budget to cover worker compensation until the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare raises money paid into the Employee Fund by those who were laid off and did not receive severance.
The authorities reportedly did not follow through on their promises, however. The Ministry did not press charges against the company and did not try to ensure that the workers were paid. The labour minister also reportedly did not follow the government’s policy to strictly enforce labour laws.
The workers demand that the government cover their severance at the rate ordered by the labour inspection officer. They also want the government to press charges against the companies to make them return any money the government spends on the severance to show that labour rights violators in Thailand cannot act with impunity.
A Body Fashion worker told iLaw that, for the past five years, workers have filed complaints with the Ministry of Labour, parliament, and the Labour Court but have not been paid, even though the court ordered their former employer to compensate them. Many workers were reportedly also not prepared to become unemployed in a society where older people have difficulty finding employment. After facing a police blockade on Chamai Maruchet Bridges, the workers wait throughout the afternoon. At around 17.40, 10 representatives met with government representatives for a negotiation. At around 20.10, the rest of the workers attempted to break through the blockade, but were blocked by units of crowd control police.
Thanaporn Wichan, an activist from the Labour Network for People’s Rights, said that the workers tried to get pass the police because the negotiation was taking a long time and they were concerned about the safety of their representatives. She noted that the negotiation ended at around 18.00, but they had to wait an hour for a record of the discussion to be issued.
According to the document, the Office of the Permanent Secretary will be following up with agencies responsible for prosecuting the three companies. Somkid Chuakong, the Prime Minister's deputy secretary-general, will also be working with relevant ministries to place an urgent request to the Cabinet to allocate budget to cover the workers' severance.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Labour rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 13, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Mar 1, 2024
- Event Description
Three activists have been charged with royal defamation and sedition for reading a statement and giving a speech during a protest in November 2021 after a complaint was filed against them by an ultra-royalist group leader.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that Chatchai Kaedam, Chatrapee Artsomboon, and Nawat Liangwattana reported to the police at Thungmahamek Police Station last Friday (1 March). The inquiry officer informed them that the charges resulted from a protest on 14 November 2021, when protesters marched to the German Embassy in Bangkok. The speeches of Chatchai and Chatrapee, as well as the group’s statement which Nawat read out, were deemed seditious and an offense under the royal defamation law.
The complaint against them was filed by Anon Klinkaew, leader of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy, who has filed several royal defamation complaints against activists and netizens and has been involved in attacks on pro-democracy activists and citizen journalists.
The 14 November 2021 protest came after the Constitutional Court’s ruling that calls for monarchy reform constitute an attempt to overthrow the “democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State.” Activists initially planned to march from the Democracy Monument to Sanam Luang but were forced to relocate after facing a police blockade. Instead, they marched from the Pathumwan Intersection to the German Embassy, during which three people were shot in front of the Institute of Forensic Medicine.
At the German Embassy, three activists met with Embassy representatives and submitted their open letter. Nawat then read out a statement saying that the increased power of the monarchy is moving Thailand away from a democratic regime and towards an absolute monarchy, while royalists are trying to rewrite history so that the monarch has the power to rule the country and the people are reduced to mere inhabitants.
The statement said that it is therefore unavoidable that the monarchy’s expansion of power must be stopped to bring about democracy. It also insisted that they are not calling for an abolition of the regime but are fighting for a regime in which everyone is equal.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 13, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 25, 2024
- Event Description
The Criminal Court has once again denied bail for detained activists Tantawan Tuatulanon and Nutanon Chaimahabut, who are now on the 14th day of a dry hunger strike.
Sommai Tuatulanon, Tantawan’s father, filed a bail request for Tantawan and Nutanon on Saturday (24 February). He was asked to return on Sunday (25 February) when their original detention order would expire, with a medical certificate.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said the Court ruled to deny them bail on the grounds that it has no reason to change its existing order because the two activists are already receiving medical attention, and ordered them detained for 12 more days.
Tantawan and Nutanon were arrested on 13 February on several charges, including sedition, for allegedly honking at and blocking a royal motorcade and for posting dash cam footage of the incident. They were subsequently denied bail.
In a Facebook post on 11 February, Tantawan said that she did not block or cut off the motorcade. She also said she did not know that there was going to be a motorcade. She was on the way back from a funeral and admitted that she was speeding because she was in a hurry.
The dashcam footage shows the vehicle stuck in traffic, and that the horn was sounded when it moves to the front of the line and the lane was blocked by a police vehicle. The footage also shows the vehicle stuck behind another police vehicle while at the exit from the expressway, and a police officer was seen approaching the vehicle before Tantawan was heard arguing.
Immediately after being denied bail, Tantawan and Nutanon went on a dry hunger strike to call for a reform of the justice system, an end to the detention of dissidents, and for Thailand to be rejected when it runs for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council.
Tantawan was transferred to the Thammasat University Hospital last Thursday (22 February). The referral document from the Corrections Hospital states that she has been refusing food and water since 14 February, and that the Corrections Hospital had her transferred because her condition is “beyond their ability” to care for. Nutanon, meanwhile, remains at the Correction Hospital. Both are refusing medical intervention.
Activist Noppasin Treelayapeewat said after the court ruling was issued that the Court had received a petition from Sonthiya Sawasdee, a royalist activist and former Phalang Pracharath MP candidate, objecting to the two activists’ release. He also noted that the Court has yet to take into consideration Sommai’s promise that he would prohibit his daughter from participating in political activism if she is granted bail.
Yesterday (26 February), Sommai and lawyer Krisadang Nutcharus filed a petition with the Chief Justice of the Criminal Court stating that, while Sommai does not wish to file for appeal, he asks that the Court take responsibility for the two activists. The petition notes that they have not been indicted on the charges against them and should be treated as innocent, and says that the court should consider who will be held responsible if they die as a result of being detained.
Sommai said that all he is trying to do is get Tantawan and Nutanon released so they can receive medical attention. He noted that the charges against them are still being investigated and asked how the court could say that they are facing a charge with a high penalty when they have not been indicted. He insisted that they are not a flight risk and that they could not tamper with evidence, and said that the authorities must be held responsible if anything happens to them.
Krisadang said that Tantawan and Nutanon’s condition has worsened, and that the Corrections Hospital will be transferring Nutanon to another hospital but no hospital has accepted the referral. He said that Tantawan’s father wanted to inform the Court of why the two activists must be released, noting that both himself and Sommai believe that any appeal or new bail request they file will be rejected.
Meanwhile, other activists and protesters have been staging a protest at the Victory Monument in Bangkok for the past three days against the denial of bail for Tantawan and Nutanon and demanding the release of other political prisoners.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 13, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jan 17, 2024
- Event Description
The Observatory has been informed about the new conviction, prison sentence, and ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr Anon Nampa, prominent pro-democracy activist and human rights lawyer.
On January 17, 2024, the Bangkok Criminal Court found Anon Nampa guilty under Article 112 of the Thailand Criminal Code (“lèse-majesté”) [1] and Section 14(3) of the Computer Crimes Act [2] and sentenced him to four years in prison. These charges stemmed from three Facebook posts he published on January 1 and 3, 2021, questioning the enforcement of Article 112 of the Criminal Code and advocating for the right to freedom of expression in connection with criticism of the Thai monarchy [3] reforms.
At the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal, Mr Anon remains detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison, where he has been arbitrarily imprisoned since his previous conviction on “lèse-majesté” charges on September 26, 2023.
The Observatory recalls that this is not the first conviction of Mr Anon under Article 112 of the Criminal Code. On September 26, 2023, the Criminal Court sentenced him to four years in prison on one count of “lèse-majesté”, and a fine of 20,000 baht (approximately 525 Euros) for violation of the Emergency Decree. This case stemmed from a speech Mr Anon delivered on October 14, 2020, at a peaceful demonstration at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument, where protesters had gathered to call on the government to comply with the three demands put forward by the pro-democracy movement that began in February 2020, including a reform of the Thai monarchy. Mr Anon was charged with “lèse-majesté” over his statements referring to King Rama X as the person with the sole authority to order the dispersal of protests, instead of the riot police. On September 30, 2023, the Court of Appeals rejected Mr Anon’s request for bail, citing the severity of his sentence and the fact that he would be a flight risk, if released on bail.
The Observatory further recalls that Anon Nampa is currently facing legal action in connection with 12 more “lèse-majesté” cases. Mr Anon was previously arbitrarily detained twice at the Bangkok Remand Prison: the first time for 113 days, from February 9 to June 1, 2021, on charges of “lèse-majesté” and “sedition” (Article 116 of Thailand Criminal Code) in connection with a speech concerning the Thai monarchy he made at a peaceful pro-democracy protest at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang on September 19, 2020; and the second time for 202 days, from August 11, 2021, to February 28, 2022, in relation to 12 other “lèse-majesté” cases. His temporary release requests were denied numerous times.
The Observatory notes with concern that between November 24, 2020, and December 31, 2023, 262 people, including many human rights defenders and 20 minors, were charged under Article 112 of the Criminal Code. Fifteen of them are currently detained pending trial, and six more serving prison sentences.
The Observatory strongly condemns the new conviction, sentencing, and ongoing arbitrary detention of Anon Nampa, and the ongoing judicial harassment against him, which seem to be only aimed at punishing him for his legitimate human rights activities and the exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly.
The Observatory calls on the Thai authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him and all other arbitrarily detained human rights defenders in the country and to put an end to the judicial harassment against them.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Lawyer, Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 10, 2024
- Event Description
Members of ultra-royalist groups attacked activists and citizen journalists during a gathering in the Siam shopping district on Saturday (10 February), injuring 10 activists, 2 citizen journalists, and another person observing the gathering.
The incident took place at the exit from the Siam BTS station next to Siam Paragon shopping mall, while activist Tantawan Tuatulanon was reading a statement about a video clip released on 4 February, which showed an argument with a police officer blocking the road during a royal motorcade.
As she was reading out her statement, members of several ultra-royalist groups climbed over metal fences that Siam Paragon employees had placed to block the BTS station exit and attacked the activists. Police officers stationed in the area attempted to defuse the situation by removing the activists from the scene. Initially, they were taken inside the BTS station, before being taken in a police van to the nearby Pathumwan Police Station.
10 activists were injured, and have decided to press charges against their attackers. Napatsorn Boonree, a regular protest-goer who was observing the gathering, was also injured.
Citizen journalists Paradorn Ketphuak and Chen Chiwobancha were also attacked while livestreaming the incident. Paradorn said objects were thrown at them while they were walking around the area to see whether any activist was still around. He was then attacked by two royalist group members while at the Siam BTS station. He said that he was slapped in the face, breaking his glasses, and that one also hit his phone, knocking it to the ground.
Paradorn said that Wasan Tongmontho, leader of the Blue Blood Warriors group, pushed him to the ground and held him down with his knees. Paradorn called for help from nearby police officers who then took him away from the police station.
Paradorn is pressing charges against his attackers for assault and destruction of property. He said that members of the ultra-royalist group the People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy previously attacked him while he was livestreaming at a protest in front of the Criminal Court, but there has been no progress in the complaint he filed against them.
Meanwhile, Chen said he was standing behind the ticket gate at the BTS station. Anon Klinkaew, leader of the People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy, threw a bottle at him and climbed over the ticket gate. Chen said that an officer stopped Anon from punching him while holding him by his collar. However, he was then punched to the ground and kicked by another person. He is also pressing charges for assault.
Members of the group also threatened a Prachatai reporter filming the incident in an attempt to intimidate him into stopping the recording.
At least 3 members of the royalist groups were also injured. Wasan was hit in the head and arm, possibly with a baton carried by an activist who was blocking him from getting close to Tantawan.
At Pathumwan Police Station, Tantawan told reporters that she apologized for driving carelessly, but noted that every citizen has the right to raise questions about royal motorcades. She showed a picture of the poll she conducted 2 years ago on whether people face trouble from royal motorcades, and asked why dissidents are still prosecuted in a democratic country.
“Is our country really democratic? I want to ask the adults in this country, and I don’t know how they are going to answer me. Are they going to answer by slapping me with more charges? Will they put me in jail again?” said Tantawan.
Tantawan said that she wanted no violence and only wanted to make her statement. She said she was punched in the head and her hair was pulled, while another activist named Khatatorn was put in a chokehold and punched repeatedly. She said that, although an activist was seen in a video clip hitting Wasan with a baton, it was in self-defence, since Khatatorn was attacked first and everyone else was helping him and trying to defend themselves.
Khatatorn said he saw the royalist group members walking towards Tantawan and tried to tell them that the event was over and they were about to leave. Instead, he was put in a chokehold and punched.
15-year-old activist Thanalop Phalanchai also said someone yanked at her hair and collar because she tried to help another activist being attacked.
- Impact of Event
- 12
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Blogger/ Social Media Activist, Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 13, 2024
- Event Description
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), a legal firm which provides pro-bono representation for pro-democracy activists and protesters, has been threatened with violence after they provided legal support to two activists arrested on several charges, including sedition, for allegedly honking their car horn at and blocking a royal motorcade.
TLHR said today (14 February) that, at around 14.30, they received an anonymous phone call to their office from an middle-aged man who demanded the contact information for a lawyer representing Tantawan Tuatulanon and Nutanon Chaimahabut. The pair were arrested yesterday (13 February) on charges of sedition, violation of the Computer Crimes Act, causing a public annoyance and are now detained.
The man also threatened that he would lead his group in an armed raid on TLHR’s office.
A TLHR information officer told Prachatai that their office has been receiving threatening phone calls from the same number since yesterday (13 February) and that the caller(s) were unhappy that they were helping Tantawan and Nutanon file post bail.
Formed in the days after the May 2014 military coup, when the military was summoning and arresting dissidents and trying civilians in military courts, TLHR has provided pro-sbono legal representation for activists and members of the public prosecuted for political expression and charged under laws which violate basic civil and political rights, including the Computer-Related Crime Act, the Public Assembly Act, the royal defamation law, and the sedition law.
They have also documented and monitored human rights violations in the country since the coup. Their reports are published on their website and social media accounts as news articles, reports, legal opinions, and public statements to raise public awareness about these violations.
Update: TLHR said today (15 February) that they were visited by a man wearing a purple shirt who came to their office without prior appointment. The man claimed to be a retired civil servant who had attended an administrative lawyer workshop and came from Phitsanulok to pick up a document.
TLHR's information officer said the man could not name the specific document he needed, and was demanding that to be inside the office. When told to contact TLHR through the normal channel, the man demanded to be told the name of any TLHR officer he can contact.
The information officer said that the man is not being represented by any of TLHR's lawyers. He also spent 15 minutes demanding the document before leaving. However, TLHR could not confirm whether was was the same person who has been calling to threaten them.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Surveillance
- Rights Concerned
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Lawyer, NGO
- Perpetrator-State
- Unknown
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 12, 2024
- Event Description
Two activists have been denied bail after they were arrested on several charges, including sedition, for allegedly honking at and blocking a royal motorcade.
Tantawan Tuatulanon and Nutanon “Frank” Chaimahabut were arrested yesterday (13 February) on charges of sedition, violation of the Computer Crimes Act, and causing a public annoyance.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that the police accused them of honking at and trying to cut off a royal motorcade for Princess Sirindhorn, the King’s younger sister, as well as for responding rudely to police officers speaking with them about their manner of driving.
Nutanon was also charged with insulting an officer and repeatedly using the vehicle’s horn without proper reason.
The police charged them with sedition after Tantawan posted a video clip from her dashcam, which the police claim caused conflict in the society. The video clip was posted publicly on Tantawan’s Facebook profile which has over 37,000 followers and people were commenting on it, some siding with her and some expressing disagreement.
In a Facebook post on 11 February, Tantawan said that she did not block or cut off the motorcade. She also said she did not know that there was going to be a motorcade. She was on the way back from a funeral and admitted that she was speeding because she was in a hurry.
The dashcam footage shows the vehicle stuck in traffic, and that the horn was sounded when it moves to the front of the line and the lane was blocked by a police vehicle. The footage also shows the vehicle stuck behind another police vehicle while at the exit from the expressway, and a police officer was seen approaching the vehicle before Tantawan was heard arguing.
During Tantawan and Nutanon's bail hearing, an officer from Din Daeng Police Station testified that the vehicle Tantawan and Nutanon were in was only speeding after the royal motorcade had passed and traffic had resumed. It also did not cut in front of the royal motorcade since it could not get past the final vehicle in the motorcade.
TLHR said that Tantawan and Frank received a summons to hear the charge of causing a public annoyance on 12 February, but asked for a postponement because they had class and work. However, the police insisted on having them meet the inquiry officer on the morning of 12 February, claiming that the officer was not free in the afternoon. They asked to postpone the appointment to 20 February. Their lawyer delivered the request to the police on 12 February, but an arrest warrant was issued for them nonetheless.
Tantawan and Nutanon denied all charges. As they refused to sign any document or to be fingerprinted, they were charged with refusing to follow an officer’s order.
The two activists were arrested in front of the Ratchadapisek Criminal Court, where they had been since 9.00. They were waiting to hear the outcome of a bail request for two reporters who were arrested for covering an incident in March 2023 when an activist sprayed graffiti onto a wall at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
They were initially brought to Din Daeng Police Station. The police later told their lawyer that the two activists would be separated and Tantawan was to be detained at Chalongkrung Police Station. When Tantawan refused and insisted on being detained with Nutanon at Din Daeng Police Station, the police had 4 women crowd control officers carry her to a detention truck. A lawyer who followed her to Chalongkrung Police Station found that she had several bruises from being forced into and out of the truck.
The Criminal Court today (14 February) ordered Tantawan and Nutanon detained for 12 days so that they could not tamper with evidence. They were subsequently denied bail on the grounds that the charges against them carry a high penalty, and that they were likely to cause further disorder in society and disrupt the investigation.
TLHR said that the inquiry officer at Din Daeng Police Station testified during the bail hearing that he does not know which other eyewitness he has to interview, and that the two activists were also unlikely to know these witnesses.
The Dusit Municipal Court previously refused to issue an arrest warrant for the pair because of the sudden nature of the request. Although they were initially charged with a misdemeanour, the inquiry officers decided that they should also be charged with sedition and requested an arrest warrant from the Criminal Court instead.
Tantawan and Nutanon are now being detained at the Women Central Correctional Institution and the Bangkok Remand Prison, respectively. After they were brought to prison, other activists and protesters staged a demonstration in front of the prison entrance to demand their release.
They have announced in a letter that, in protest of their detention, they will be going on a dry hunger strike and will not be filing for bail. They called for a reform of the justice system, an end to the detention of dissidents, and for Thailand to be rejected when it runs for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 12, 2024
- Event Description
Thai authorities should drop all charges pending against journalist Nutthaphol Meksobhon and photographer Natthapon Phanphongsanon and stop harassing the press for reporting on issues related to the nation’s monarchy, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday.
Nutthaphol, a reporter with the local independent Prachatai news website, and Natthapon, a freelance photographer, were arrested and charged on Monday by the Royal Palace Police Station with collaborating in vandalizing a sacred historical site, according to multiple press reports.
The charges stem from their reporting in March 2023 that an activist spray-painted graffiti on the outside wall of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in the capital Bangkok’s Grand Palace complex, those sources said.
The journalists were released on 35,000 baht (US$980) bail on Tuesday after being detained overnight. Charges under the Cleanliness Act and Ancient Monuments Act combined carry a maximum seven-year prison sentence and 700,000 baht fine (US$19,600), those sources said.
Several reporters were at the scene of the incident, according to reports, and it is unclear why Nutthaphol and Natthapon were singled out.
“Nutthaphol Meksobhon and Natthapon Phanphongsanon should not be threatened with lengthy jail sentences for merely doing their jobs as journalists in reporting on a social activist’s vandalism,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. “If Thailand wants to be taken seriously as a democracy, it should start acting like one by allowing the press to do its job without harassment or fear of arbitrary reprisal.”
The activist spray-painted an anarchist symbol and a crossed-out number 112 on the wall, in reference to Article 112 in Thailand’s Criminal Code, which provides for up to 15-year prison sentences for anyone found guilty of insulting the king, queen, heir apparent, and regent. Mass protests in 2020 and 2021 and the opposition Move Forward Party have called for reforms to the so-called lèse majesté law.
Prachatai is known for its consistent reporting on royal affairs, including on activists and others who are charged and jailed under Article 112.
Prachatai editor-in-chief Tewarit Maneechai was quoted by news agencies as saying that the arrests were “an act of intimidation” that “created fear about news coverage of sensitive issues.” He said the reporters were unaware of the charges against them prior to their arrests.
Thailand’s Royal Police Headquarters did not immediately reply to CPJ’s emailed request for comment on the charges.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 20, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 18, 2024
- Event Description
A 21-year-old activist has been arrested for royal defamation over a social media post of a picture of a man holding 2 pieces of paper with offensive messages in front of a picture of the King and Queen. He was later granted bail.
On 18 January, an activist ‘Bank’ Natthaphon (surname withheld), was arrested by police from Thung Song Hong Police Station for a Facebook post of a man in black wearing a crash helmet and holding 2 pieces of paper with offensive messages in front of a picture of the King and Queen. Another activist, ‘Ta’ Khathathon was also a suspect, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
The complaint was filed by Anon Klinkaew, leader of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy.
Natthaphon stated that he was arrested in the middle of the night in front of his own home. While heading home, he was cut off by plainclothes police on a motorcycle. He said he was surrounded by 8-9 men. Some were disguised as homeless people in the area.
The police did not show him an arrest warrant, but instead read it to him briefly. He was taken to Samran Rat Police Station, where he was not able to contact anyone until after his arrest was recorded. Natthaphon was informed that he was charged under the royal defamation law and the Computer-Related Crime Act.
The arrest record claimed that he tried to flee. In fact, he was arrested at his own home and had not received a summons. Natthaphon refused the fingerprinting process and denied all allegations. As a result, he faced an additional charge of failing to follow an official’s order. He was detained overnight.
On 19 January, Natthaphon was taken to court for a detention hearing. On the same day, the court granted bail with 180,000 baht as security on the condition that he does not commit the same offence.
Natthaphon was previously prosecuted for royal defamation after being accused of burning a royal arch in front of the Ministry of Labour during a protest on 14 September 2021. That case is in the witness examination stage.
He was also prosecuted for setting fire to a police truck during a protest on 11 June 2022. In this case, he was detained twice: during the investigation and the trial. Initially, he was detained for eight months before being granted bail. After the court sentenced him to three years in prison, he was detained for two months before being granted bail on condition that he wear an Electronic Monitoring bracelet.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 15, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jan 19, 2024
- Event Description
A 28-year-old activist has been charged with royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crime Act over a Facebook photo of a man holding pieces of paper with profanities in front of a portrait of King Vajiralongkorn.
‘Ta’ Khathathon, an activist from the Thalugaz group, turned himself in to the police on Friday night (19 January). He learned that there was an arrest warrant for him after Natthaphon, a 21-year-old activist, was arrested and charged over the same Facebook photo.
The complaint against Khathathon and Natthaphon was filed by Anon Klinkaew, leader of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy.
In a video clip posted on activist Tantawan Tuatulanon’s Facebook page on Friday afternoon, Khathathon announced that he was turning himself in to show that he is not a flight risk. He also said that he would refuse to be transferred to any police station other than Samran Rat Police Station, which is responsible for the case against him and Natthapon, who was transferred to Thung Song Hong Police Station.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that, while Khathathon and other activists were gathering in front of Samran Rat Police Station, a plainclothes officer approached Khathathon and read out his arrest warrant.
While held at Samran Rat Police Station, Khathathon refused to be fingerprinted and was subsequently charged for refusing to follow an officer’s order. TLHR noted that the police also asked to collect a sample of his DNA, but Khathathon and his lawyer refused.
After the inquiry officer informed him of his charges, the police took Khathathon to Thung Song Hong Police Station. In protest, Khathathon refused to get out of the police truck and spent the night in the vehicle, which was parked in front of the police station surrounded by metal railings.
The Criminal Court granted Khathathon bail using a security of 180,000 baht. He was also given the condition that he must not repeat the action for which he was accused or his bail will be revoked.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 15, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jan 23, 2024
- Event Description
Two lecturers and a former student at Chiang Mai University have been indicted on charges relating to an incident in October 2021, when students took over the University Art Centre after the Faculty of Fine Arts and the university administration prohibited them from showing their final theses, some of which dealt with social and political themes.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said yesterday (23 January) that Faculty of Fine Arts lecturers Sorayut Aiemueayut and Thasnai Sethaseree and Faculty of Fine Arts graduate Yotsunthorn Ruttapradid were indicted on charges of trespassing and destruction of property.
TLHR said that the public prosecutor originally intended to dismiss the charges, but the Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5 objected to the dismissal. The public prosecutor eventually indicted them on both charges, stating that they destroyed university property worth 3,314 baht, including sets of chains, door bolts, and padlocks.
Thasnai raised questions during a press conference before reporting to the public prosecutor whether the university has committed perjury by filing the complaint, or if it is attempting to silence the three people charged.
Meanwhile, Yotsunthorn said that universities should not curb students’ education or silence them, especially in art programmes. He also said that if he hadn’t cut the chains, someone else would have done so.
“New knowledge needs as broad limits as possible. It shouldn’t be that you are locking gates and making it small, and stopping people from talking. For artists, not being able to exhibit our work is like being silenced. It’s not right, so we decided that we are going to keep on with our work. We just needed to cut the chains, because our [department] building is already in there,” he said.
In October 2021, students from the Media Arts and Design Department, along with several lecturers, occupied the Chiang Mai University Art Centre after 4th year students were prohibited from exhibiting their final theses in the Art Centre because some pieces addressed social and political themes.
The students said that after filing a request to use the University Art Centre to organize a thesis exhibition, the university administration repeatedly asked them for additional information and documents. Students were also required to submit information about every piece that was to be exhibited, and were told that some pieces would not be allowed, as the Faculty felt that they were politically inappropriate and unfit for public exhibition.
Several days before the exhibition, students found that electricity and water at the Media Arts and Design department building had been cut, allegedly on orders from the Faculty Dean. All exits from the building grounds were also locked with chains. The next day, students and lecturers cut the chains and occupied the University Art Centre to set up their exhibition.
Since participating in the exhibition is a requirement for the students to complete their project and receive a grade for the class, the university’s refusal to grant them permission to use the Art Centre caused concerns that the exhibition would not be ready for the schedule opening date, and put them at risk of failing their class. The students therefore filed for a temporary injunction with the Chiang Mai Administrative Court, which ruled in their favour but did not issue an order to the University because the students had already occupied the Art Centre and exhibited their theses.
After the exhibition, students filed a petition with the Chiang Mai University Council, the House Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice, and Human Rights, and the House Committee on Education to have Asawinee Wanjing, then Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, and then-university President Dr Niwet Nantajit removed from office for attempting to prohibit students from exhibiting their theses and violating their academic freedom.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also said that the university had violated academic freedom, which is a violation of human rights, by not informing the students whether they would be allowed to use the Art Centre in a timely manner. It also issued a recommendation to the Chiang Mai University administration that it should be careful when making decisions so as not to violate academic freedom.
The NHRC also recommended that the Faculty of Fine Arts should amend their regulation on requesting the use of the University Art Centre so that there is a clear time frame on when requests would be approved and so students and lecturers would be allowed to speak to the Art Centre Committee when seeking permission.
In November 2022, Asawinee filed a complaint against Sarayut, Thasnai, and Yotsunthorn. The complaint was filed on behalf of the university administration, who issued a letter granting Asawinee the power of attorney to do so.
In March 2021, Asawinee, along with several other faculty personnel attempted to remove students’ art projects from the Media Arts and Design Department building without first informing the students, claiming that some items constituted a possible violation of the law. The move prompted protests from students and lecturers. Students whose projects were going to be removed also filed charges of theft and destruction of property against Asawinee and the faculty personnel involved, as their projects were damaged during the incident and some went missing.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Academic, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: lecturers, student face charges
- Date added
- Feb 15, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jan 26, 2024
- Event Description
The South Bangkok Criminal Court on Friday (26 January) revoked bail for activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom, claiming she violated her bail condition by participating in a protest at the Ministry of Culture on 6 August 2023.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that the Court cited a witness testimony that Netiporn sprayed paint onto Queen Suthida’s personal flag, which the Court said could damage the monarchy’s reputation. It ruled that she violated the condition she was given when granted bail on a royal defamation charge, i.e. that she must not repeat her offence.
TLHR said that Netiporn was also sentenced on the same day to 1 month in prison on a contempt of court charge for an incident on 19 October 2023, during which a police officer hit Netiporn with a baton and injured her. She decided not to file for bail in both cases and is now detained at the Central Women Correctional Institution.
An inquiry officer at Pathumwan Police Station filed a request in November 2023 to revoke bail for Netiporn and activist Tantawan Tuatulanon. The Court ruled not to revoke Tantawan’s bail, citing lack of evidence that she violated her bail condition while participating in the protest.
On 6 August 2023, activists staged a protest at the Ministry of Culture to demand that Senator and poet Naowarat Pongpaiboon be stripped of his national artist status after he abstained during the parliamentary vote to choose a Prime Minister when former Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat was nominated, saying that his abstention made him a hypocrite since he had initially pledged to vote for the Prime Minister nominated by the majority of the lower house.
18 activists who participated in the protest were subsequently charged with trespassing, destruction of property, using fireworks without permission, holding a public gathering without notifying the authorities, and vandalizing public property.
TLHR said last night (29 January) that Netiporn has been undergoing a dry hunger strike since Saturday (27 January) in protest of her detention.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: detained pro-democracy WHRDs denied bail again despite deteriorating health (Update)
- Date added
- Feb 15, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Feb 2, 2024
- Event Description
Three Cambodian human right activists, including a former government party member, have been arrested in Thailand, according to human rights groups.
Lem Sokha, Phan Phana and Kung Raiya were arrested Friday, along with their families, the Manushya Foundation and Human Rights Watch told VOA.
The arrests come just days before Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will make an official visit to Thailand on February 7.
Lem Sokha, 45, is the vice president of the Cambodian Refugee Committee and had been in Thailand since 2017. He was arrested in Bangkok. Phan Phana, 41, is a member of the Global Cambodia Youth Network and fled to Thailand in 2022. And Kung Raiya, 32, who fled to Thailand in July, is a former member of Cambodia's opposition Candlelight Party and Cambodia's ruling government party.
All three activists had fled to Thailand to avoid political persecution. The Cambodians are recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also known as UNHCR, as persons of concern.
All three were reportedly planning to arrange a political protest on the day of Hun Manet's arrival in Thailand. A report by VOA's sister network Radio Free Asia shows a photo of Raiya as Thai immigration officials arrive at his home.
Both Phana and Raiya's families were also arrested.
Emilie Palamy Pradichit, the founder of the Manushya Foundation in Bangkok, contacted VOA about the arrests. She described the arrests as unjust and called for the activists' release.
"The unjust arrest of three Cambodian activists, along with their families, including four small children aged between 1 and 5 years, just before PM Hun Manet's upcoming visit to Thailand is deeply concerning. This highlights the harsh reality of transnational repression, where Cambodian and Thai authorities are working hand in hand against these individuals. We, a coalition of human rights organizations, are tirelessly working to secure their release," she told VOA.
Phana, who was arrested at his home in the city of Rayong but was taken into custody in Bangkok, has been charged with crossing the border illegally, according to VOA sources familiar with the matter who chose to remain anonymous. His wife, Seim Kork, 33, and two sons, aged 1 and 2 years old, were also arrested.
Raiya was detained in Bangkok and was charged for overstaying his visa in Thailand, according to VOA sources familiar with the matter. His wife Sok Sreynich, 28, and their son, 1, and daughter, 5 were also arrested but are being held in a different detention facility.
Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia Division, insists the activists and their families should be sent to a third country.
"Our view is that those people shouldn't be arrested. It shouldn't be a crime to seek protection in a neighboring country when you're on the run for your political or human rights activities in your home country. They should be finding a way to help them go to a third country where they'll be safe instead of persecuting him in this way," he told VOA.
"How traumatic is this for a two-year-old and a four-year-old they see their dad being arrested in Rayong and with his wife and children separated from them. This is the real drama that these decisions by the Thai officials cause for these refugee families," he added.
VOA contacted the Cambodian Embassy in Thailand for comment but has yet to receive a reply.
Leaders promise new era
Cambodia has been ruled by the same political party for 45 years. The Cambodia People's Party has maintained its grip on power by banning opposition parties and cracking down on dissidents. Critics of Cambodia's leadership have been threatened with arrest and targeted either at home or abroad in recent years, including in Thailand.
Thailand and neighboring Cambodia have endured a complicated relationship over the years, mainly over border and cultural conflicts. Now Bangkok and Phnom Penh have new government leaders and both have promised a new era in relations after Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met Manet in Cambodia last year, vowing to work together on transnational crime.
Arrests seen as transnational repression
Robertson says Friday's arrests are an example of transnational repression.
"This is Thailand's welcome gift to Hun Manet who was supposed to be arriving here next week. Transnational repression rears its ugly head at a time when Hun Manet is consolidating control and making pals in the neighborhood with Prime Minister Srettha and the rest. What is quite clear we've seen a very close relationship between the top leaders of Cambodia and Thailand," Robertson added.
Since 2014, more than 150 individuals in Thailand have been victims of transnational repression, according to a 2022 report by Freedom House.
Pradichit is now concerned the Cambodian refugees may face deportation but warned it would violate Thailand's own laws.
"We, a coalition of human rights organizations, are tirelessly working to secure their release. We urgently call upon Thai authorities not to deport these activists to Cambodia, where they, along with their families, face the grave risk of imprisonment and torture. Such deportation would flagrantly violate Section 13 of the Thai Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, enacted in February 2023," she said.
Thailand enacted the Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance in 2023, which prohibits sending or deporting a person to another country where that person would be in danger of torture, inhumane treatment or enforced disappearance.
But Thailand has not ratified the United Nation's 1951 Refugee Convention, so it has no specific domestic legal framework for the protection of urban refugees and asylum-seekers, meaning protection for refugees, even if recognized by the UNCHR, is limited.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Transnational repression
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- NGO staff
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 14, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Dec 31, 2023
- Event Description
Thai police have arrested two suspects in an attack near Bangkok of a Cambodian activist who has been leading civic workshops for Cambodian workers living in Thailand.
Srun Srorn and a co-worker were physically assaulted by unidentified men at a Buddhist temple in Thailand’s Samut Prakan province on Sunday, he told Radio Free Asia.
Srun Srorn said he was in the province for a workshop on Cambodia’s 1991 Paris Peace Agreement, which formally ended decades of war in the country and paved the way for parliamentary democracy in the country.
The attack came two days after Thai authorities raided another workshop given by Srun Srorn in Bangkok. The workshop – also about the Paris Peace Agreement – was attended by 30 Cambodian migrant workers and political asylum seekers on Dec. 29.
Immigration police arrested 10 Cambodians at that workshop who they accused of illegally staying in Thailand.
All 10 have refugee or asylum status from the United Nations refugee agency, or UNHCR, that gives them legal protection in Thailand, according to one of the arrestees, activist So Metta. Seven of the 10 are still being detained, activists told RFA.
Srun Srorn said the assault on Sunday left him with a cut on his head. Police phoned him on Tuesday to say that two arrested suspects had confessed to the attack, he said.
The officer added that the suspects said the assault wasn’t related to the workshop – they were angry over an argument that took place at a nearby restroom more than four hours earlier, Srun Srorn said.
An investigator at Phra Samut Chedi police station, south of Bangkok, told RFA on Wednesday that the attackers were two Thai men in their 30s or early 40s who turned themselves in on Tuesday.
“They were charged with physical assault. They hit him with a baton and kicked him as well,” police Capt. Suwit Pudonnang said.
Livestream dispute
The argument apparently started over Srun Srorn’s broadcast of a live video. Suwit Pudonnang said the two suspects told police they felt “repulsed” as Srun Srorn stared at them while doing the livestream.
“They hit him just once but were chased away, outnumbered by the Cambodians,” he said.
Srun Srorn said he was skeptical of that explanation. He said police sent him photos of the suspects, and the men looked like the attackers who he said had been following him since the Dec. 29 workshop.
“Why did they have a car waiting for them? Why did they have a gun and sticks?” he said to RFA.
“I noticed before that they were following me, but I thought they were Thai police officers who were just watching my activities,” he said. “I did not expect them to assault us like this. I don’t know what their nationalities were because when they attacked us they did not speak at all.”
Several Cambodians have said they were attacked in public in Thailand in 2023 because of their activism.
Dozens of pro-democracy Cambodian activists have fled to Thailand to seek asylum in recent years as the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, or CPP, has used intimidation and the courts to neutralize the political opposition. Thailand is also host to more than 1 million Cambodian migrant workers.
The arrests at the Dec. 29 workshop were made several days after nine minor political parties and 15 NGOs aligned with the CPP urged Thai authorities to monitor opposition activists in Thailand.
The workshops are part of efforts to educate Cambodians about the development of democracy in the country.
They come almost six months after a general election was held in which the main opposition Candlelight Party wasn’t allowed to field candidates because of a paperwork technicality. With no real competition, CPP candidates won 120 of 125 seats in the National Assembly.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Unknown
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Unknown
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 8, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Dec 28, 2023
- Event Description
An ethnic Hmong preacher and human rights activist released on bail from Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Center said a Vietnamese official threatened him when he refused to return to Vietnam, where he would likely face persecution.
Lu A Da, who was arrested and detained at the center in December on the charge of illegally entering and residing in Thailand, told Radio Free Asia on Tuesday that an official named Hai from the Vietnamese Embassy visited him at the facility on Dec. 28, where he issued the threat.
The case is an example of Vietnamese authorities harassing ethnic Hmong – many of whom are Christians – for their beliefs. In Vietnam, the minority group often faces social exclusion, discrimination and even attacks.
When the two of them met, Hai said that he would complete documents to send Lu home prior to the Lunar New Year, Lu said. But when Lu did not agree to return to Vietnam, Hai threatened to harm his relatives.
“He learned that I am an activist, so he said to me, ‘You are in Thailand, so you can do whatever you like, but you should think about your relatives in Vietnam.’” Lu said. “Hai used my relatives in Vietnam as a threat for me to not [engage in] activism.”
Lu said he did not know Hai’s position at the embassy, but that Hai and another official named Linh sometimes went to the Immigration Detention Center in Bangkok to work with Vietnamese detainees.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok did not respond to RFA’s email request for comment.
Arrested after denunciation
Lu, a former missionary and preacher at the Northern Evangelical Church of Vietnam and head of the Hmong Human Rights Coalition, fled Vietnam with his family in 2020 to escape ethnic and religious persecution and entered Thailand illegally to seek official refugee status.
The latter group collects evidence of the Vietnamese government’s discrimination of Hmong on issues such as language, religion, land and identification. It provides support to Hmong people so they can learn Vietnamese law through lessons given by Boat People SOS, a U.S.-based organization.
Thai police arrested Lù at his rental home in Bangkok on Dec. 7. His arrest occurred two weeks after he publicly denounced the Vietnamese government’s “systematic suppression of Hmong communities in Vietnam.”
Lu’s lawyer paid 6,000 Thai baht (US$170) to bail him out of the detention facility on Feb. 2, and the Boat People SOS provided Lu with 50,000 baht (US$1,400) in support.
The U.N. High Commission for Refugees, or UNHCR, in Thailand previously rejected Lu’s application for refugee status, but granted it to him while he was in the immigration detention facility.
Lu told RFA that because of his activism in Thailand, Vietnamese authorities have made life difficult for his brother who lives in Vietnam’s Lai Chau province.
His brother, chief of San Phang Thap commune in a village in Tam Duong district, had an opportunity to be promoted to village officer, but after Lu and his family fled to Thailand, local residents did not trust his brother, and he had to move to Quang Ninh to make a living, Lu said.
Lu said he suspects that the Thai police who arrested him may be working with officials at the Vietnamese Embassy.
Prior to his arrest, Lu appeared in a video presented during a Boat People SOS session about Hanoi’s repression of ethnic minority communities.
In the clip, Lu said Vietnamese authorities do not issue identification papers, birth certificates or marriage certificates to many Hmong. They also prevent them from accessing education, official employment and health care programs that the ethnic Kinh majority enjoys, he said.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 8, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Dec 28, 2023
- Event Description
Facing royal defamation charges for singing a modified version of the royal anthem at a protest in January 2021, Chaiamorn “Ammy” Kaewwiboonpan, lead singer of The Bottom Blues pop band, was recently acquitted. However, another activist charged because of the protest, Promsorn, was sentenced to 2 years in prison without parole before being granted bail.
According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights and iLaw, on 28 December, the Thanyaburi Provincial Court in Pathum Thani Province delivered its verdict in the royal defamation cases against Chaiamorn “Ammy” Kaewwiboonpan, lead singer of The Bottom Blues band, and political activist Promson “Fah” Veerathamjaree.
Both were charged with royal defamation after protesting in front of the Thanyaburi Provincial Court in January 2021 to demand the release of student activist Sirichai Natueng, who was arrested on 13 January 2021 for spray-painting on portraits of royal family members.
The indictment stated that both sang modified versions of the royal anthem Sadudee Jom Racha.
In addition to royal defamation, they were charged with violating the Communicable Disease Act, the Emergency Decree, and the Sound Amplifier Act.
The court dismissed the Communicable Disease Act charge as the two were not protest organisers. Promsorn pleaded guilty to charges related to royal defamation and using a sound amplifier without permission. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison for royal defamation and fined 200 baht for using a sound amplifier without permission. Due to his guilty plea, his sentence was reduced to 2 years in prison and a 100 baht fine.
Subsequently, Promsorn was granted provisional release without conditions after posting a 300,000 baht as security.
The court dismissed the royal defamation charge against Chaiamorn, stating that there was no clear evidence to prove his intent to commit the offence. However, he was fined 200 baht for using a sound amplifier without permission.
Chaiamorn still faces another royal defamation charge for burning a portrait of the King in front of Klong Prem Center prison on 28 February 2021. Meanwhile, Promsorn has a total of 5 charges under a royal defamation law.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jan 14, 2024
- Event Description
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and Asia Democracy Network (ADN) strongly condemn the conviction of Mongkorn ‘BusBas’ Thirakot, a 30-year-old activist and online clothing retailer from Chiang Rai.
BusBas has been sentenced to an unprecedented 50 years in prison–the longest in Thailand’s history–for his remarks on the monarchy. This marks the most severe sentence ever issued under Thailand’s draconian lèse-majesté (royal defamation) law, surpassing the previous record set in 2021 when a woman received a 43-year sentence.
Civic space in Thailand was rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.
Our organisations express solidarity with BusBas and all pro-democracy defenders in Thailand. We call upon the Thai authorities to release activists, to repeal the lèse-majesté law, and to refrain from further undermining people’s fundamental rights and freedoms.
Suppressing Freedom of Expression
Arrested in April 2021, Bas was initially sentenced to 28 years in January for 14 counts of royal defamation for Facebook posts he made three years ago. On 18 January 2024, the Appeals Court affirmed the original conviction and added 11 more violations to his charges. For each violation, a 3-year imprisonment term was imposed. Considering the defendant’s cooperation, a one-third reduction was granted, culminating in a total of 22 years in prison under Article 112 of Thailand’s criminal code over his 27 Facebook posts. When combined with the initial 28-year sentence from the Court of First Instance, the overall sentence stands at 50 years of imprisonment.
Lèse-majesté, also known as the offence of injury to royalty, is stipulated in Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code. This statute specifies that making defamatory, insulting, or threatening remarks about the king, queen, or regent can result in a maximum penalty of 15 years for each alleged violation.
According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, at least 262 individuals have faced charges related to lèse-majesté since 2020. This surge in legal actions coincided with unprecedented youth-led street protests wherein protest leaders openly criticised the monarchy.
‘Thailand as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) must respect and protect fundamental freedoms for all individuals. We reiterate our call to repeal Article 112 and all other laws used to curtail free speech. Likewise, we demand an immediate and unconditional release of all detainees held in prison under this act. The Thai Government must ensure a secure and supportive environment for all human rights defenders to exercise their basic freedoms as outlined in the ICCPR,’ the organisations stressed.
Overturn the Conviction
FORUM-ASIA, CIVICUS, and ADN are urging the Thai Government to overturn BusBas’ conviction. We demand the immediate release of BusBas, pro-democracy activist Arnon Nampa, and all other human rights defenders in Thailand.
In addition, we endorse the call for the abolition of the lèse-majesté law as its contents and enforcement are in conflict with international human rights standards.
In the first place, individuals exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly should never be criminalised and silenced. Laws that unfairly shield public figures from criticisms and suppress political dissent have no place in a vibrant civic space.
We call on the Government of Thailand to fulfil its international obligations by upholding the people’s right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Enactment of repressive legislation and policies, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Dec 29, 2023
- Event Description
Thai authorities arrested 10 Cambodian refugees while attending the Paris Peace Agreement course in Bangkok on December 29, with seven of them being held at Suan Plu Immigration Detention Center while awaiting intervention by the UNHCR. Three others were released the next day.
On December 29, Srun Srorn and Pheng Sophea, known for their Paris Peace Agreement activism, conducted a training in Bangkok where some 40 participants attended. They include Cambodian workers in Thailand, activists of the now-defunct CNRP, Candlelight Party supporters, youths, and Khmer Krom refugees.
Around 11 a.m that day, local Thai police appeared at the training to check legal documents, like passports, as well as the information that was being shared. However, they arrested 10 people who held the ID cards provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Khem Mony Kosal, a Candlelight Party official who fled to Thailand and is a member of the Thai Refugee Coordinating Committee, told CamboJA that those arrested were taken to the immigration detention center but are safe as they wait for a resolution by the UNHCR in Thailand. The detainees possess temporary residency permits as refugees.
Morgane Roussel-Hemery, a representative of UNHCR, did not respond to questions via email in time for the publication as he is away until January 8.
The seven refugees detained by Thai authorities consist of So Meta, a Khmer Students Intelligent League Association member, and two of her relatives, and Sam Sokha, who once threw a shoe at billboard featuring a picture of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, as well as social activists Thon Chantha, Ly Chhuon and Kim Thylery.
Speaking to CamboJA, So Meta confirmed that 10 people were arrested on December 29, but three were released on December 30, after police checked their documents.
“I was arrested by the Thai authorities and they kept us for three nights and three days,” Meta said. “The authorities allowed us to talk on the phone for an hour a day from 7pm to 8pm.”
Meanwhile, Kosal believed that the reason behind their arrest was allegedly to find key Cambodian opposition political activists, as the Thai authorities sought for persons with the names Ly Meng, Khem Mony Kosal, Lim Sokha, Venerable Heng Kim Lay and Phorn Patna.
He alleged that these people are “considered by the Cambodian government” to be the “masterminds of the opposition”, allegedly collaborating with Thailand’s Move Forward Party and using Thai territory to rally against the Cambodian government. Kosal opined that the arrest was allegedly an opportunity for the Cambodian government to “persecute and arrest anti-government activists in Thailand”.
“The Move Forward Party has collaborated with the [Cambodian] opposition party in Thailand, with us as its organizers for the training course on December 2. At the time, we organized [the event] for our members only, comprising Candlelight Party [members] and children of [political] activists,” Kosal said. There were also speakers from the US, South Korea and Japan, but the Move Forward Party was not involved.
He also alleged that the arrest of the seven people was related to a “request by the Cambodian government”, although the Thai authorities have yet to send them back to Cambodia.
“When we arrived at the detention center to visit the detainees, the Thai police made it clear that the Cambodian government was the one who filed the complaint and asked for them to be sent back,” he said.
Recently, nine political parties, which are part of a coalition with the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), asked the Thai Prime Minister to monitor the activities of the Move Forward Party, claiming that the latter has supported and trained Cambodian opposition activists who are refugees in Thailand.
Cambodian government spokesman Pen Bona declined to comment.
Srun Srorn, a Paris Peace Agreement activist, charged that the training organized by his team was not illegal as it was meant to share information with workers in Thailand.
“The Thai authorities arrested the people not because we came to study the Paris Peace Agreement but because they accused them of creating an overseas movement to overthrow the Cambodian government and for possessing illegal passports,” he said.
His team was not detained and continued to train Cambodian workers in Thailand regarding the Paris Peace Agreement after the arrest, he mentioned, adding that the Thai police released the three people as they did not break any laws.
However, during his stay in Thailand for the training session in Samut Prakan province on December 31, he and his colleague Pheng Sophea were beaten by a group of men, suffering head injuries.
He related that the unknown people also pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot him, but shouts by the participants, the Cambodian workers, resulted in the men leaving the scene immediately.
“I don’t have any enemies, therefore I believe they [the attackers] intended to [only] intimidate me rather than physically attack me,” he said. “Based on the injuries, if they wanted to kill me, they could have but they didn’t as it happened in public.”
Leung Sophon, a central official based in Thailand, told CamboJA that he has not received any clear information about why the Thai police went to check the documents of the participants and detain them. According to him, they have to be careful when conducting or participating in these training sessions.
“Whatever we do, we are careful, because whether we are Thais or Cambodians, gatherings or meetings about politics are very sensitive [issues],” he said. “In some places, we meet without the permission of the owner or the venue is not right, so it is not appropriate for us to do that.”
Ex-premier Hun Sen has previously said he is “not afraid to arrest anyone, even in Thai territory”.
He also reminded that the Cambodian and Thai governments have signed a memorandum of understanding to repatriate prisoners, noting that Thai authorities had sent several political refugees back to Cambodia in the past.
Since the dissolution of the CNRP party in 2017, many of their activists have fled to Thailand due to political restrictions and persecutions by the Cambodian authorities.
The Cambodian embassy in Bangkok and Thailand embassy in Phnom Penh did not respond to questions via email while Ministry of Interior spokesperson Khieu Sopheak and Keo Vannthan, spokesperson of the General Department of Immigration, could not be reached for comment.
- Impact of Event
- 7
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community), Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Family of HRD, Student, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 30, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Dec 7, 2023
- Event Description
Former protest leader Shinawat Chankrajang has been sentenced to prison for royal defamation following a protest demanding the right to bail for political detainees. The court later suspended the sentence for two years and imposed a probation order.
On 7 December, the South Bangkok Criminal Court delivered its verdict in the case of activist Shinawat “Bright” Chankrajang, who was indicted under the royal defamation law and the Computer-Related Crime Act, and for using a sound amplifier without permission, while demanding the right to bail for two detained activists, Netiporn Sanesangkhom and Natthanit Duangmusit, at the South Bangkok Criminal Court on 28 July 2022, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
The complaint was filed by Anon Klinkaew, leader of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy. The allegation stemmed from Shinawat’s speech where he addressed the transfer and reversion of the crown property assets to the ownership of the King during the tenure of the former PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and the transfer of military units to come under royal command. He also called for the release of all political detainees.
Following the first witness examinations, Shinawat decided to plead guilty. The court ordered probation officers to investigate before presenting the verdict on 7 December.
The court concluded that Shinawat was guilty under the royal defamation law and the Computer-Related Crime Act, and of the offence of using a sound amplifier without permission, which constituted multiple offences for a single act. Sentencing was based on the law with the heaviest penalty, resulting in three years in prison. He was also fined 200 baht for unauthorised use of a sound amplifier. Due to his guilty plea, the penalty was reduced to one year and six months and a 100 baht fine.
However, the court noted that Shinawat has never been imprisoned and he has also participated in various social service activities. Therefore, the sentence was suspended for two years, during which time he will be on probation. He is required to report to probation officers three times per year and to perform 24 hours of social service. Shinawat is also prohibited from committing the same offence.
The case is Shinawat’s first royal defamation charge. He was remanded in custody for 26 days during the inquiry stage before the appeal court granted bail.
Shinawat has been charged under the royal defamation law in a total of 7 cases, with 6 cases currently pending. Among these cases is a charge stemming from a speech he gave during a protest at the Lat Phrao intersection on 2 December 2020, for which he has pleaded guilty. The court will present its verdict on 13 December.
Shinawat was formerly a leader of the pro-democracy Rasadon group, which protested against the government led by Prayut Chan-o-cha. He later turned to support the United Thai Nation Party linked with Prayut by helping its candidate to campaign for the general election in May.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Enactment of repressive legislation and policies, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 2, 2024
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Nov 6, 2023
- Event Description
A 37-year-old activist arrested last Monday (6 November) on a royal defamation charge filed against him over a number of Facebook posts has been denied bail and is now detained in a prison in Phatthalung.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that Nattakan Jaiaree, 37, a political activist and motorcycle taxi driver, was arrested last Monday (6 November) at his home in Bangkok’s Taling Chan District. He was detained overnight at Taling Chan Police Station before being handed over to Phatthalung police.
Nattakan said the police immediately confiscated his phone after showing him his arrest warrant and would not give it back even though he said he has the right to call a lawyer and a trusted person. He noted that several police officers took turn speaking to him and showing him pictures of several Facebook posts, and they tried to get his signature to certify that the posts were his. The police then made him give them the passcode to his phone, claiming they wanted to check his Facebook account. However, he was not aware what was done to his phone. When the device was returned to him several hours later, he called TLHR for assistance.
According to TLHR, the police in Phatthalung said they issued two summonses for Nattakan, but he did not respond. However, Nattakan said he has never received a summons, probably because it was sent to his registered address, but he now lives at another address, which is a rental in Bangkok.
The complaint against Nattakan was filed by Songchai Niamhom, leader of the ultra-royalist King Protection Group. Songchai has filed royal defamation complaints with the police in Phatthalung and Songkhla against several people over social media posts, including former Move Forward Party MP Amarat Chokepamitkul, a 27-year-old named Nattapon, an intellectually disabled 19-year-old protester named Thiramet, and rapper Kitti Ruangphunglhuang, also known as P9D.
He was also among the group of ultra-royalists which filed a royal defamation complaint against Pita Limjaroenrat, then Move Forward Party’s leader and Prime Minister candidate, over a May 2023 interview with BBC.
On Thursday (9 November), the police took Nattakan to court for a temporary detention request. The Phatthalung Provincial Court ordered him detained for 12 days and refused him bail on the grounds that the charges carry a severe penalty, he has no permanent residence, and because he is likely to repeat his offense. He is now detained at Phatthalung Prison.
The court denied him bail despite his lawyers filing a request stating that Nattakan did not receive the summonses because he is renting a house closer to his place of work, and that he did not resist when he was arrested. They also said that he is willing to attend all police appointments and is not a flight risk.
Nattakan’s detention brought the number of people detained pending trial or appeal on royal defamation charges to 15.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Denial Fair Trial, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Access to justice, Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Dec 19, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Nov 22, 2023
- Event Description
Activist Katanyu Muenkhamruang has been sentenced to 2 years in prison on a sedition charge for Facebook posts calling for people to go to protests in August 2021. She was later released on bail to file for appeal.
Katanyu, a member of the activist group Thalufah, was charged with sedition and violation of the Computer Crimes Act over two posts on the group’s Facebook page calling for people to join the 11 and 13 August 2021 protests.
Nangnoi Assawakittikorn, a former member of the royalist group Thailand Help Center for Cyberbullying Victims, filed a complaint against Kantanyu, alleging that she was running the Facebook page.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that Katanyu and her lawyer reported to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) on 12 January 2022, after learning that an arrest warrant had been issued for her in November 2021.
TLHR noted that a police officer called Katanyu twice, claiming that the TCSD had an arrest warrant for her. On 27 September 2022, she went to the TCSD to check whether there was a warrant but officers were unable to tell her whether it was a warrant or a summons. She asked for them to record that she reported to the police and did not intend to run, but the officers refused.
Katanyu’s defence was that she was not running the Facebook page and therefore was not responsible for the posts. According to TLHR, photos of Katanyu at the protest which were submitted by the prosecution as evidence were unclear. They also note that the two posts did not incite people to commit violence or violate the law, a point noted by prosecution witnesses in their testimony as well. Although violent clashed took place during the day, these occurred after the protest and at a different location.
A Metropolitan police officer testified that a person matching Katanyu’s description was live-streaming during the 13 August 2021 protest. During cross-examination, the officer acknowledged that a Facebook page can be run by several people and said that he was unaware of who runs the Thalufah Facebook page.
Another officer testified that he sent a link to a news article to the Thalufah Facebook page to check who was administering it and found two users. Using the IP addresses, the police then checked with an internet service provider for the identity of the users. Katanyu was reportedly not among the users identified. The officer admitted that he did not know who actually ran the Facebook page, denying that his action counts as phishing.
Testifying for the defence, iLaw’s Waranyuta Yan-in said that, to check a user’s identity with an IP address, a request must be made with an internet service provider to obtain the user’s address. The police must then obtain a search warrant for the electronic device to obtain more information. She argued that in this instance, police actions did indeed amounted to phishing since they did not ask for cooperation from the users.
TLHR reported on Wednesday (22 November) that the Criminal Court found Katanyu guilty of sedition and violation of the Computer Crimes Act and sentenced her to 2 years in prison. It ruled that, since there is evidence showing that she was at the protest and was live-streaming, she must have known of the posts, and so was guilty even though the prosecution could not prove that she made the posts.
Katanyu was later granted bail using an additional security of 75,000-baht.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Online, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Dec 19, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Nov 15, 2023
- Event Description
Activists Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, Panupong Jadnok, and Attapol Buapat have been sentenced to 9 months in prison on charges relating to a protest on 10 February 2021. They were later released on bail.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that the South Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday (15 November) found Panusaya, Panupong, and Attapol guilty of participating in an assembly of more than ten people to commit violence or cause a breach of peace, blocking a public way, and using a sound amplifier without permission.
They were sentenced to 1 year in prison and fines of 700 baht each. The court later reduced their sentence to 9 months in prison and fines of 525 baht each because they gave useful testimony.
The three activists faced a total of 7 charges relating to the protest. However, the court dismissed charges of destruction of property, assaulting an officer, and violations of the Public Cleanliness Act and regulations under the Emergency Decree.
They were later granted bail on a security of 25,000 baht each in order to appeal the verdict.
On 10 February 2021, protesters gathered at Pathumwan Skywalk and the courtyard in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre to call attention to economic hardships resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and to demand the release of political prisoners. They also demanded the resignation of then Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, constitutional amendments, and monarchy reform – the original three demands of the student movement which started in 2020.
After 9 people were arrested during the protest, protesters marched to the nearby Pathumwan Police Station to demand their release. A clash occurred between the protesters and crowd control police deployed around the police station, during which tear gas was reportedly used.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Dec 19, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 15, 2023
- Event Description
Last night (15 October), members of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy attacked a group of activists protesting in front of the Ratchadapisek Criminal Court to demand the release of political prisoners. They also threatened reporters livestreaming the protest and other bystanders.
At around 17.00 on Sunday evening (15 October), activist Mongkhon “Bas” Thirakot climbed onto the Criminal Court sign in protest, after his belongings went missing along with 5,000 baht in cash. Mongkhon has been living on the footpath in front of the court since 28 September, protesting the detention of pro-democracy activists. He said he was later told that city officials took his belongings, and that the police were told he was homeless.
Other activists and bystanders gathered in front of the Court. Police officers also came to negotiate with Mongkhon, asking him to go to the police station, but Mongkhon insisted on speaking to the city official who took his belongings and that the official returns his money.
At around 18.10, members of the People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy arrived. One of the group members was carrying a metal rod, while another threw a water bottle at Mongkhon and threatened him.
The group also attacked other activists nearby. They ran at Chokdee Rompruk, a musician who has been protesting in front of the court and playing music, forcing him to pack up his belongings. One group member tried to attack him even though he was standing behind a police officer. Chokdee later said one of the men punched him in the face.
The men also threatened reporters and citizen journalists livestreaming the incident. Anon Klinkaew, Centre leader, threatened to attack Prachatai reporter Sarayut Tangprasert, who was livestreaming on his personal Facebook profile page due to a technical issue, if there was any “inaccurate report.” The man holding the metal rod also threatened Sarayut after he reported that the men were armed.
The men also threatened citizen journalist Paradorn Ketphuak, who was also livestreaming the incident. Paradorn told Prachatai that he was livestreaming when the police was speaking to Mongkhon when Centre members arrived. The man wearing a scarf with a camouflage pattern and holding a metal rod threatened to hit him if he continue livestreaming. Paradorn also saw the same man threaten Sarayut, even though he identified himself as a reporter and presented his press ID card.
Paradorn said he saw Mongkhon got off the sign and went into the Court parking lot after things were thrown at him. The group then went to harass Chokdee. Paradorn said a man wearing a blue shirt, who other group members call “Bang,” punched Chokdee and threatened him and other bystanders to get out of the area.
The men came back to the footpath after going to Paholyothin Police Station to report the incident. Group members said on a livestream on the People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy’s Facebook page that, since the police had not been able to get Mongkhon to come down from the sign, they were taking care of it themselves.
Another livestream on the group’s Facebook page showed group members surrounding Paradorn, who was still livestreaming in front of the Court. Paradorn said he was waiting to make sure Mongkhon is safe, and that another citizen journalist left their camera with him, so he was waiting for them to come back for the camera. The men tried to make Paradorn leave. Anon tried to get a reaction out of him by ramming his body into Paradorn, who stood his ground and blocked the men with his arms.
An older man wearing a black face mask then tried to approach Paradorn, but was threatened by Anon and another group member. After someone shouted at them, the group went over to a man in green shirt standing with his motorcycle at the nearby bus stop. Insults were thrown from both sides, while a man in a blue shirt from the Centre tried to get the man to attack him. A voice was heard on the livestream telling the man in blue not to provoke the other person as it will put the group at a disadvantage.
A few minutes later, the man in blue shirt kicked the man in green and punched him. Anon held the man in green down while another man hit him with the metal rod. Meanwhile, the person livestreaming for the Centre turned the camera away. Other group members also pushed Paradorn and prevented him from recording the fight.
Paradorn said this is the third time this year that members of the People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy harass him while covering a protest in front of the Criminal Court. He has filed a complaint with Paholyothin Police Station twice, but no progress has been made. He said that Chokdee and Mongkhon have filed a complaint against their attackers, and that he has also spoken to other attacked bystanders but is not sure whether they will press charges.
Police officers, court marshals, and court security guards were present during the incident. However, the police did not interfere until group members attacked the man in green. An older man with a face mask also later said that the man who was attacked is his son, who was only observing the incident.
- Impact of Event
- 5
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Media Worker, Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 24, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 11, 2023
- Event Description
A student from Chiang Mai University has been charged with sedition and other crimes under the Computer Crimes Act and the Public Assembly Act over a 24 June 2023 caravan. Several others have also been charged, including a local news outlet.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said on 11 October that Watcharapat Thammachak, a student at Chiang Mai University, received a police summons on charges of sedition and violation of the Computer Crimes Act and the Public Assembly Act for a march on 24 June 2023
TLHR said a total of four people are being summoned. It is unclear why they have been charged with sedition.
On 24 June 2023, Neo Lanna, a local activist group in Chiang Mai, staged a protest caravan from the Kruba Sri Wichai to the Three Kings Monument to campaign for a new Constitution, de-centralization, and state welfare. As the caravan moved across Chiang Mai, activists gave speeches about the 24 June 1932 Siamese Revolution and about de-centralization to allow each province to manage its own affairs without having to defer to the central government in Bangkok. At the Three Kings Monument, activists placed lotus flowers and lit candles in memory of the 1932 Revolution.
After the event, Maj Gen Santi Sukpom, Commander of the 33rd Military Circle, reportedly authorised a military officer to file complaints against Watcharapak and three other activists: Chatchai Thammo, Thiraporn Puttasee, and Benchapat (last name withheld). The charges included sedition, organising a public gathering without notifying the authorities, and bringing into a computer system data likely affect national security. Complaints were also filed against local news outlet Lanner and the owner of the Facebook page NEO LANNA, both of which live-streamed the event.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 24, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 17, 2023
- Event Description
The Ratchadapisek Criminal Court has found three activists guilty of insult of court and sentenced them to prison for speeches given during a protest in April 2021 to demand the release of political prisoners.
Bencha Apan, Nutchanon Pairoj, and Somyot Pruksakasemsuk were charged with insult of court, joining a gathering of more than 10 people and not dispersing when ordered by an official, using a sound amplifier without permission, and violation of the Emergency Decree, for joining a protest in front of the Criminal Court on 30 April 2021 to demand the release of political prisoners detained pending trial on royal defamation charges.
On 30 April 2021, a crowd gathered at the Criminal Court throughout the afternoon and evening when Sureerat Chiwarak, mother of activist Parit Chiwarak, filed a bail request of her son, at the time detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge and on hunger strike. To protest the repeated denial of bail for Parit, Sureerat shaved her head in the court parking lot. That evening, other activists also shaved their heads to support her and to demand bail for Parit.
The public prosecutor indicted them on the grounds that they insulted the judges involved by accusing them of unlawfully and unfairly denying bail for detained activists, causing hatred against the Court and the presiding judges.
Bencha, Nutchanon, and Somyot’s defence was that they were exercising their constitutional right to protest, and that the gathering did not cause any disorder or risk spreading Covid-19. Their speeches also did not mention specific judges but criticised the judicial process as a whole for denying bail to political prisoners.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said today (17 October) that the Criminal Court found them guilty of insult of court, as the court found their speeches to be insulting and degrading to the court’s use of discretion, and so not did not constitute criticism made in good faith.
Benja and Nutchanon were sentenced to 3 years in prison and a fine of 30,000 baht for insult of court. They were also sentenced to 6 months in prison and a fine of 15,000 baht for violation of the Emergency Decree, as well as a fine of 100 bath for using a sound amplifier without permission. Because they gave useful testimony, the Court reduced their total sentence to 1 year and 8 months in prison and a fine of 30,100 baht each. Their prison sentence is suspended for two years. They are also required to report to a probation officer 4 times during the first year and perform any community service required by the probation officer.
Somyot was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison for insult of court. His sentence was later reduced to 1 year, 8 months, and 40 days in prison. He was later granted bail using a security of 100,000 baht.
Benja and Nutchanon were both charged with contempt of court for the same protest after a complaint was filed against them Chawannat Thongsom, Director of the Administrative Office of the Criminal Court, who said they acted rudely on court grounds and violated court regulations. Nuthchanon was sentenced to 2 months in prison, while Benja was given a 500-baht fine. The Appeal Court later reduced his sentence to 15 days.
Benja and Nutchanon were also charged with insult of court and contempt of court for a protest at the Criminal Court on 29 April 2021 demanding the release of detained activists. For the contempt of court charge, Benja was sentenced to 6 months in prison, the highest possible sentence, while Nutchanon was sentenced to 4 months in prison. The Appeal Court later reduce their sentences to 1 month.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 24, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 10, 2023
- Event Description
Activist Wanwalee Thammasattaya has been found guilty of royal defamation and sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison over a photo she posted of herself and two other people holding signs at a protest.
Wanwalee was charged with royal defamation along with Nueng (pseudonym) and Nam (pseudonym), two other protesters, after a complaint was filed against them by Sukij Dechkul, a member of the ultra-royalist group Thai Phakdee in Chiang Mai. Sukij claimed that a picture Wanwalee posted of herself, Nueng, and Nam at a protest on 21 November 2020 in Bangkok’s Siam shopping district showed them holding signs with messages that insulted the King.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) noted that none of the three defendants live in Chiang Mai, and that the 21 November 2020 protest took place in Bangkok, but because the complaint was filed against them in Chiang Mai, they have had to travel back and forth for police and court appointments for the past three years.
The 21 November 2020 protest was organized by the student rights group Bad Student and other pro-democracy activists. They criticize the government for its inefficiency and for how the education system is failing its students. Wanwalee testified that she posted the picture, which was taken after they were asked by a reporter to hold up the signs for pictures. She said that the sign came from an activity held during the protest where participants can write messages onto pieces of cardboard, and that some messages on the signs were written by someone else. Nueng and Nam, Wanwalee’s then high school friends, were also only tagged in the post, and Wanwalee said they were not involved in making the post, which make her think that the complaint was filed to harass political dissidents.
TLHR reported that Sukij testified that he was President of the Thai Phakdee group’s Chiang Mai chapter, and that he was given the documents used to file the complaint by other members of the group. He also testified that he did not know who posted the picture, but believed the three defendants made the posts together and that he does not know what Facebook’s tag function is.
TLHR said yesterday (10 October) that the Chiang Mai Provincial Court found Wanwalee guilty of royal defamation and sentenced her to 4 years in prison. Her sentence was later reduced to 2 years and 8 months because she gave useful testimony.
The Court ruled that the message on the sign Wanwalee was holding can be read to be about he King, and that she published the photo of the sign on Facebook even though she knew the message insulted the King, dismissing her defence that the message refers to the military and its information operation.
Charges against Nueng and Nam were dismissed. The Court ruled that it was unclear who the messages on the sign they were holding referred to. They also did not like or share the post.
Wanwalee was later granted bail on a security of 150,000 baht in order to file for appeal. She is facing a total of 4 counts of royal defamation and has previously been found guilty of one count for a speech she gave during a protest on 6 December 2020.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 24, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 4, 2023
- Event Description
The Appeal Court has sentenced Phonchai Wimonsuphawong, 38, to 2 years in prison for royal defamation and violation of the Computer-Related Crime Act over a Facebook post from October 2020.
Phonchai was charged after a complaint was filed against him with the police in Yala’s Bannang Sata District by Watcharin Niwatsawat, a member of an ultra-royalist group. Watcharin accused Phonchai of royal defamation in 4 Facebook posts made in October – November 2020, including a video clip about monarchy reform.
The Yala Provincial Court previously found Phonchai guilty of royal defamation and violation of the Computer-Related Crime Act for the video clip, but dismissed the remaining counts of the charges relating to 2 other posts. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison, reduced to 2 because he gave useful testimony.
The Court ruled that because the content of the video clip implies that the King is not politically neutral, it is insulting and can cause doubt among the public, whereas the King is inviolable and therefore above all criticism.
Phonchai filed an appeal. However, the Appeal Court ruled yesterday (4 October) to uphold the Yala Provincial Court’s ruling, sentencing him to 2 years in prison.
According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), the Appeal Court ruled that criticism of the King damages national security and can cause disorder in the society, and because Section 6 of the Constitution states that the King is held in a position of “revered worship” and cannot be violated, even criticism made in good faith is an offence.
Phonchai was later granted bail pending an appeal to the Supreme Court on a security of 112,500 baht. TLHR noted that the Yala Provincial Court granted him bail without forwarding his bail request to the Supreme Court, and he was released almost immediately after his sentencing.
The 38-year-old comes from an indigenous Karen community in Mae Hong Son’s Mae La Noi District. After leaving home as a teenager, Phonchai worked in a restaurant in Chiang Mai in exchange for food and accommodation. He then decided to move to Bangkok to find work. He said in an interview with TLHR that he spent around a year homeless before getting a job as a security guard. Before he was charged, he had been working as a salesman, going from house to house selling mobile phones or helping real estate agents.
In addition to 5 other charges from joining protests in Bangkok, he is facing royal defamation charges filed against him in Yala and in Chiang Mai, and since he lives and work in Bangkok, having to go to court have been difficult for him, as he lost time he could have been working, and it cost him a considerable amount of money.
In March 2023, the Chiang Mai Provincial Court found Phonchai guilty of royal defamation, sedition, and violation of the Computer-Related Crime Act for 4 Facebook posts made between 18 October and 19 November 2020. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and was detained pending appeal for several days before being released.
This complaint against him was filed by Jessada Thunkeaw, a former protest guard for the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), who accused Phonchai of 4 Facebook posts about the King’s involvement in politics and inviting people to join protests. However, Phonchai said that he did not make the posts, as his Facebook account was stolen at the time.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Indigenous peoples' rights defender, Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: indigenous people's rights defender sentenced
- Date added
- Nov 24, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 6, 2023
- Event Description
Last Friday (6 October), activists from the People’s Movement for a Just Society (P-Move) went to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), where the 2023 Thailand Climate Action Conference is taking place, to protest government policies that would greenwash the country’s major corporations while worsening inequality.
Several activists travelled from Government House, where the group has been protesting since Monday evening (2 October) to the QSNCC, while Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, was opening the conference. They took turns giving speeches on the truck while en route from the Asoke Montri Intersection to the QSNCC and while in front of the conference centre.
Activist Pachara Kamchamnan spoke about the human rights violations that could result from the government’s green economy policies, such as the Bio-Circular-Green Economy model and carbon credit policy, which involve a plan to increase forest areas in the country by 55%. He noted that Thailand’s forestry model scheme already aims to increase forest areas by 40%, and that the implementation of land and forest policies during the past decade have led to communities losing their land and way of life due to forced evictions. Meanwhile, Porlajee Rakchongcharoen, an indigenous rights activist from the Bang Kloi community, was abducted and presumably murdered after he began campaigning for his community’s right to their land and culture.
Nattaporn Artharn from the North-Eastern NGO Coordinating Committee on Development (NGO-COD) said that communities in the northeastern provinces have long been affected by government policies on natural resources and environment. Logging concessions have damaged local forests, while government megaprojects like dams and reservoirs have affected the environment and the local communities’ livelihoods. She criticized the government’s new green economy model for trying to increase forest areas to cater to corporations’ release of greenhouse gases and pollution instead of tackling the source of pollution.
Kanyarat Tumpama from the Northern Peasant Federation noted that activists and community members came to Bangkok to protest at Government House because they are facing unresolved land rights issues. Even though the new government claims to have won the election, there are still people in the provinces facing unresolved issues, and when they come to Government House asking to meet the Prime Minister, their demands are not answered. She also called on the government to respect the people because they are being paid with taxpayers’ money.
Nattakorn Tonnamphet, an activist from the Bang Kloi indigenous Karen community, said that indigenous communities have been treated inhumanely by the authorities, noting that the Bang Kloi community was forcibly evacuated from the Kaeng Krachan forest and their village was burned down because the authorities wanted Kaeng Krachan to become a World Heritage Site. He said that society must understand that a World Heritage Site cannot protect only the forest itself but also the way of life of those who live in it.
The activists read out a statement criticizing the new government for favouring large corporations over ordinary people, noting that Srettha has been seen meeting with representatives of these corporations and that the government has declared policies on land and the environment which may affect community rights and worsen social inequality. It also criticized the government’s carbon credit model, as it could be used to greenwash the corporations who are the major polluters and who are taking advantage of the country’s resources, calling for the government to revise its policy to be fairer to ordinary people.
Now in the 8th day of their protest, P-Move is still occupying the street in front of Government House despite the heavy rain and constant pressure from the police, who have been attempting to get them to move their protest elsewhere by threatening to press charges against them.
Representatives met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Phumtham Wechayachai and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thamanat Prompow this morning (9 October) for the first round of negotiation.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Environmental rights defender, NGO staff
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 24, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Nov 6, 2023
- Event Description
A 19-year-old activist has been sentenced to prison for royal defamation over a speech criticising the monarchy during a protest on 6 December 2020, and been granted parole for two years.
On 6 November 2023, the Central Juvenile and Family Court sentenced Thanakorn (last name withheld), who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community, to two years in prison over a protest speech at Wongwian Yai on 6 December 2020.
The court stated that Thanakorn is a student who lives with his family and it is believed that the parents are capable of taking care of them. Therefore, the court decided to grant Thanakorn a 2-year parole, during which time they will be on probation. Thanakorn is required to report to a Counselling Centre and receive a proper consultation from psychologists every two months. In addition, Thanakorn is prohibited from committing similar offences.
In the protest, they said Thailand is not a democracy but an absolute monarchy and spoke about the role of the monarchy in military coups. At the time, Thanakorn was 17 years old.
The complaint against Thanakorn and two other activists was filed by Chakrapong Klinkaew, leader of the royalist group People Protecting the Institution.
Thanakorn was convicted of royal defamation on 22 November 2022. TLHR reported that even though Thanakorn did not mention specific kings, they were found guilty since the royal defamation law is interpreted to covers the entire monarchy.
The court sentenced them to two years in prison. The court said that since it believes it would be more beneficial for Thanakon to undergo training to improve their behaviour than for them to go to prison, it commuted the prison sentence to a Juvenile Training Centre under the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection of the Ministry of Justice for a minimum of one year and six months or a maximum of three years, until they reach the age of 24 years.
At the time, Thanakorn was granted bail in order to appeal the conviction on a security of 30,000 baht.
Thanakorn was also found guilty of royal defamation for giving a speech criticising the monarchy during a protest on 10 September 2020. TLHR reported that the Nonthaburi Juvenile and Family Court found them guilty of royal defamation and sentenced them to three years in prison. Since they were a minor when charged, the Court reduced the sentence to one year and six months, suspended for two years, during which time they will be on probation.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- LGBTQ+/ Non-Binary
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: youth convicted on royal defamation (Update)
- Date added
- Nov 19, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 30, 2023
- Event Description
Activist Mongkhon Thirakot has been found guilty of royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison for two Facebook posts made in July 2022.
Mongkhon, 30, is a Chiang Rai-based activist and online clothes vendor. He was charged with royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act for two Facebook posts made on 28 and 30 July 2022. One post contains a picture of King Vajiralongkorn and a message about wearing black in mourning, while another contains an edited picture of Mongkhon holding a picture frame.
Mongkhon was arrested at his family home in Chiang Rai on 11 August 2022 by a unit of 21 police officers. He was later released on bail. The public prosecutor indicted him on the grounds that the posts insulted the King and damaged his reputation.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that, during witness examination, Mongkhon’s friend came to observe the hearing, but was ordered to leave the court room by an official and a court marshal, who said that the court ordered that Mongkhon to be tried in secret. However, TLHR said that no such order was made for the trial but noted that court marshals and security guards were always present at every hearing.
Mongkhon argued that, although he made the two posts, the content was satirical and not an offence under the royal defamation law. He also stated his belief that using the royal defamation law damaged the monarchy, adding that as all are born equal all can be equally criticised.
On Monday (30 October), the Chiang Rai Provincial Court found Mongkhon guilty of royal defamation and sentenced him to a total of 6 years in prison, reduced to 4 because he gave useful testimony. The court also sentenced him to 6 months in prison on a trespassing charge, which was previously suspended. This brings his total sentence to 4 years and 6 months.
Mongkhon was detained overnight as the Chiang Rai Provincial Court forwarded his bail request to the Appeal Court. He was granted bail the next morning on a security of 300,000 baht and on the condition that he does not do anything that damages the monarchy and must not leave the country.
Mongkhon was previously charged with royal defamation for 27 Facebook posts. He was found guilty on 14 counts and sentenced to 28 years in prison by the Chiang Rai Provincial Court. The court ordered the sentences for both cases to be served consecutively. He is now in the process of filing for appeal.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Enactment of repressive legislation and policies, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Online, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 19, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Oct 30, 2023
- Event Description
Student activist Benja Apan has been sentenced to prison with a two-year suspension for a royal defamation charge resulting from a speech she gave during a protest on 10 August 2021.
On 30 October 2023, the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court ruled that the student activist violated the royal defamation law and Emergency Decree at a 10 August 2021 protest organised by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD).
Benja was sentenced to three years in prison for the defamation charge and one year with a 12,000 baht fine for the Emergency Decree violation. The court reduced the sentence to two years and eight months, with a two-year suspension, and an 8,000 Baht fine, because she has never been imprisoned and was only 21 years old at the time of the incident.
The court asserted that her speech directly targeted King Vajiralongkorn and amounted to defamation of the King. It refused to accept her testimony that her intention was not to criticise the king but rather the administration of former PM Prayut Chan-o-cha.
During the protest, Benja read out the 2nd UFTD Declaration which stated that the 2014 coup led by Gen Prayut resulted in a regime which only benefited only the elite. The statement also criticised the government’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and called for it to properly handle the pandemic, revitalise the economy, repeal the 2017 Constitution, push forward with reforms of state institutions including the monarchy, and return dignity to the people.
A complaint was filed by members of the People’s Centre for the Protection of Monarchy on 12 August 2021. Benja was arrested on 7 October 2021 after she went to meet the inquiry officer at Lumpini Police Station to hear a charge of violating the Emergency Decree for participating in the 3 September protest at the Ratchaprasong intersection. She did not receive a summons before being arrested.
The activist was taken to the court on 8 October 2021 and denied bail three times before being granted bail on 14 January 2022. She was indicted for the charges on 3 December 2021.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 19, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Sep 23, 2023
- Event Description
Two protesters have been sentenced to one year in prison for contempt of court after giving a speech in front of the South Bangkok Criminal Court on 15 July 2022 to demand the right to bail for detained activists.
On 19 September 2023, the South Bangkok Criminal Court sentenced Ngoentra “Mani” Khamsaen and Chiratchaya “Ginny” Sakunthong each to one year in prison for using offensive language against the judges. Both accused the judges of misconduct and unfairness in considering the request for temporary release of the detained activists. Such actions are deemed serious and have a detrimental impact on the credibility of the judiciary, according to Thai Lawyers for Human rights (TLHR).
The TLHR said the court granted bail of 35,000 baht each, with no condition set.
They were charged with contempt of court, defamation, and using a sound amplifier without permission at a protest on 15 July 2022. In their speeches, they criticised judges for rulings made in the case of monarchy reform activists Nutthanit Duangmusit and Netiporn Sanesangkhom, who were detained pending trial on royal defamation charges at the time.
Both were apprehended during the night of 25 August 2022. The authorities had never notified them of the charges in advance and they were taken to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, which is outside the jurisdiction of the local police station where the incident occurred.
On 26 August 2022, they were denied bail on the grounds that their actions were deemed dangerous to the court since they accused judges of things that were not true in order to pressure the court. The charges also carry a severe penalty.
The complaints against them were filed by Netiphan Somchit, acting on behalf of judge Santi Chukitsappaisan, the Deputy Chief Justice of the South Bangkok Criminal Court.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Oct 5, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Sep 28, 2023
- Event Description
A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in prison on a royal defamation charge after allegedly painting graffiti about monarchy reform during a protest at Din Daeng on 13 September 2021.
On 28 September 2023, the criminal court sentenced Weeraphap “Rif” Wongsaman to 3 years in prison without suspension, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
The graffiti read ‘The monarchy should be reformed to be under the constitution’. The court stated that the painted message included offensive words and showed the intention to insult the King, causing damage to the King.
On the same day, the criminal court issued an order to submit Weeraphap’s bail request to the appeal court for consideration. The process takes 2-3 days, during which time Weeraphap is to be detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison.
Weeraphap participated in the protest at the Din Daeng intersection on 13 September 2021. He was arrested on 15 September 2021 while eating noodles and was taken to Chaiyapruek Police Station in Nonthaburi Province to file the report. He was then detained at Paholyothin Police Station in Bangkok. Weeraphap denied the allegation.
In addition to the royal defamation charge, he faced other four charges: violating the Emergency Decree, participating in a gathering of more than 10 people, refusing to disperse after an official order, and obstructing police operations. All four charges were dismissed.
A witness said based on appearance and clothing in a video clip from that day compared to pictures on Weeraphap’s social media, Weeraphap was identified as the perpetrator.
Another witness, who is an inquiry officer in this case, stated that he solely knew Wiraphap as the perpetrator from the report. When asked to examine the picture in the report, he could not confirm whether it was actually Weeraphap or not.
Weeraphap insisted that on the day of the incident, he did not participate in the protest and claimed that the person in the report was not him.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: pro-democracy demonstrator arrested
- Date added
- Oct 5, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Sep 30, 2023
- Event Description
A Thai court denied bail today for an activist lawyer sentenced to four years in prison for royal insults, his lawyer said, in one of the Southeast Asian country’s highest-profile lese-majeste cases.
Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, 39, is widely known for a speech during pro-democracy protests in 2020 when he broke taboos by calling for public debate on the role of Thailand’s powerful king.
Arnon denies wrongdoing.
He was sentenced on Tuesday in the first of 14 cases alleging he violated Article 112 of the criminal code, as the royal insults law is known.
The appeal court read out an order today rejecting Arnon’s bail request due to concerns that “if bail was given he would escape”, said his lawyer, Krisadang Nutcharus.
Krisadang said he would consult with Arnon on whether to make another bail request or appeal the order to the Supreme Court.
Thailand’s lese-majeste law shields the palace from criticism and carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years for each perceived insult of the monarchy, a punishment widely condemned by international human rights groups as extreme.
Arnon was a leader of a youth-led democracy movement that held protests in Bangkok in 2020 that drew hundreds of thousands of people demanding the removal of royalist then-prime minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who had seized power in a coup.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Lawyer, Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: pro-democracy lawyer sentenced to 4 years
- Date added
- Oct 4, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Sep 26, 2023
- Event Description
An activist and lawyer made famous for his open calls for reform of Thailand's powerful monarchy was on Tuesday sentenced to four years in prison for royal insults, a judge said, in one of the country's most high profile lese-majeste cases.
Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, 39, is widely known for his taboo-breaking speech during pro-democracy protests in 2020 during which he called for public debate on the role of Thailand's king. Arnon denies wrongdoing.
Thailand's lese-majeste law shields the palace from criticism and carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years for each perceived insult of the monarchy, a punishment widely condemned by international human rights groups as extreme.
Arnon was a leader of a youth-led democracy movement that held protests in Bangkok in 2020 that drew hundreds of thousands of people demanding the removal of royalist former prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who seized power in a coup.
Arnon was found guilty over remarks about the monarchy at a speech during a 2020 rally, in the first of 14 cases against him for violating article 112 of the criminal code, as the royal insults law is known.
"Arnon will be sent to prison while he waits for a bail decision, which could take two to three days," lawyer Krisadang Nutcharus told Reuters, adding his team would lodge an appeal and if necessary, take the case to the Supreme Court.
Arnon has been on bail since early last year after several periods of detention.
Hundreds of people have been charged under article 112, which is among the world's strictest royal insults laws, with some violators given sentences of decades, including a 64-year-old woman jailed for 43 years. The palace typically does not comment on the law.
UNTHINKABLE MOVES The verdict against Arnon will be a setback for groups seeking amendments to article 112, moves that were unthinkable only a few years ago in a country where the constitution states the king is "enthroned in a position of revered worship".
Calls for the law to be changed were central to a bold, anti-establishment platform that saw Thailand's progressive Move Forward Party win an election in May, only to be blocked from forming a government by lawmakers backed or appointed by the ultra-royalist military.
According to legal aid group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights at least 257 people have been charged under article 112 in the past three years.
Most of those cases are related to the youth-led democracy movement, which has since lost momentum having once posed one of the biggest challenges to Thailand's royalist, conservative establishment.
In remarks as he arrived at court, Arnon acknowledged he would likely lose his freedom and said he had no regrets for what was "a worthwhile personal sacrifice for the greater good".
"The youth protest has created a phenomenon that has changed Thailand to the point of no return," he said.
"I believe that the people are becoming more confident in their freedom and equality and are ready to transform the country to be more progressive."
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Lawyer, Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Oct 4, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Sep 4, 2023
- Event Description
10 months after participating in an anti-government protest during the 2022 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in November 2022, two activists have received police summonses on charges relating to the protest.
Labour rights activist Thanaporn Wichan and student activist Akhin (pseudonym) were charged for participating in the 17 November 2022 protest at the Asoke Montri intersection. Protesters were planning to march to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, where APEC meetings were taking place, to submit a petition to APEC leaders on human rights violations in Thailand. However, they were prevented from marching by crowd control police, who blocked the Asoke Montri intersection. They then decided to read their statement at the intersection before ending the protest.
Both Thanaporn and Akhin were charged with violation of the Public Assembly Act for not notifying the police that they were organizing a protest. Thanaporn was also charged with using a sound amplifier without permission because she was a speaker during the protest.
Meanwhile, Akhin was charged with violation of the Act on the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country for using paint during the protest. The police accused Akhin of splattering green paint around, some of which got on the crowd control police stationed nearby, and claimed that other protesters were throwing paint and water and spraying paint onto the officers.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said Thanaporn and Akhin received summonses on 4 September requiring them to report to Lumpini Police Station on 15 September to hear the charges. The summonses arrived 10 months after the event. TLHR said that two other activists also received summonses for the same protest, but were unavailable and had asked the police to move their appointment.
The police also named activists Nutthanit Duangmusit and Sopon Surariddhidhamrong as organisers of the protest, but neither have received a summons. Sopon is also detained pending appeal on a royal defamation charge.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community), Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Labour rights defender, Pro-democracy defender, Student, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: pro-democracy defenders were charged with breaching the Emergency Decree and lèse majesté
- Date added
- Oct 2, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Sep 6, 2023
- Event Description
Phimchanok was charged with royal defamation for a post on her Facebook profile page saying “The government sucks. The institution also sucks.” Pol Col Nopparit Kantha, the superintendent of the provincial investigation department in Chiang Mai, filed charges against her on order of the Chiang Mai regional police working group on national security. Assuming the term “institution” was a reference to the monarchy, the police accused her of royal defamation.
Phimchanok was arrested on 18 March 2022 by a unit of around 15 officers and taken from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The warrant was issued by the Chiang Mai Provincial Court. She never received a summons before being arrested.
Although Phimchanok’s lawyer requested bail during the inquiry process, the police said that a bail request could only be filed after she had been taken to court for temporary detention. Although the Chiang Mai Provincial Court granted her bail, she was not released until 11.40 on 19 March 2022. This caused her to miss her TCAS examinations, required for university entrance. Thereafter, she was also required to report to the court in Chiang Mai every 12 days, although she lives in Bangkok.
In court, Phimchanok testified that she posted the message but was referring to an educational institution, not the monarchy. She added that even if others think that it refers to the monarchy, it did not constitute royal defamation as the defamation law protects specific members of the royal family, not the royal institution.
On Wednesday (6 September), the Chiang Mai Provincial Court found her guilty of royal defamation. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that the court cited prosecution witness testimonies saying that Phimchanok has previously been advocating for monarchy reform, making it probable that her post referred to the monarchy. The court also ruled that the royal defamation law covers the royal institution as well as the King, Queen, and Heir Apparent, members of the royal family specifically listed in the text of the law.
The court sentenced Phimchanok to 3 years in prison, but reduced her sentence to 2 years because she gave useful testimony. She was later granted bail using a 150,000-baht security and will be appealing her sentence.
TLHR noted that interpretation of the royal defamation law tends to vary from court to court. On 21 August 2023, the Chiang Mai District Court dismissed one count of royal defamation charge filed against student activist Thanathorn Vitayabenjang on the grounds that the statement he read during the protest in front of the Provincial Police Region 5 headquarters mention the monarchy but not specific members of the royal family. However, he was found guilty of another count of defamation for a speech given at the Three Kings Monument, which mentioned the King.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 13, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 22, 2023
- Event Description
Sondhi Limthongkul is suing Prachatai and its editor-in-chief for defamation, alleging that Prachatai distorted his words, leading its readers to misunderstand that he supported a coup. He stated that coups are not legitimate and he has never endorsed one.
On 22 August 2023, Prachatai’s editorial team at the Foundation for Community Educational Media (FCEM) received a summons relating to a defamation case filed by Sondhi Limthongkul, former leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy and founder of ASTV media group. The lawsuit targeted both FCEM and Prachatai’s editor-in-chief, Tewarit Maneechai.
The defamation charge stems from an alleged misrepresentation of Sondhi’s views, implying that he supports a coup. The court has scheduled a preliminary hearing for 30 October 2023.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 13, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 28, 2023
- Event Description
Two students from Chiang Mai University (CMU) have been found guilty of royal defamation and violation of the 1979 Flag Act for an art installation piece exhibited at an event in March 2021.
Siwanchali ‘Ramil’ Withayaseriwat, formerly known as Withaya Khlangnin, and Yotsunthon Ruttapradid were charged with royal defamation and violation of the 1979 Flag Act for an art installation piece they exhibited during a 14 March 2021 protest at the university. It featured a mannequin wrapped in plastic in the middle of two red and white strips. The complaint was filed by Srisuwan Janya, Secretary-General of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, a man known as Thailand’s ‘complainer-in-chief’ for filing numerous complaints against activists and politicians.
The installation piece was also shown during an event on 25 March 2021, when students from the Faculty of Fine Arts gathered in front of the University’s Office of Strategy Management to demand an explanation from University and Faculty management for an incident on 22 March 2021, when the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and several other faculty personnel, claiming that some student art projects might violate the law, attempted to remove the pieces from the Media Arts and Design Department building without first informing the students.
The police said that messages written on the art piece by participants in the 14 March 2021 protest insulted the monarchy. The piece, which looked like a Thai flag without the blue stripe representing the monarchy, was taken to mean that the artist did not wish for the monarchy to exist in the country.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that the Chiang Mai Provincial Court today (28 August) found them guilty of royal defamation and sentenced them to 4 years in prison. The Court also sentenced them to 8 months in prison and fined them 2000 baht each for violating the Flag Act.
According to the Court, the piece was similar enough to the national flag to cause misunderstandings.
It ruled that, by using a colour scheme similar to a Thai national flag without the blue stripe and by holding the piece up as the National Anthem was played, they defamed the King, showing that they did not want the monarchy to be represented on the flag. The Court added that the defendants should have anticipated that some of the protest messages written on the piece would insult the King.
Because they gave useful testimony and are students who have never been sentenced to prison, the Court reduced their sentences to a total of 3 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of 1500 baht each. Their sentence was suspended for 3 years. Instead, they are required to report to a probation officer 8 times over the next two years.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Artist, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 13, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 21, 2023
- Event Description
Student activist Thanatorn Vitayabenjang has been sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison on a royal defamation charge filed against him for reading a statement and giving a speech during a protest in August 2021.
Thanatorn, a graduate from Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Humanities, was charged with royal defamation and violation of the Emergency Decree for reading a statement and giving a speech about the monarchy in front of the Provincial Police Region 5 headquarters and at the Three Kings Monument in Chiang Mai during a protest caravan on 15 August 2021.
He was initially charged with one count of royal defamation for the speech given at the Three Kings Monument. However, when he was indicted on 19 November 2021, he was charged with a second count for the statement he read in front of the Provincial Police Region 5 headquarters.
During witness examination, Thanatorn confessed to giving a speech at the Three Kings Monument, but told the Court that the statement he read did not defame the King and that the protest did not violate Covid-19 measures issued under the Emergency Decree.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said today (21 August) that the Chiang Mai Provincial Court found Thanatorn guilty of one count of royal defamation and sentenced him to 3 years in prison. His sentence was reduced to 1 year and 6 months because he confessed. The remaining count was dismissed.
The Court also found him guilty of violating the Emergency Decree and sentenced him to 1 month in prison, bringing his total sentence to 1 year and 7 months.
Thanatorn requested bail in order to file an appeal. TLHR said he has been granted bail using a security of 150,000 baht.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 6, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 21, 2023
- Event Description
7 people have been sentenced for violating the Emergency Decree due to their participation in a protest on 1 February 2021 against a coup by the Myanmar Military.
On 21 August 2023, the Criminal Court ruled that 7 people committed offences by violating the Emergency Decree and interfering with the operations of authorities. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), all were sentenced and fined for their actions.
Punnaphat Chantanangkul, a student at Thammasat University, was sentenced to twelve months, a sentence which was reduced to 4 months and twenty days. A second defendant was sentenced to three years and one month and fined 40,000 Baht, a sentence which was reduced to one year, six months and 15 days with a 20,000 Baht fine.
The rest of the defendants were sentenced to four years and fined 60,000 Baht each. The sentence was reduced to two years and fifty days with a 30,000 Baht fine each.
The court suspended the sentences of the second to seventh defendants, except for Punnaphat, who requested bail.
TLHR later reported that Punnaphat was granted bail after posting 150,000 Baht as security.
On 1 February 2021, Thais and Myanmarese gathered in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand in response to a coup and the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the de-facto leader of the NLD-led administration, as well as NLD politicians and candidates countrywide. A second gathering took place at the Pathumwan Skywalk.
The protest was dispersed by the Royal Thai Police with shields and batons. 3 protesters were arrested: one member of the volunteer protest guard group We Volunteer, one student from Thammasat University and one ordinary citizen.
- Impact of Event
- 7
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- #COVID-19, Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 6, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jul 27, 2023
- Event Description
A 74-year-old woman has been charged with royal defamation for a speech she gave during a protest on 26 July 2023 at Thammasat University, following attempts to bar Move Forward Party candidate Pita Limjaroenrat from becoming prime minister.
Chiraphon “Nit” Butpaket has been charged under the royal defamation law, known as Section 112, and Computer-related Crime Act over a speech she gave allegedly criticising the monarchy during the 26 July protest. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reports that the complaint was filed on 27 July 2023 by Anon Klinkaew, leader of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy.
A summons for Chiraphon was issued on 8 August 2023. On 22 August 2023, she went to the Khlong Luang Police Station to acknowledge the charges. According to the police report, during the protest, she gave a speech and raised a three-finger salute.
She is alleged to have criticised the monarchy by saying that she wanted the country to be a democracy and did not want the monarchy to be above the law. She was reportedly also critical of the country’s 13 successful coups and raised issues regarding the support and endorsement these received.
The plaintiff contends that Chiraphon intentionally insulted and defamed King Vajiralongkorn, while leading the audience to misunderstand that what she said was true. He also noted that her speech was disseminated through social media platforms.
The protest was organised by the Thammasat University Student Union at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus in response to attempts by the Senate and the Constitutional Court to block Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat from becoming Prime Minister despite his party winning the election.
Chiraphon rejected the charges and will provide a written statement within 30 days. The inquiry officers scheduled a hearing for 25 September 2023 and released her after taking her fingerprints.
A retiree, Chiraphon sells congee in front of a school in Nonthaburi Province. She has several health conditions, including issues with her heart and kidneys, which have left her easily fatigued and struggling with walking.
She defines herself as a citizen who loves democracy and an outspoken advocate of justice since the 6 October 1976 massacre.
Upon learning of the charges against her, Chiraphon was shocked. She has always tried to provide support and encouragement to those being prosecuted for political reasons, never imagining she would find herself in such a situation.
“112 cases carry severe penalties of 3 to 15 years of imprisonment. I used to visit Somyot, Arnon, and many others who were charged under Article 112. The law is not fair. There is no way for people beat 112 charges. We don’t have the right to speak the truth or even express our thoughts, do we?” said Chiraphon.
Chiraphon says that the main topic she addressed in her speech was the military. She feels it is excessive to bring 112 charges against her, noting that this is why the royal defamation law needs to be amended, to keep the country from regressing to previous centuries when even looking at the king was forbidden.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 6, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 23, 2023
- Event Description
Activist Sopon Surariddhidhamrong has been sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison for a speech during a 22 April 2022 protest in which the court claimed he insulted Queen Suthida.
Sopon was charged with royal defamation and using a sound amplifier without permission for a speech he gave at a protest on 22 April 2022. The complaint against him was filed by Anon Klinkaew, a member of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy, who said Sopon insulted Queen Suthida by speaking inappropriately about her during his speech.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that Sopon was giving a speech through a small megaphone from the Democracy Monument after police blocked protesters, injuring one. He criticised police operation and mentioned Queen Suthida’s trip to a temple.
He was arrested on 1 May 2022 while was leaving a Labour Day event in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). He was subsequently denied bail and held in pre-trial detention for a month before being granted bail on the condition that he only leave his residence with court permission for educational and medical reasons.
TLHR said today (23 August) that the Criminal Court found Sopon guilty of royal defamation on the grounds that he mentioned Queen Suthida during his speech with the intent to damage her and the King’s reputation. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison.
The Court also found him guilty of using a sound amplifier without permission and sentenced him to 6 months in prison, bringing his total sentence to 3 years and 6 months. TLHR noted that, under the Sound Amplifier Act, the penalty for the charge is a fine of 200 baht.
Sopon has requested bail in order to file an appeal. However, the Criminal Court forwarded his bail request to the Appeal Court. He will be detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison until a decision is reached.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Thailand: pro-democracy defender indicted for a speech (Update), Thailand: pro-democracy student arrested, bail denied
- Date added
- Sep 6, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 16, 2023
- Event Description
Another royal defamation complaint has been filed against student activist Benja Apan for a speech given during a protest on 3 September 2021.
The complaint was filed by Rapeepong Chaiyarut, a member of the ultra-royalist group, People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy. He claims that Benja insulted the monarchy in a speech she gave at the protest. Citing police records, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that Benja was accused of royal defamation for speaking of her dream to see a democratic society in which everyone is equal and power belongs to the people, not MPs, senators, capitalists, the military, and the elites. During her speech, she also mentioned King Bhumibol and King Vajiralongkorn as being part of a network of elites that support each other.
The 3 September 2021 protest took place at Ratchaprasong Intersection. It was called by activist groups United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration and Thalufah to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, a new Constitution, and monarchy reform. Benja and 16 other protesters were previously charged with violation of Covid-19 regulations issued under the Emergency Decree and for blocking a public road in October 2021. The case is still with the police and has not been submitted to a public prosecutor for indictment.
TLHR said that Benja reported to the police to hear the royal defamation charge on Wednesday (16 August) after receiving a police summons. TLHR also noted that they were told by the police that they sent a summons to Benja once before, but she did not receive it, so they sent her another summons, which she received.
Another student activist, Kiattichai Tangpornphan, was also charged with royal defamation for a speech he gave at the 3 September 2021 protest. Kiattichai was among the 17 protesters charged with violation of the Emergency Decree and blocking a public road. He received a summons this July to report to a police after Rapeepong filed a royal defamation complaint against him.
TLHR said that Kiattichai was accused of royal defamation for giving a speech criticising the government for damaging the monarchy. By way of example, he cited amending sections relating to the monarchy in the 2017 Constitution, increasing budget given to the monarchy, using the royal defamation law against critics, and allowing the SiamBioScience company to produce Covid-19 vaccine.
At least 256 people have been charged with royal defamation since the start of the student-led protests in 2020. Benja is now facing 8 counts of the charge, while Kiattichai is facing 4 counts.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 25, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 7, 2023
- Event Description
Activist Tanruthai Thanrut reported to Pathumwan Police Station today (7 August) after a royal defamation charge was filed against her by Anon Klinkaew, leader of the ultra-royalist group People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy, over a speech she gave during the 14 July protest.
The protest was called after Pita lost the first round of voting on 13 July. Activists gathered at the courtyard in front of the BACC and gave speeches. They handed out flyers calling for the abolition of the Senate, while a large piece of cloth was laid out for people to write messages, many of which condemned the Senate’s actions for disrespecting the people and disregarding election results by not approving a Prime Minister candidate nominated by the winning party.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that the complaint against Tanruthai was filed because she gave a speech saying that no institution is above the people and demanding that the Senate and House of Representatives respect the result of the election.
TLHR noted that Tanruthai asked the police to amend the record to say that Anon has previously threatened her on social media and that the complaint against her was filed because of differences in political ideology.
Tanruthai said that she did not mean to do damage to the country, but gave her speech because she wants to improve it. She said she is not concerned about being charged, but is confused about the legal proceedings because she was told that the process involving a royal defamation charge is different from the normal process.
Tanruthai said that she has been harassed after the complaint against her was filed. People have tried to dox her on social media, while others made comments attacking her. Someone also called her mother and told her that Tanruthai could be going to jail.
The harassment has not yet interfered with her personal life, Tanruthai said, and she doesn’t care if people attack her online. However, she will consider pressing charges if the harassment worsens.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Judicial Harassment, Online Attack and Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to privacy, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Family of HRD, Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 22, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jul 17, 2023
- Event Description
Six activists have acknowledged the charges under the Public Assembly and Road Traffic acts after demanding police responsibility for the APEC protest crackdown that cost one activist an eye.
On 3 August 2023, six activists acknowledged charges based on summonses issued under the Public Assembly and Road Traffic acts arising from their participation in a gathering that sought justice for Payu, an activist from the Dao Din group, who was shot in the right eye with a rubber bullet by crowd control police in the APEC protest crackdown. The gathering took place on 23 November 2022 at the Odeon Circle, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).
The police issued summonses on 17 July 2023 for 8 people to acknowledge charges related to participating in a public gathering that caused inconvenience in the use of a public place and conducting a procession after 18.00 hours without permission, as stipulated in the Public Assembly Act. The gathering also obstructed traffic in violation of the Road Traffic Act.
The case report states that prior to the incident, Tanruthai, one of the accused activists, posted on Facebook about the gathering scheduled for 23 November 2022, demanding responsibility for Payu’s lost eye and the violence against the APEC protest.
Tanruthai and 10 others, photographers and YouTubers, gathered at the Odeon Circle, and were seen writing messages on banners. However, it was unclear who organized or led this gathering.
The case report also said that the police warned the protesters that the gathering broke the law, but they did not heed the warning. They walked along Yaowarat Road and then back to the Odeon Circle.
All six activists denied the charges. They will submit additional written testimony on 21 August 2023.
The TLHR pointed out that this incident took place over eight months ago, and the police have only recently issued summonses.
Payu Boonsophon, known as Payu Dao Din, lost the sight in his right eye after being shot with a rubber bullet in the APEC protest crackdown on 18 November 2022. The protest database and observation site Mob Data Thailand reported that at least 33 people were injured during the protest.
- Impact of Event
- 6
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 11, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jul 13, 2023
- Event Description
A prominent rights activist from the southern Chinese province of Guangzhou has been prevented from boarding a Qatar Airways flight from Bangkok to Ecuador, where he had hoped to take his family to claim political asylum in the United States.
Liang Songji, who has been repeatedly jailed by the Chinese authorities for his peaceful criticism of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, said he had planned to take the July 13 flight to Ecuador but was prevented from checking in by airline staff.
"As soon as Qatar Airlines swiped my passport, they gave it straight back to me," Liang said, adding that staff refused to check the family in, although they had the right tickets, visas, COVID-19 test certificates and evidence of hotel reservations for all three family members.
"The staff told me that this was due to a decision made at senior levels [in their company]. When they looked into it further, they said it was the Ecuadorian government's decision not to allow the three of us to board."
Liang said he is skeptical about the claim that his apparent travel ban came from the Ecuadorian foreign ministry, and has tried to meet with U.S. consular officials in Bangkok, given that he plans to claim political asylum in that country.
He said he had planned to 'walk the line' from Ecuador northwards to Mexico overland, a route taken by a growing number of Chinese nationals fleeing their home country in what has been dubbed the "run" movement.
"Ecuador is a very hot route [for Chinese fleeing China] right now, because everyone travels north from there to get to the United States and Canada," Liang said. "I'd figured that even if I ran out of money, we could stay in Ecuador."
"The real question is whether this really is coming from Ecuador – I think it probably isn't," he said. "It's all over the internet that there is a visa-free entrance agreement between China and Ecuador."
Liang said airline staff had refused to issue a refund for his family's three tickets.
On Friday, he presented himself at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, requesting an emergency meeting with a diplomat.
"They rejected my request," said Liang, who arrived in Thailand last month, and whose Thai tourist visa expired on Saturday.
"I really don't know what plans I can make now," he said. "It's impossible for me to return to China now."
Emails sent to the U.S. State Department and to Qatar Airways’ headquarters requesting comment went unanswered since Friday.
Beaten and strip-searched
Liang was arrested in November 2018 after he witnessed the forcible strip-searching and beating of Guangzhou rights attorney Sun Shihua by police in the city, and later sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a catch-all charge frequently used to target peaceful critics of the government.
An associate who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals said Liang had been trying to leave China since 2015.
A prominent rights activist from the southern Chinese province of Guangzhou has been prevented from boarding a Qatar Airways flight from Bangkok to Ecuador, where he had hoped to take his family to claim political asylum in the United States.
Liang Songji, who has been repeatedly jailed by the Chinese authorities for his peaceful criticism of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, said he had planned to take the July 13 flight to Ecuador but was prevented from checking in by airline staff.
"As soon as Qatar Airlines swiped my passport, they gave it straight back to me," Liang said, adding that staff refused to check the family in, although they had the right tickets, visas, COVID-19 test certificates and evidence of hotel reservations for all three family members.
"The staff told me that this was due to a decision made at senior levels [in their company]. When they looked into it further, they said it was the Ecuadorian government's decision not to allow the three of us to board."
Liang said he is skeptical about the claim that his apparent travel ban came from the Ecuadorian foreign ministry, and has tried to meet with U.S. consular officials in Bangkok, given that he plans to claim political asylum in that country.
He said he had planned to 'walk the line' from Ecuador northwards to Mexico overland, a route taken by a growing number of Chinese nationals fleeing their home country in what has been dubbed the "run" movement.
"Ecuador is a very hot route [for Chinese fleeing China] right now, because everyone travels north from there to get to the United States and Canada," Liang said. "I'd figured that even if I ran out of money, we could stay in Ecuador."
"The real question is whether this really is coming from Ecuador – I think it probably isn't," he said. "It's all over the internet that there is a visa-free entrance agreement between China and Ecuador."
Liang said airline staff had refused to issue a refund for his family's three tickets.
On Friday, he presented himself at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, requesting an emergency meeting with a diplomat.
"They rejected my request," said Liang, who arrived in Thailand last month, and whose Thai tourist visa expired on Saturday.
"I really don't know what plans I can make now," he said. "It's impossible for me to return to China now."
Emails sent to the U.S. State Department and to Qatar Airways’ headquarters requesting comment went unanswered since Friday.
Beaten and strip-searched
Liang was arrested in November 2018 after he witnessed the forcible strip-searching and beating of Guangzhou rights attorney Sun Shihua by police in the city, and later sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a catch-all charge frequently used to target peaceful critics of the government.
An associate who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals said Liang had been trying to leave China since 2015.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Restrictions on Movement, Travel Restriction
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of movement
- HRD
- Family of HRD, Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Suspected state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 10, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Aug 8, 2023
- Event Description
Eighteen activists of the Thalu Wang group have been summonsed to hear charges in connection with a protest on Sunday in front the Ministry of Culture demanding senator Naowarat Pongpaiboon be stripped of the title "national artist".
The summonses were issued by Huai Khwang police in response to a complaint filed by officials from the Ministry of Culture and Huai Khwang district office, Pol Maj Gen Atthaporn Wongsiripreeda, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, said on Tuesday.
Those summonsed include Netiporn "Boong" Sanehsangkhom, Tantawan "Tawan" Tuatulanond and Thanalop "Yok" Phalanchai.
They face charges of trespassing, damaging property, violating the 2014 coup-makers' National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) ban on the use of fireworks or similar objects, violating the Public Assembly Act of 2015 in organising a gathering without prior permission and breaking the Cleanliness and Orderliness Act prohibiting vandalising of public property, Pol Maj Gen Atthaporn said.
All 18 were required to report to the police to acknowledge the charges this week.
Police had examined and collected evidence from the protest site to support the charges, he said.
On Sunday about 5pm, members of the Thalu Wang (breaking into the palace) group gathered at the entrance gate of the Ministry of Culture on Thian Ruamit road in Huai Khwang district. They sprayed coloured paint on the footpath, on decorative cloth on the ministry's fence and on the road surface.
They also splashed coloured liquid on the ministry's name sign and lit coloured smoke flares in front of it.
Some of the protesters were dressed in black and wore a variety of masks to hide their faces.
They demanded the Ministry of Culture strip senator Naowarat Pongpaiboon of the title of national artist because he had abstained when the joint parliament sat to vote on the nomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister on July 13. Mr Pita failed to get the required support, with the majority of senators opting not to vote.
The protesters also called for the abolition of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law.
- Impact of Event
- 18
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 9, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jul 20, 2023
- Event Description
The Central Juvenile and Family Court on Thursday (20 July) found activist Noppasin Treelayapewat guilty of royal defamation for wearing a crop top to a mock fashion show during a protest in October 2020, when he was 16 years old.
At the “Ratsadorn Catwalk” fashion show, staged at the 29 October 2020 protest, Noppasin is alleged to have mocked the King by wearing a black crop top with the message “My father’s name is Mana, not Vajiralongkorn” written on his back. He was charged with royal defamation under Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code after a complaint was filed against him by Waritsanun Sribawornthanakit, who runs a pro-establishment Facebook page.
The ”Ratsadorn Catwalk” took place after it was reported that the Ministry of Commerce received a 13-million baht budget for the overseas exhibition of new products by the Sirivannavari brand, a fashion label owned by the King’s younger daughter, Princess Sirivannavari.
The 29 October 2020 protest took place on the same day that Sirivannavari’s new collection was being launched at the nearby Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Although there were no speeches, protesters participated in the fashion show, performed, and exhibited artwork to support monarchy reform.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that, on Thursday (20 July), the Central Juvenile and Family Court found Noppasin guilty of royal defamation for mocking the King by dressing and acting like him. He was also found guilty of violating Covid-19 prevention regulations under the Emergency Decree because he did not wear a mask while participating in the protest, although the Court said that there was no significant report that people caught Covid-19 from the protest.
The court sentenced him to 3 years in prison for royal defamation, reduced to 1 years and 6 months because he committed the offence as a minor, and fined him 6,000 baht for violating the Emergency Decree.
Because he gave useful testimony, the Court reduced his sentence again to 1 year in prison and a fine of 4,000 baht. It also said that, because it was his first criminal charge and because it believes he is capable of improving himself, it suspended his prison sentence for 2 years, during which he must report to a probation officer every 3 months.
Waritsanun also filed a complaint against Jatuporn Sae-Ung, 23, for participating in the same protest. Jatuporn is alleged to have ridiculed the Queen by wearing a pink Thai traditional dress to the fashion show and walking along a red carpet under an umbrella held by another protester.
In September 2022, Jatuporn was found guilty of royal defamation and a violation of the Public Assembly Act and sentenced to 3 years in prison and a fine of 1,500 baht. It then reduced her sentence to 2 years in prison and a fine of 4,000 baht because she gave useful testimony. She was later granted bail to appeal the case.
Noppasin told Prachatai ahead of his sentencing that he was prepared to be detained. He noted that, when Jatuporn was sentenced, she spent a week in detention before being granted bail, and asked how the court is going to be held responsible for damages to her life if the Appeal Court finds her not guilty.
Noppasin said he did not intend on dressing like King Vajiralongkorn. He wore a t-shirt to the protest but purchased the crop top at the protest, while a friend wrote the message on his back.
“There shouldn’t be a problem with wearing a shirt and having words written on your body. I wasn’t imitating anyone. It was just fashion that anyone can wear,” he said.
His life has changed after becoming an activist. Not only has been been charged with three counts of royal defamation, he has also been assaulted by officers and shot with rubber bullets during protests. He has to go to court 3-4 times per week, meaning that he has almost no free time – something he said is not a life a teenager should have.
Nevertheless, Noppasin said he is not afraid of the royal defamation law, even if he is imprisoned. He believes that the royal defamation law should be repealed, since it has been used to attack political dissidents and that people will continue to be charged with it if the law still exists, while no one should go to prison for criticizing someone else. He also said that it is “disgusting” that royal defamation complaints are now being filed against children as young as 13, and asked how the authorities will take responsibility for children who have to go through the complicated trial process of a juvenile court when a minor under 15 does not have to be punished for a crime.
Ahead of Noppasin’s sentencing, Amnesty International issued a statement calling for the Thai authorities to drop charges against him and end the prosecution of child protesters.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- #COVID-19, Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 9, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jul 13, 2023
- Event Description
Attempts to disqualify Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and block his bid to become the next Prime Minister have sparked a wave of protests during the past week in several provinces calling for the Senate and the House of Representative to approve his nomination as Prime Minister, as his party won the most seats in the last general election.
After the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) decided last Wednesday (12 July) to submit a petition with the Constitutional Court to rule whether Pita should be disqualified over his alleged ownership of iTV shares and whether to suspend him while the Court deliberates the case against him, activists in at least 11 provinces held a protest that evening against the ECT’s decision and demanded that parliament vote to appoint Pita as Prime Minister despite the iTV share case.
In Bangkok, a crowd formed on the skywalk above Pathumwan Intersection at 18.00 on Wednesday with signs condemning the ECT’s decision and demanding that parliament respect the result of the election and vote for the candidate of the winning party. Activists took turns speaking during the event and asked people to join them at parliament the next day to wait for the result of the Prime Minister vote.
Meanwhile, in Chiang Mai, students and members of the public met in front of Chiang Mai University. Protesters were invited to come up to speak on how they feel about the ECT decision, with several questioning why the ECT decided to submit its petition only a day before the Prime Minister vote and whether anyone is benefiting from this decision. They also said that since the ECT is paid by taxpayers’ money, they should respect voters.
Protests took place in Surin, Nakhon Ratchasima, Lampang, Ubon Ratchathani, Mukdahan, Sakon Nakhon, Ayutthaya, Maha Sarakham, and Kanchanaburi.
On Thursday (13 July), a crowd gathered at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Government Complex, next to parliament, to watch Senators and MPs debate Pita’s nomination and the vote. The session was shown on a large screen, with speakers placed in the Complex’s park and along Thahan Road.
Meanwhile, the police declared a no-protest zone within a 50-metre radius of the parliament complex and blocked Samsen Road with a row of shipping containers. The overpass above Kiakkai intersection was also blocked with metal sheets and razor wire, while shipping containers were placed along Thahan Road, blocking off the parliament building.
At Tha Pae gate in Chiang Mai, people also turned up to watch parliament cast its vote. At Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Law, the debate was also shown on TV and projector screens in the faculty building for students and members of the public.
After Pita lost the first round of voting, protesters in Chiang Mai burned chilli and salt – a traditional cursing ritual – along with a list of senators and MPs who did not approve Pita’s nomination.
Activists in Bangkok called a protest on Friday (14 July) at the courtyard in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). During the protest, flyers calling for the abolition of the Senate were handed out, while a large piece of cloth was laid out for people to write messages, many of which condemned the Senate’s actions for disrespecting the people and disregarding election results by not approving a Prime Minister candidate nominated by the winning party.
Online, several businesses, from restaurants to a badminton court and a tire repair shop, announced that senators, election commissioners, and their family members are no longer welcome if they did not vote for Pita. Meanwhile, a list of businesses run by senators or their family members is being circulated by netizens along with a call for the public to sanction these businesses.
Hawon Thailand, a Korean barbeque restaurant included on the list, issued a statement on Friday night saying that one of its minor shareholders is related to a person holding a political office. The shareholder has no executive power over the business, the statement said, and they have already withdrawn their shares. The statement also said that the business supports democracy.
Activists in Bangkok have already called for a protest on 19 July, when another Prime Minister vote is to take place. Meanwhile, human rights lawyer and activist Anon Nampa is to lead a protest caravan across Bangkok on Sunday afternoon (16 July), which will start at the Democracy Monument and visit the Army headquarters, the Navy headquarters, the Police headquarters, and end at the BACC to demand that military and police commanders appointed as senators resign.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 9, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jun 12, 2023
- Event Description
12 activists and protesters have been found guilty of sedition, among other charges, for participating in the 18 July 2020 Free Youth protest and given a suspended sentence of 2 months in prison and a fine of 2000 baht each.
For their participation in the protest, Parit Chiwarak, Panupong Jadnok, Anon Nampa, Jutatip Sirikhan, Korakot Saengyenpan, Suwanna Tallek, Baramee Chaiyarat, Dechathorn Bamrungmuang, Thanee Sasom, Thanayut na Ayutthaya, Todsaporn Sinsomboon, and Netnapha Amnatsongserm were charged with sedition, joining an assembly of 10 or more people and causing public disorder, violation of the Emergency Decree, using a sound amplifier without permission, blocking a public road, and violation of the Public Cleanliness Act.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported on Monday (12 June) that the Criminal Court found them guilty of sedition and joining a participation of 10 or more people and causing public disorder because activists were giving speeches and singing about the monarchy while protesters were seen with banners calling for abolition of the monarchy, and because a small clash occurred between a group of protesters and crowd control police.
Although the Court said that, because the speeches and banners did not mention a specific person, the activists did not intend to cause disorder in the country, they were found guilty of sedition for attempting to cause people to violate the law.
The Court sentenced them to 2 months in prison, but suspended the sentence for 2 years because they have never been previously sentenced to prison.
They were also found guilty of blocking a public road and violation of the Cleanliness Act because they set up a stage on a public road, blocking traffic, and were given a fine of 2000 baht each.
The Court dismissed the Emergency Decree violation charge on the grounds that, at that time, there were no reports of Covid-19 patients and disease control measures were already being relaxed, and because the prosecution could not present evidence that they organized the protest. The court also found them not guilty of using a sound amplifier without permission because there is no evidence they were the organizers and because they only shared the Facebook post announcing the protest.
Thailand declared a State of Emergency in March 2020, supposedly to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Regulations issued under the Emergency Decree have been used to prosecute activists and protesters participating in the pro-democracy protests. The State of Emergency ended on 1 October 2022.
The 18 July 2020 Free Youth protest was the first in a series of student-led mass demonstrations in 2020. Thousands gathered at the Democracy Monument to call for the dissolution of parliament led by the Palang Pracharath party, constitutional amendments, and for the authorities to stop harassing citizens exercising freedom of expression. The protest is now seen at the beginning of the 2020 – 2021 pro-democracy movement, which demanded social and political reform and eventually led to a call for monarchy reform.
In March 2023, the Dusit District Court dismissed charges against 15 other activists and protesters for joining the protest, but fined them 200 baht each for using a sound amplifier without permission.
- Impact of Event
- 12
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jul 16, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jun 27, 2023
- Event Description
The two activists have been sentenced to four years in prison for royal defamation because of their criticism of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha's administration for expanding the King's power. The sentence was reduced to two years and eight months, and they were later granted bail pending appeal.
On 27 June 2023, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that the Thonburi Criminal Court delivered the verdict in the case of Chukiat “Justin” Saengwong and Wanwalee “Tee” Thammasattaya who were indicted under the royal defamation law over their speeches on 6 December 2020 during a protest at the King Taksin the Great Monument.
The complaint against the two activists was filed by Chakrapong Klinkaew, leader of the royalist group People Protecting the Institution.
The two activists were found guilty of violating the royal defamation law, resulting in a four-year sentence for each. The sentences were reduced to two years and eight months due to their helpful testimony.
The court concluded that Chukiat delivered a speech discussing the seizure of power from King Taksin the Great, resulting in the establishment of the current ruling dynasty. He also criticized the government’s use of Section 112, the royal defamation law, to silence the people, fearing that they would speak the truth. Chukiat added that even if Thailand claims to be a democratic country with the king as head of state, the government denies the rights of those who call for righteousness.
Chukiat also mentioned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who accused him of wearing attire that insulted the king, although it was intended to mimic a foreign singer. He also addressed the status of the institution of the monarchy, which cannot be questioned, and emphasized the need for protesters to demand reform of the monarchy due to the excessive exercise of royal power, distinguishing it from the monarchies in other countries.
Chukiat is well known for his speeches and public appearances in protests where he wore crop tops. The nickname ‘Justin’ is after Justin Bieber, a famous singer who also wears crop tops.
In her speech, Wanwalee discussed the fact that the King serves as the Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces as stipulated in the constitution, granting him the power to lead the military. She also raised the issue of royal involvement in ratifying coups d'état and influencing the work of the cabinet ministers.
In this case, the two activists denied all charges. The court scheduled hearings for prosecution witnesses on 8 -9 February, 19 July, and 2 August 2022 and for defence witnesses on 3, 10 and 31 March 2023, prior to delivering the verdict.
The TLHR said that both have been granted bail at 300,000 baht each pending appeal.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jul 16, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- May 26, 2023
- Event Description
The electricity company Gulf Energy Development has filed a defamation lawsuit against academic Sarinee Achavanuntakul, a critic of energy monopolies and advocate of good governance in business in Thailand.
Gulf Energy is suing Sarinee for criminal defamation and demanding compensation of 1 billion baht over a post she made in April about power plant monopolies and the rise in electricity costs, in which she wrote about an independent power producer bid, where Gulf Energy was the sole winner, and the lawsuit resulting from a complaint filed by the Labour Union of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to the State Sector Budget Expenditure Monitoring and Audit Committee that the bid may have been fraudulent.
Sarinee posted on her Facebook page that she received a Civil Court summons on Saturday (27 May), and a Criminal Court summons on Sunday (28 May).
In November 2021, Gulf Energy sued Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome for defamation by publication over a September 2021 censure debate speech about a satellite concession, questioning the influence of Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, in the energy company’s dramatic growth. It also sued the Party for publishing the content of the debate.
In December 2022, Gulf Energy sued Move Forward MP Bencha Saengchantra for defamation over another censure debate speech about the government’s energy policy and how it grants concessions. The company demanded that both Rangsiman and Bencha pay compensation of 1 billion baht each.
In December 2021, Gulf Energy also sued Same Sky Books editor and co-founder Thanapol Eawsakul for sharing a Facebook post Rangsiman made about being sued by the company. The company demanded that Thanapol pay 50 million baht compensation with 5 percent interest, publish the full version of the court’s ruling in 15 newspapers, both online and offline, delete the post and pay court costs.
Warong Dechgitvigrom, leader of the far-right Thai Pakdee Party, was also sued by the company in November 2021 for defamation. Bangkok Biz News reported that the lawsuit resulted from a live broadcast on Warong’s Facebook page, during which he said that Gulf Energy is trying to gain a monopoly in the telecommunication and internet business through buying shares in the telecommunication companies Intouch Holdings and Advanced Info Service (AIS). He also alleged that Gulf Energy was going to bid for a satellite concession.
According to its website, GULF is a holding company that invests in power generation, gas, renewable energy, hydropower and infrastructure and utilities businesses. It is also the kingdom’s largest private gas-fired and renewable power producer for the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and private clients.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online
- HRD
- Academic, WHRD
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Corporation Extractive industries
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jun 6, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- May 17, 2023
- Event Description
Thai authorities should immediately and impartially investigate the killing of an exiled Lao political activist, Bounsuan Kitiyano, Human Rights Watch said today.
On May 17, 2023, Bounsuan’s body was found with three gunshot wounds in the forest in Si Mueang Mai district, Ubon Ratchathani province in northeastern Thailand, bordering Laos. The initial police investigation indicated that he was shot while riding alone on his motorcycle through the forest.
“This cold-blooded killing of a prominent exiled Lao political activist demands an immediate response from the Thai authorities,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The Thai government should urgently conduct a credible and impartial investigation into Bounsuan’s death and bring to justice all those responsible.”
Bounsuan, 56, was a former member of the Free Laos group and was recognized as a refugee by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He was involved in several protests in front of the Lao Embassy in Bangkok calling for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The killing of Bounsuan in Thailand sends a spine-chilling message that nowhere is safe for critics of the Lao government. On April 29, an unidentified gunman shot and seriously wounded Anousa Luangsuphom, an activist and online critic of the Lao government, in the capital, Vientiane.
Even activists who have fled persecution in Laos to neighboring countries have not been safe. Od Sayavong, a leading Lao human rights and democracy activist living in Bangkok, Thailand, has been missing since August 2019. On October 1, 2019, the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and three UN special rapporteurs issued a joint statement expressing concerns regarding Sayavong’s case.
The Thai government has consistently failed to prevent or adequately respond to attacks against political critics of repressive neighboring governments of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar, Human Rights Watch said.
“The Thai government’s unacceptable deference to abusive neighbors is once again taking priority over its international human rights and legal obligations,” Pearson said. “The new government that will take office following the May 14 elections has an urgent agenda to reestablish Thailand as a place where refugees are protected.”
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Killing, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Right to life
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Unknown
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Unknown
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 30, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- May 22, 2023
- Event Description
6 activists in Chiang Mai have been charged with contempt of court after a complaint was filed against them by the Constitutional Court Office for protesting the court’s September 2022 ruling that Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha was allowed to stay Prime Minister despite the 8-year term limit imposed by the 2017 Constitution.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that Sittiporn Ditthacharoen, Nattachai Sricharoen, Pitchsinee Chaithaweetham, Wittaya Chaikhamla, Theeraporn Pudtasee, and Thanadol Chantarat were charged with contempt of court for staging a protest on 30 September 2022 at Chiang Mai University to protest the court’s ruling.
The police said that a photo of the 6 activists were later posted onto social media, showing them wearing masks and hanging effigies of the Constitutional Court judges along with signs criticizing the court at several locations in Chiang Mai city – an action which the police said damages the public’s trust in the Constitutional Court.
They previously received a summons to report to the police on 2 May, but since several were unavailable, the appointment was postponed to today (22 May).
The activists reported to Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station this morning. The entrance to the building was blocked with metal fences, while plainclothes and uniformed police officers were stationed around the area. A small clash occurred when officers seized a banner saying “Reform the justice institution” from the activists, telling them that they were not allowed to show the banner because they did not inform the police beforehand.
The activists eventually put up the banner outside the police barrier. They also staged a performance in protest against the charge before going to meet the inquiry officer.
TLHR said that since the beginning of the pro-democracy protests in July 2020, at least 34 people have been charged with contempt of court for political expression. Among these cases, one was filed by the Constitutional Court in February 2022, when student activist Parit Chiwarak was charged with contempt of court for two Facebook posts made in December 2020 criticising the Constitutional Court for ruling that Prayut was allowed to stay in army housing despite being retired. However, in June 2022, the public prosecutor decided not to indict Parit due to lack of evidence.
- Impact of Event
- 6
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 25, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- May 24, 2023
- Event Description
A pregnant woman was arrested on Wednesday 24 May for violating the now-repealed Severe State of Emergency by participating in a protest in October 2020. The arrest warrant was issued in March 2022.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said that Chonticha Khumchan-ad was arrested in Pattaya on Wednesday evening (24 May) on an arrest warrant issued by the Dusit District Court and taken to Phaya Thai Police Station.
Chonticha was charged with violating the Severe State of Emergency for participating in the 21 October 2020 protest march from the Victory Monument to Government House to demand the resignation of now-Acting Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and release all activists detained at the time. After she missed an appointment with the public prosecutor, an arrest warrant was issued for her on 22 March 2022.
A Severe State of Emergency was declared in Bangkok and surrounding provinces in the early morning of 15 October 2020, before riot police dispersed protesters gathering in front of Government House. It imposed a ban on public gatherings of more than five people, a ban on reporting information that threatened public stability, and control over transportation and access to certain buildings, in accordance with the Prime Minister’s orders. It was repealed on 22 October 2020, after pro-democracy protesters defied the gathering ban and protested for 6 straight days.
The Severe State of Emergency was described as an “emergency in emergency” due to the pre-existing State of Emergency declared in March 2020. Although it was supposedly declared in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, it has repeatedly been used to prosecute activists and protesters taking part in the pro-democracy protests starting in July 2020. The State of Emergency ended on 1 October 2022.
The police said that two other arrest warrants have also been issued for Chonticha, one for joining the 16 October 2020 protest at the Pathumwan Intersection and another for joining a protest on 20 October 2020 in front of The Mall Bangkhae shopping mall. She was also charged with violating the Severe State of Emergency in both cases and has missed her appointments with the public prosecutor.
Chonticha was later granted bail using a 10,000-baht security and is required to meet with the public prosecutor on 4 July. Since she is pregnant and her due date is three days away, the police allowed her to go home and to report to the police for the remaining two cases after she has given birth.
TLHR also reported that 11 activists were also charged with violation of the Severe State of Emergency for joining the 21 October 2020 protest march, but charges against 10 of them have been dismissed after the court ruled that they were exercising their constitutional right to protest and did not violate restrictions imposed by the Severe State of Emergency.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Enactment of repressive legislation and policies, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- #COVID-19, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 25, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- May 15, 2023
- Event Description
Three labour right activists have been charged with violation of the Public Assembly Act and the Sound Amplifier Act for the 1 May Labour Day march from the Ratchaprasong intersection to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).
Chatchai Pumpuang and Prim Maneechot from the labour rights network Workers’ Union and Surat Kiri from the migrant worker group Bright Future reported to Pathumwan Police Station on Monday (15 March) after they were summoned to hear charges of holding a public assembly without notifying the authorities and using a sound amplifier without permission.
The three activists agreed that Surat will reach a settlement and pay a fine of 2,100 for the charges against him to be withdrawn. Meanwhile, Chatchai and Prim will fight their charges in court.
Chatchai said that he agreed to fight his charges because he hopes that the Public Assembly Act will not be used again the future and to protect the right of workers to march on Labour Day.
He also said that he was told by the police that “it’s good that this is all you get, not [Section] 112.”This made him feel that the royal defamation law is a problem for workers to organize and campaign for their rights.
Chatchai hopes that workers will start seeing why the royal defamation law is problematic and that politics and labour rights are related, since previously there have been arguments made that workers would gain nothing from amending the royal defamation law.
Migrant workers who joined the march have also been harassed by the police. Chatchai said that he was told by several migrant workers that they received calls from the police in Bangkok’s Bang Bon district, which made them feel insecure about their employment and immigration status.
He speculated that the workers were harassed after some media outlets reported that migrant workers were joining the Labour Day march and used nationalist rhetoric to incite a bias against migrants.
“These people really don’t know at all that they can have a comfortable life with everything smooth, and this comes from migrant workers who work and make it happen, like fishery workers, people in Bangkok have shrimp that’s not expensive to eat because of them,” Chatchai said.
“These people are mainly nationalists, but they’re not at all aware of the fact that these people [migrant workers] are the ones who built this city and built this country. The main pillars that they claim didn’t build Bangkok. But the people who built Bangkok are workers. Whatever our nationality, we made everything.”
Previously, the Labour Network for People’s Rights, the Migrant Working Group, and other labour rights organizations issued a joint statement condemning several right-wing media, including Top News and Thai Post, for reporting false information about the Labour Day march.
On 2 May, a programme broadcast on Top News’ YouTube channel claimed that migrant workers from Cambodia were giving speeches during a protest on the morning of 1 May at Government House calling for monarchy reform to create a welfare state. Show host Santisuk Marongsri then commented that migrant workers do not have the right to interfere in Thailand’s affairs and that they need to respect Thai people’s dignity.
Organizers of the protest said that no such speeches were given and that Cambodian workers joining the protest spoke about facing racism and discrimination for being migrants. Thai protesters from the 24 June Democracy group were standing behind them holding a banner saying “Reform the monarchy, build a welfare state,” but the content of the banner was not related to the content of the speech.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Labour rights, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Labour rights defender, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 23, 2023
- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- May 10, 2023
- Event Description
9 activists were arrested during a protest at Samranrat Police Station on the afternoon of 10 May to demand the release of 15-year-old activist Thanalop Phalanchai.
The protest took place after the police filed more charges against Thanalop, now detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge at the Ban Pranee Juvenile Vocational Training Centre for Girls in Nakhon Pathom.
Officers from Samranrat Police Station went to Ban Pranee to inform Thanalop of the charges without informing her guardian or lawyer. They also brought a woman who they claimed was a lawyer they had appointed for Thanalop.
Activist Anna Annanon, who was visiting Thanalop, livestreamed the officers' visit on Facebook. When she asked the officers if they had informed activist Sopon Surariddhidhamrong, Thanalop's guardian, that they were filing more charges against her, they said that they had told the "human rights lawyer."
Anna also asked the alleged lawyer for her name, but she refused to answer and threatened to file charges against Anna under the Personal Data Protection Act for livestreaming the officers' visit.
Anna said that she was visiting Thanalop with other activists and was about to leave but decided to stay when they saw officers from Samranrat Police Station arriving at Ban Pranee. She said that, in the end, the police left without seeing Thanalop.
Meanwhile, a protest took place at Samranrat Police Station. Activists threw red paint onto the police station building and onto the household spirit shrine in front of the building. They also demanded that Pol Col Thotsaphon Amphaiphiphatkun, superintendent of Samranrat Police Station, explain why officers visited Thanalop to notify her of her charges without notifying her guardian.
They also demanded the 15-year-old's release, saying that it is within the police and the court's power to release Thanalop so she can return to school.
Pol Maj Gen Nakarin Sukonthawit, commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 6, came to the police station and told the activists that the officers were only doing their job by informing Thanalop of further charges. He also insisted that Thanalop's parents file a bail request for her
After Pol Maj Gen Nakarin went inside the police station building, activists threw coloured smoke flares up the steps in front of the police station.
A small clash then occurred after activist Tantawan Tuatulanon went to the police station door to demand that a representative of the police come to speak to the media. The activists tried to push through the police barrier but were pushed out, and the glass door of the police station was broken during the clash.
At around 18.55, several units of crowd control police in normal khaki uniforms arrived at the police station. 10 minutes later, they blocked the entrance to the police station with shields as the activists tried to go back up the steps.
Meanwhile, Tantawan continued to demand that Pol Col Thotsaphon come out to speak to them and said that the police had ruined Thanalop's future by detaining her and keeping her from going to school. Another protester also threw objects at the officers, starting another clash, during which officers pulled Tantawan inside the police station.
Activist Orawan Phuphong was also arrested while shouting at the officers for injuring her during the clash, after the police ordered them to leave the police station and crowd control police blocked the entrance to the police station.
A total of 9 activists were arrested: Sittichai Prasai, Natthaphon Lekyaem, Suttawee Soikham, Noppasin Treelayapewat, Thiraphat Pradapkaeo, Jirapas Koram, Ronnakorn Hangchaicharoen, Tantawan Tuatulanon, and Orawan Phuphong.
The activists were separated and moved from Samranrat Police Station to three other police stations. Sittichai, Natthaphon, and Suttawee were taken to Chalongkrung Police Station. Noppasin, Thiraphat, Jirapas, and Ronnakorn were taken to Lat Krabang Police Station. Tantawan and Orawan were taken to Thung Song Hong Police Station.
At around 21.00, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said their lawyers had gone to the three police stations. At Lat Krabang Police Station, Noppasin and the three other activists told the lawyer they were beaten while being arrested.
Meanwhile, at Thung Song Hong Police Station, TLHR said that Tantawan and Orawan have been separated, with Tantawan being placed in a men's jail cell. In protest, they tied their bras around their own necks, and after officers took their bras from them, Orawan banged her head against the cell wall.
Tantawan told her lawyer that Pol Col Thotsaphon flashed his middle finger at the activists while they were detained, and that an officer named Siriphong Kongkaeo hit Orawan's hand with the keys to the jail cell and pulled Tantawan's head while threatening them.
TLHR reported that because the activists' phones were confiscated and the officers did not tell them on what charges they were being arrested, Orawan stripped naked as a form of civil disobedience, and that women crowd control officers took videos of Orawan while she was naked.
At Chalongkrung Police Station, lawyers were not allowed to see the three activists detained there, claiming that they needed to wait for every detainee's lawyer to arrive. TLHR noted that it is a violation of the detainee's right, since they have the right to see their own lawyer and no law requires that lawyers have to wait as the police claimed.
TLHR said that Tantawan and Orawan sustained minor injuries while being arrested. Tantawan has cuts and bruises on her hands from being dragged inside Samranrat Police Station, while Orawan has bruises on her legs from being forced inside a police car, as well as cuts on her hands and bruises on her neck from tying herself to the cell bars using her bra.
- Impact of Event
- 9
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 15, 2023