Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Stepping up against discrimination
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 14/03/2026
» Amidst the global turmoil happening today, it is easy to yield to a sense of despair and despondency. Yet, there are positive changes at the national-local level which seem incremental at first glance, but which are, in reality, monumental; they act as a gentle palliative projecting hope. On this front, Thailand experienced a sense of elation a year ago, when the possibility of same-sex marriage became the norm in the country due to reform of the Thai Civil Code.
Is being born as an LGBTI person a medical issue?
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 30/06/2025
» June is a propitious time to remember the history of lesbian, gay, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and their struggles to overcome discrimination and violence. One of the difficulties confronting them throughout the ages has been how the medical sector and related science view them, and how they should be treated by medical classifications. What is the situation today both locally and globally?
Thailand's interface with new FTAs
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 21/12/2023
» The power of data in the expanding panorama of digital trade is becoming an essential component of commercial relations, especially recent free trade areas (FTAs). As Thailand is now exploring new agreements on its western flank (such as with South Asia, Gulf countries and Europe) and on its eastern flank (such as with Pacific rim countries, interlinking with the Indian Ocean), what are some of the stakes deserving careful reflection?
Govt kindles same-sex marriage hopes
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 23/11/2023
» The top of the executive branch has given a welcome signal that it will fast-track in parliament a law to recognise same-sex marriage in Thailand.
Lessons from the Khmer Rouge tribunal
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 18/02/2023
» One of the saddest episodes of Southeast Asian history was the period during the 1970s that witnessed the rule of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The group was driven by a warped ideology, and it perpetrated myriad crimes against the general population. Millions were killed and displaced through a range of atrocities. Decades later, an internationally supported tribunal, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), or the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, was set up to prosecute the leaders of the group, and it is now ending its work. What are some of the key lessons the global community can learn from this?
Gateways for action on Myanmar crisis
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 11/01/2023
» The coup in Myanmar in 2021 brought back to power a junta-based regime and compounded grave violations, adding fuel to a recurrent crisis. A constructive gateway for action in December 2022 was thus the adoption of the UN Security Council (SC) Resolution 2669, the first substantive resolution highlighting urgently needed measures on the issue.
Between rule of law and law of rule(r)s
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 14/12/2022
» The term "rule of law" has a resonant ring which sounds both familiar and distant. It seems familiar because it is employed frequently by lawyers to analyse the makings of a legal system. Yet, it is distant because it sounds "legalese", harbouring both the thin version and the thick version of its intrinsic self. The thin version covers various legal safeguards for litigants and accused persons, such as a fair trial, accompanied by the advocacy of an independent judiciary. The thicker version demands more, namely: adherence to human rights and democracy.
A new direction for UN in Thailand?
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 13/07/2022
» Thailand is proudly a hub for United Nations (UN) agencies and programmes, and this adds weight to its leverage in international relations. Inevitably, the UN presence has to address key issues of sustainable development, human rights, democracy and peace. A key question is thus whether a viable balance is being struck between national practices and international aspirations.
Disappearances bill nears final vote
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 06/06/2022
» A recent seminar on May 24 hosted by the Ministry of Justice together with international organisations highlighted various stepping stones in the struggle against torture and enforced disappearances in Thailand. There was detailed discussion of the draft national law on the issue. There was also analysis of Thailand's most recent report on its implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CAT), which was an eye-opener for the public.
Migration and climate change in Asia
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 17/03/2022
» The close connection between migration, human rights and climate change is increasingly self-evident, as "natural disasters" related to that linkage loom in many parts of the world. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) estimates that about 22.5 million people migrate each year within and across borders because of climate change and weather-linked disasters. These are all compounded by the spread of Covid-19 in terms of lockdowns and other restrictive measures.