Showing 1 - 10 of 31
Freedoms fall once more
Oped, Editorial, Published on 20/03/2026
» Thailand's score on Freedom House's latest "Freedom in the World" report dropped by two points, from 36 to 34. While a two-point slip may seem insignificant, the grade effectively placed the country in the "not free" category -- down from "partly free" in 2024.
Immigration needs reform
Oped, Editorial, Published on 06/05/2025
» Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's initiative to launch a new department to tackle immigration issues is welcome, if not long overdue.
Political exiles deserve better
News, Editorial, Published on 10/01/2025
» The beginning of 2025 should have provided a fresh start for Thailand. The country began its three-year term as a member of the prestigious United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Jan 1, and the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government is eyeing related events.
HRC term off to shaky start
News, Editorial, Published on 04/12/2024
» Winning a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in October is one thing. But walking the line of good human rights protection seems to be a different issue for the Thai government, which starts its three-year term with the body on Jan 1.
Trouble with detention
Oped, Editorial, Published on 01/11/2024
» The government's honeymoon period after winning a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council looks set to be short-lived, as the unfortunate end of the statute of limitations in the Tak Bai incident cast doubts over the government's commitment to ending the culture of impunity among state officials.
Bdap's arrest a litmus test
Oped, Editorial, Published on 15/06/2024
» As Thailand vies for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for the 2025-2027 term -- something the previous Prayut government failed to do -- the arrest of Y Quynh Bdap, a Vietnamese political activist with UN refugee status, will serve as a litmus test for Thailand's human rights standards.
Held Uyghurs need asylum
Oped, Editorial, Published on 13/03/2024
» Today, exactly 10 years ago, Thai police arrested 350 Uyghurs in a forest along the Thai-Malaysian border in Songkhla on suspicion of passing illegally through the country en route to Malaysia to seek asylum. After the arrests, which grabbed global headlines, the Uyghurs were separated to face different destinies. The Prayut government sent 109 back to China, as requested by Beijing.
Human rights litmus test
Oped, Editorial, Published on 31/01/2024
» The arrest of seven members of a Russian-Belarusian rock band known for having an anti-Putin stance will be a test case for the Srettha Thavisin government's position on human rights.
Refugees deserve a much better deal
Editorial, Published on 09/07/2023
» While Thailand eagerly awaits the formation of a new government to usher in change, a crisis on its western borders is driving war refugees to seek safety on Thai soil. They, too, are in desperate need of guidance from the next government, humanitarian aid, and effective intervention to stop the bloodshed. Current approaches are just band-aid solutions.
Human rights need priority
News, Editorial, Published on 30/05/2023
» Apolice investigation into the killing of a Lao exiled political activist in Ubon Ratchathani province on May 17 is moving quietly.