| THAILAND Kingdom of Thailand Ratcha Anachak Thai Joined United Nations: 16 December 1946 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 09/13/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Bangkok
65,998,436
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due
to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than
would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due
to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than
would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)
Abhisit Vejjajiva
Prime Minister since 15 December 2008
Prime Minister since 15 December 2008
Monarch is hereditary and selects the Heir Apparent
Next scheduled election: None
Next scheduled election: None
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Prime minister elected from among members of House of
Representatives; following national elections for House of
Representatives, the leader of the party positioned to organize a
majority coalition usually becomes prime minister by
appointment by the king; the prime minister limited to two
four-year terms; election last held; 23 December 2007
Next scheduled election: December 2011
Representatives; following national elections for House of
Representatives, the leader of the party positioned to organize a
majority coalition usually becomes prime minister by
appointment by the king; the prime minister limited to two
four-year terms; election last held; 23 December 2007
Next scheduled election: December 2011
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%
| RELIGIONS |
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Constitutional monarchy with 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Legal system is a based on civil law system, with influences
of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: Monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution, prime minister is designated from among members of House of
Representatives; following national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority coalition usually
was appointed prime minister by king; prime minister is limited to two 4-year terms next election: TBD
Legislative: Bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members elected
by popular vote representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges and independent government bodies; all serve six-year terms)
and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members elected from 157 multi-seat
constituencies and 80 elected on proportional party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of provinces; all serve four-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 2 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2014); House of Representatives - last election held on 23
December 2007 (next to be held in December 2011)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)
of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: Monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution, prime minister is designated from among members of House of
Representatives; following national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority coalition usually
was appointed prime minister by king; prime minister is limited to two 4-year terms next election: TBD
Legislative: Bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members elected
by popular vote representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges and independent government bodies; all serve six-year terms)
and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members elected from 157 multi-seat
constituencies and 80 elected on proportional party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of provinces; all serve four-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 2 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2014); House of Representatives - last election held on 23
December 2007 (next to be held in December 2011)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)
| LANGUAGES |
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
| BRIEF HISTORY |
Prior to the southwards migration of the Tai people from Yunnan in the 10th century, the Indochina peninsula had been a home to
various indigenous animistic communities for as far back as 500,000 years ago. Historians agree that the diverse Austro-Asiatic
groups that inhabited the Indochina peninsula are related to the people whom to date inhabit the islands of the Pacific. These
peoples were dispersed along the Gulf of Thailand, Malay Peninsula and Malay Archipelago, they inhabited the coastal areas of the
archipelago as well as other remote islands. The seafarers possessed advanced navigation skills, some of the seafarers sailed as far
as New Zealand, Hawaii and Madagascar. The most well known pre-historic settlement in Thailand is often associated to the major
archaeological site at Ban Chiang; dating of artefacts from this site is a consensus that at least by 3600 BC, the inhabitants had
developed bronze tools and also began the cultivation of rice. They date the founding of their nation to the 13th century. According
to tradition, Thai chieftains gained independence from the Khmer Empire at Sukhothai, which was established as a sovereign
Kingdom by Pho Khun Si Indrathit in 1238. A political feature called, in Thai, 'father governs children' existed at this time.
Everybody could bring their problems to the king directly; there was a bell in front of the palace for this purpose. The city briefly
dominated the area under King Ramkhamhaeng, who established the Thai alphabet, but after his death in 1365 it fell into decline
and became subject to another emerging Thai state known as the Ayutthaya kingdom, which dominated southern and central
Thailand until the 1700s.Another Thai state that coexisted with Sukhothai was the northern state of Lanna. This state emerged in the
same period as Sukhothai, but survived longer. Its independent history ended in 1558, when it fell to the Burmese; thereafter it was
dominated by Burma and Ayutthaya in turn before falling to the army of the Siamese King Taksin in 1775. The first ruler of the
Kingdom of Ayutthaya, King Ramathibodi I, made two important contributions to Thai history: the establishment and promotion of
Theravada Buddhism as the official religion — to differentiate his kingdom from the neighbouring Hindu kingdom of Angkor — and
the compilation of the Dharmashastra, a legal code based on Hindu sources and traditional Thai custom. The Dharmashastra
remained a tool of Thai law until late in the 19th century. Beginning with the Portuguese in the 16th century, Ayutthaya had some
contact with the West, but until the 1800s, its relations with neighbouring nations as well as with India and China, were of primary
importance. Ayutthaya dominated a considerable area, ranging from the Islamic states on the Malay Peninsula to states in northern
Thailand. Nonetheless, the Burmese, who had control of Lanna and had also unified their kingdom under a powerful dynasty,
launched several invasion attempts in the 1750s and 1760s. Finally, in 1767, the Burmese attacked the city and conquered it. The
royal family fled the city where the king died of starvation ten days later. The Ayutthaya royal line had been extinguished. Overall
there are 33 kings in this period, including an unofficial king. After more than 400 years of power, in 1767, the Kingdom of
Ayutthaya was brought down by invading Burmese armies, its capital burned, and the territory split. General Taksin managed to
reunite the Thai kingdom from his new capital of Thonburi and declared himself king in 1769. However, Taksin allegedly became
mad, and he was deposed, taken prisoner, and executed in 1782. General Chakri succeeded him in 1782 as Rama I, the first king
of the Chakri dynasty. In the same year he founded the new capital city at Bangkok, across the Chao Phraya river from Thonburi,
Taksin's capital. In the 1790s Burma was defeated and driven out of Siam, as it was now called. Lanna also became free of
Burmese occupation, but the king of a new dynasty was installed in the 1790s was effectively a puppet ruler of the Chakri monarch.
The heirs of Rama I became increasingly concerned with the threat of European colonialism after British victories in neighbouring
Burma in 1826. The first Thai recognition of Western power in the region was the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United
Kingdom in 1826. In 1833, the United States began diplomatic exchanges with Siam, as Thailand was called until 1939, and again
between 1945 and 1949. However, it was during the later reigns of King Chulalongkorn, and his father King Mongkut, that
Thailand established firm rapprochement with Western powers. It is a widely held view in Thailand that the diplomatic skills of these
monarchs, combined with the modernising reforms of the Thai Government, made Siam the only country in South and Southeast
Asia to avoid European colonisation. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 made the modern border between Siam and British
Malaya by securing the Thai authority on the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Satun, which were previously part of the
semi‐independent Malay sultanates of Pattani and Kedah. A series of treaties with France fixed the country's current eastern border
with Laos and Cambodia. The Siamese coup d'état of 1932 transformed the Government of Thailand from an absolute to a
constitutional monarchy. King Prajadhipok initially accepted this change but later surrendered the throne to his ten year old nephew,
Ananda Mahidol. Although nominally a constitutional monarchy, Thailand was ruled by a series of military governments, most
prominently led by Luang Phibunsongkhram and Sarit Dhanarajata, interspersed with brief periods of democracy. In early January
1941, Thailand invaded French Indochina, beginning the French-Thai War. The Thais, better equipped and outnumbering the
French forces, easily took Laos. The French decisively won the naval Battle of Koh Chang. After the end of World War II, Prime
Minister Pridi Phanomyong agreed to return the captured territories to France, as a condition for admission to the newly created
United Nations. On December 8, 1941, a few hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan demanded the right to move troops
across Thailand to the Malayan frontier. Japan invaded the country and engaged the Thai army for six to eight hours before Phibun
ordered an armistice. Shortly thereafter Japan was granted free passage, and on December 21, 1941, Thailand and Japan signed a
military alliance with a secret protocol wherein Tokyo agreed to help Thailand get back territories lost to the British and French
colonial powers and Thailand undertook to assist Japan in her war against the Allies. After Japan's defeat in 1945, with the help of a
group of Thais known as Seri Thai who were supported by the United States, Thailand was treated as a defeated country by the
British and French, although American support mitigated the Allied terms. Thailand was not occupied by the Allies, but it was
forced to return the territory it had gained to the British and the French. In the postwar period Thailand enjoyed close relations with
the United States, which it saw as a protector from the communist revolutions in neighbouring countries. Post-1973 has been
marked by a struggle to define the political contours of the state. It was won by the King and General Prem Tinsulanonda, who
favoured a democratic constitutional order. The post-1973 years have seen a difficult and sometimes bloody transition from military
to civilian rule, with several reversals along the way. The revolution of 1973 inaugurated a brief, unstable period of democracy, with
military rule being reimposed after a bloody right-wing coup in 1976. For most of the 1980s, Thailand was ruled by Prem, a
democratically-inclined strongman who restored parliamentary politics. Thereafter the country remained a democracy apart from a
brief period of military rule from 1991 to 1992. The populist Thai Rak Thai party, led by prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, came
to power in 2001. On September 19, 2006, with the prime minister in New York for a meeting of the UN, Army Commander-in-
Chief Lieutenant General Sonthi Boonyaratglin launched a successful coup d'état. Following civil unrest led by the People's Alliance
for Democracy, Somchai Wongsawat was forced from power by the Thailand Supreme Court with Chawarat Chanweerakun
(Chaovarat Chanweerakul) appointed as Acting Prime Minister on 2 December 2008.Abhisit Vejjajiva was appointed on 15
December 2008.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Thailand
various indigenous animistic communities for as far back as 500,000 years ago. Historians agree that the diverse Austro-Asiatic
groups that inhabited the Indochina peninsula are related to the people whom to date inhabit the islands of the Pacific. These
peoples were dispersed along the Gulf of Thailand, Malay Peninsula and Malay Archipelago, they inhabited the coastal areas of the
archipelago as well as other remote islands. The seafarers possessed advanced navigation skills, some of the seafarers sailed as far
as New Zealand, Hawaii and Madagascar. The most well known pre-historic settlement in Thailand is often associated to the major
archaeological site at Ban Chiang; dating of artefacts from this site is a consensus that at least by 3600 BC, the inhabitants had
developed bronze tools and also began the cultivation of rice. They date the founding of their nation to the 13th century. According
to tradition, Thai chieftains gained independence from the Khmer Empire at Sukhothai, which was established as a sovereign
Kingdom by Pho Khun Si Indrathit in 1238. A political feature called, in Thai, 'father governs children' existed at this time.
Everybody could bring their problems to the king directly; there was a bell in front of the palace for this purpose. The city briefly
dominated the area under King Ramkhamhaeng, who established the Thai alphabet, but after his death in 1365 it fell into decline
and became subject to another emerging Thai state known as the Ayutthaya kingdom, which dominated southern and central
Thailand until the 1700s.Another Thai state that coexisted with Sukhothai was the northern state of Lanna. This state emerged in the
same period as Sukhothai, but survived longer. Its independent history ended in 1558, when it fell to the Burmese; thereafter it was
dominated by Burma and Ayutthaya in turn before falling to the army of the Siamese King Taksin in 1775. The first ruler of the
Kingdom of Ayutthaya, King Ramathibodi I, made two important contributions to Thai history: the establishment and promotion of
Theravada Buddhism as the official religion — to differentiate his kingdom from the neighbouring Hindu kingdom of Angkor — and
the compilation of the Dharmashastra, a legal code based on Hindu sources and traditional Thai custom. The Dharmashastra
remained a tool of Thai law until late in the 19th century. Beginning with the Portuguese in the 16th century, Ayutthaya had some
contact with the West, but until the 1800s, its relations with neighbouring nations as well as with India and China, were of primary
importance. Ayutthaya dominated a considerable area, ranging from the Islamic states on the Malay Peninsula to states in northern
Thailand. Nonetheless, the Burmese, who had control of Lanna and had also unified their kingdom under a powerful dynasty,
launched several invasion attempts in the 1750s and 1760s. Finally, in 1767, the Burmese attacked the city and conquered it. The
royal family fled the city where the king died of starvation ten days later. The Ayutthaya royal line had been extinguished. Overall
there are 33 kings in this period, including an unofficial king. After more than 400 years of power, in 1767, the Kingdom of
Ayutthaya was brought down by invading Burmese armies, its capital burned, and the territory split. General Taksin managed to
reunite the Thai kingdom from his new capital of Thonburi and declared himself king in 1769. However, Taksin allegedly became
mad, and he was deposed, taken prisoner, and executed in 1782. General Chakri succeeded him in 1782 as Rama I, the first king
of the Chakri dynasty. In the same year he founded the new capital city at Bangkok, across the Chao Phraya river from Thonburi,
Taksin's capital. In the 1790s Burma was defeated and driven out of Siam, as it was now called. Lanna also became free of
Burmese occupation, but the king of a new dynasty was installed in the 1790s was effectively a puppet ruler of the Chakri monarch.
The heirs of Rama I became increasingly concerned with the threat of European colonialism after British victories in neighbouring
Burma in 1826. The first Thai recognition of Western power in the region was the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United
Kingdom in 1826. In 1833, the United States began diplomatic exchanges with Siam, as Thailand was called until 1939, and again
between 1945 and 1949. However, it was during the later reigns of King Chulalongkorn, and his father King Mongkut, that
Thailand established firm rapprochement with Western powers. It is a widely held view in Thailand that the diplomatic skills of these
monarchs, combined with the modernising reforms of the Thai Government, made Siam the only country in South and Southeast
Asia to avoid European colonisation. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 made the modern border between Siam and British
Malaya by securing the Thai authority on the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Satun, which were previously part of the
semi‐independent Malay sultanates of Pattani and Kedah. A series of treaties with France fixed the country's current eastern border
with Laos and Cambodia. The Siamese coup d'état of 1932 transformed the Government of Thailand from an absolute to a
constitutional monarchy. King Prajadhipok initially accepted this change but later surrendered the throne to his ten year old nephew,
Ananda Mahidol. Although nominally a constitutional monarchy, Thailand was ruled by a series of military governments, most
prominently led by Luang Phibunsongkhram and Sarit Dhanarajata, interspersed with brief periods of democracy. In early January
1941, Thailand invaded French Indochina, beginning the French-Thai War. The Thais, better equipped and outnumbering the
French forces, easily took Laos. The French decisively won the naval Battle of Koh Chang. After the end of World War II, Prime
Minister Pridi Phanomyong agreed to return the captured territories to France, as a condition for admission to the newly created
United Nations. On December 8, 1941, a few hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan demanded the right to move troops
across Thailand to the Malayan frontier. Japan invaded the country and engaged the Thai army for six to eight hours before Phibun
ordered an armistice. Shortly thereafter Japan was granted free passage, and on December 21, 1941, Thailand and Japan signed a
military alliance with a secret protocol wherein Tokyo agreed to help Thailand get back territories lost to the British and French
colonial powers and Thailand undertook to assist Japan in her war against the Allies. After Japan's defeat in 1945, with the help of a
group of Thais known as Seri Thai who were supported by the United States, Thailand was treated as a defeated country by the
British and French, although American support mitigated the Allied terms. Thailand was not occupied by the Allies, but it was
forced to return the territory it had gained to the British and the French. In the postwar period Thailand enjoyed close relations with
the United States, which it saw as a protector from the communist revolutions in neighbouring countries. Post-1973 has been
marked by a struggle to define the political contours of the state. It was won by the King and General Prem Tinsulanonda, who
favoured a democratic constitutional order. The post-1973 years have seen a difficult and sometimes bloody transition from military
to civilian rule, with several reversals along the way. The revolution of 1973 inaugurated a brief, unstable period of democracy, with
military rule being reimposed after a bloody right-wing coup in 1976. For most of the 1980s, Thailand was ruled by Prem, a
democratically-inclined strongman who restored parliamentary politics. Thereafter the country remained a democracy apart from a
brief period of military rule from 1991 to 1992. The populist Thai Rak Thai party, led by prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, came
to power in 2001. On September 19, 2006, with the prime minister in New York for a meeting of the UN, Army Commander-in-
Chief Lieutenant General Sonthi Boonyaratglin launched a successful coup d'état. Following civil unrest led by the People's Alliance
for Democracy, Somchai Wongsawat was forced from power by the Thailand Supreme Court with Chawarat Chanweerakun
(Chaovarat Chanweerakul) appointed as Acting Prime Minister on 2 December 2008.Abhisit Vejjajiva was appointed on 15
December 2008.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Thailand
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, generally pro-investment policies, and strong export industries,
Thailand enjoyed solid growth from 2000 to 2008 - averaging more than 4% per year - as it recovered from the Asian financial
crisis of 1997-98. Thai exports - mostly machinery and electronic components, agricultural commodities, and jewelry - continue to
drive the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. The global financial crisis of 2008-09 severely cut Thailand's exports,
with most sectors experiencing double-digit drops. In 2009, the economy contracted 2.8%. The Thai government is focusing on
financing domestic infrastructure projects and stimulus programs to revive the economy, as external trade is still recovering and
persistent internal political tension and investment disputes threaten to damage the investment climate.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Thailand)
Thailand enjoyed solid growth from 2000 to 2008 - averaging more than 4% per year - as it recovered from the Asian financial
crisis of 1997-98. Thai exports - mostly machinery and electronic components, agricultural commodities, and jewelry - continue to
drive the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. The global financial crisis of 2008-09 severely cut Thailand's exports,
with most sectors experiencing double-digit drops. In 2009, the economy contracted 2.8%. The Thai government is focusing on
financing domestic infrastructure projects and stimulus programs to revive the economy, as external trade is still recovering and
persistent internal political tension and investment disputes threaten to damage the investment climate.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Thailand)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
On October 7, 20008, Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh resigned and admitted partial responsibility for violence due
to police tear gas clearance of the blockade of the parliament, causing injuries to 116 protesters, 21, seriously injured. His
resignation letter stated: "Since this action did not achieve what I planned, I want to show my responsibility for this operation." But
after dispersal, 5'000 demonstrators returned and blocked all 4 entries to the parliament building. On November 26, 2008, the
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) issued a statement saying that the current crisis is a watershed moment for democracy
and rule of law in Thailand. It contains harsh critique of PAD and the criminal justice system of Thailand. This critique should not be
seen as one-sided as AHRC have a history of also being critical of the current goverment (per Nov 2008), the Thai Supreme Court,
the earlier military junta and the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Since the rise of the new government of Abhisit,
Thaksin's loyalists vowed to oppose it. In April 2009, Thaksin's supporters, known as 'The Red Shirts', began its huge
anti-government demonstration aiming at the resignation of the prime minister and the dissolution of the House of the
Representatives. The major site of the demonstration was in Bangkok.
On May 3, the Thai Prime Minister announced he was willing to hold elections on November 14 should the opposition red shirts
accept the offer. The following day red shirt leaders accepted the proposal to leave the occupied parts of Bangkok in return for
election on the scheduled date. However, one week later, May 10, protesters had yet to disband despite accepting the 'road map'
proposed by the prime minister for early 2010 November elections. They placed new demands upon the Prime minister that Deputy
Prime Minster Suthep Thaugsuban, who was in charge of security operations on the clash of April 10th, must first turn himself in for
prosecution before they willingly disperse. May 11 Suthep presented himself to the Department of Special Investigation. The
red-shirt protesters however were not satisfied and demanded Suthep be formally charged instead by police. The red shirts failure
to disperse was taken as a decline of the conciliatory 'road map' and Prime minister Abhisit's proposal of early parliamentary
elections were withdrawn. This was followed by a warning issued from the Prime minister that protesters must disperse or face
imminent military action. Furthermore the 'red shirts' led another protest on the 19th May. 40 people were killed and over 600
injured.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Thailand
to police tear gas clearance of the blockade of the parliament, causing injuries to 116 protesters, 21, seriously injured. His
resignation letter stated: "Since this action did not achieve what I planned, I want to show my responsibility for this operation." But
after dispersal, 5'000 demonstrators returned and blocked all 4 entries to the parliament building. On November 26, 2008, the
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) issued a statement saying that the current crisis is a watershed moment for democracy
and rule of law in Thailand. It contains harsh critique of PAD and the criminal justice system of Thailand. This critique should not be
seen as one-sided as AHRC have a history of also being critical of the current goverment (per Nov 2008), the Thai Supreme Court,
the earlier military junta and the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Since the rise of the new government of Abhisit,
Thaksin's loyalists vowed to oppose it. In April 2009, Thaksin's supporters, known as 'The Red Shirts', began its huge
anti-government demonstration aiming at the resignation of the prime minister and the dissolution of the House of the
Representatives. The major site of the demonstration was in Bangkok.
On May 3, the Thai Prime Minister announced he was willing to hold elections on November 14 should the opposition red shirts
accept the offer. The following day red shirt leaders accepted the proposal to leave the occupied parts of Bangkok in return for
election on the scheduled date. However, one week later, May 10, protesters had yet to disband despite accepting the 'road map'
proposed by the prime minister for early 2010 November elections. They placed new demands upon the Prime minister that Deputy
Prime Minster Suthep Thaugsuban, who was in charge of security operations on the clash of April 10th, must first turn himself in for
prosecution before they willingly disperse. May 11 Suthep presented himself to the Department of Special Investigation. The
red-shirt protesters however were not satisfied and demanded Suthep be formally charged instead by police. The red shirts failure
to disperse was taken as a decline of the conciliatory 'road map' and Prime minister Abhisit's proposal of early parliamentary
elections were withdrawn. This was followed by a warning issued from the Prime minister that protesters must disperse or face
imminent military action. Furthermore the 'red shirts' led another protest on the 19th May. 40 people were killed and over 600
injured.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Thailand
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to
stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on
completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border
committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006,
over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of
historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing
access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly
constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure
prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand
stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on
completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border
committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006,
over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of
historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing
access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly
constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure
prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
Refugees (country of origin): 132,241 (Burma) (2007)
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
A minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from
Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of
government crackdowns
Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of
government crackdowns
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Thailand
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a population of more than 66 million. The king is revered and exerts strong informal
influence. In the most recent election for the lower house of the parliament, held in December 2007, the People's Power Party, led by
Samak Sundaravej, won a plurality. After Constitutional Court rulings that forced two prime ministers to step down in 2008, a
government led by Abhisit Vejjajiva was inaugurated in December 2008. In March 2008 voters elected 76 senators for the upper house
of the parliament. The election process for both legislative bodies was generally viewed as free and fair, but there were widespread
allegations of vote buying. The continuing internal conflict in the southernmost provinces led the government to restrict some rights and
delegate certain internal security powers to the armed forces. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security
forces.
The government's respect for human rights remained unchanged from the previous year.
Political unrest occurred in March and April in Pattaya and Bangkok, when opposition street protests led to the cancellation of an Asian
summit in Pattaya and riots in Bangkok, with two civilians killed by antigovernment protesters. The government declared a state of
emergency in the Pattaya area on April 11 and in Bangkok on April 12, and the military restored order in Bangkok on April 13-14.
Click here to read more »
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a population of more than 66 million. The king is revered and exerts strong informal
influence. In the most recent election for the lower house of the parliament, held in December 2007, the People's Power Party, led by
Samak Sundaravej, won a plurality. After Constitutional Court rulings that forced two prime ministers to step down in 2008, a
government led by Abhisit Vejjajiva was inaugurated in December 2008. In March 2008 voters elected 76 senators for the upper house
of the parliament. The election process for both legislative bodies was generally viewed as free and fair, but there were widespread
allegations of vote buying. The continuing internal conflict in the southernmost provinces led the government to restrict some rights and
delegate certain internal security powers to the armed forces. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security
forces.
The government's respect for human rights remained unchanged from the previous year.
- Security forces continued at times to use excessive force against criminal suspects, and there were reports that police tortured,
beat, and otherwise abused suspects, detainees, and prisoners, many of whom were held in overcrowded and unsanitary
conditions. - There were numerous dismissals, arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of security forces in response to this behavior; however,
official impunity continued to be a serious problem. - Police corruption was widespread.
- A separatist insurgency in the southern part of the country resulted in numerous human rights abuses, including killings,
committed by ethnic Malay Muslim insurgents, Buddhist defense volunteers, and government security forces. - The government maintained some limits on freedom of speech, of the press, and of assembly.
- Human rights workers, particularly those focusing on violence in the south, reported harassment and intimidation.
- Trafficking in persons remained a problem.
- Members of hill tribes without proper documentation continued to face restrictions on their movement, could not own land, and
were not protected by labor laws. - Government enforcement of labor laws was ineffective.
Political unrest occurred in March and April in Pattaya and Bangkok, when opposition street protests led to the cancellation of an Asian
summit in Pattaya and riots in Bangkok, with two civilians killed by antigovernment protesters. The government declared a state of
emergency in the Pattaya area on April 11 and in Bangkok on April 12, and the military restored order in Bangkok on April 13-14.
Click here to read more »
17 March 2006
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Forty-first session
CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION
Concluding observations: Thailand
Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the second periodic report submitted by the State party and the written replies to its list of issues
(CRC/C/THA/Q/2), and expresses its appreciation of the State party’s open and self-analytical reporting approach in identifying a number
of areas of concern. It further notes with appreciation the constructive efforts made by the high-level, intersectoral delegation to provide
additional information in the course of the dialogue.
B. Follow-up measures undertaken and progress achieved by the State party
3. The Committee commends the State party for the adoption of the Child Protection Act (B.E. 2546) in 2003, which defines the child as
a person below 18 years of age and eligible for protection and welfare assistance in compliance with the principles of non-discrimination
and the best interests of the child. It also welcomes the amendment or adoption of several laws aimed at enhancing implementation of the
Convention, inter alia, the National Education Act of 1999 and the Compulsory Education Act of 2002, the Act on Redress for the
Damaged and Compensation and Expenses for Offenders in Criminal Cases of 2001, and the 2004 amendment to the Penal Code with
the effect that capital punishment and life imprisonment cannot be imposed on children for crimes committed below the age of 18. In
addition, the Committee notes with appreciation the establishment of mechanisms that enhance the promotion and protection of
children's rights in the country, including the National Human Rights Commission and the Sub-Committee on Child, Youth and Families,
the National Child Protection Committee and Provincial Child Protection Committees.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention
5. The Committee acknowledges that an exceptional natural disaster caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004 has
largely devastated the south-western coast of Thailand - giving rise to a number of economic and social difficulties and affecting the
lives of many children. It also acknowledges the challenges faced by the State party as a result of the civil unrest in the southernmost
provinces of Thailand, which have adversely impacted overall human rights development in the country.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
6. The Committee notes with satisfaction that various concerns and recommendations in its concluding observations (CRC/C/15/Add.97)
adopted following its consideration of the State party’s initial report (CRC/C/11/Add.13) have been addressed through legislative
measures and policies. However, some of the concerns it expressed and recommendations it made regarding, inter alia, the minimum
legal age of criminal responsibility, birth registration, statelessness, refugee and asylum-seeking children have not been sufficiently
addressed.
7. The Committee reiterates these concerns and recommendations and urges the State party to make every effort to address them, as
well as to implement the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations.
Click here to read more »
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Forty-first session
CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION
Concluding observations: Thailand
Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the second periodic report submitted by the State party and the written replies to its list of issues
(CRC/C/THA/Q/2), and expresses its appreciation of the State party’s open and self-analytical reporting approach in identifying a number
of areas of concern. It further notes with appreciation the constructive efforts made by the high-level, intersectoral delegation to provide
additional information in the course of the dialogue.
B. Follow-up measures undertaken and progress achieved by the State party
3. The Committee commends the State party for the adoption of the Child Protection Act (B.E. 2546) in 2003, which defines the child as
a person below 18 years of age and eligible for protection and welfare assistance in compliance with the principles of non-discrimination
and the best interests of the child. It also welcomes the amendment or adoption of several laws aimed at enhancing implementation of the
Convention, inter alia, the National Education Act of 1999 and the Compulsory Education Act of 2002, the Act on Redress for the
Damaged and Compensation and Expenses for Offenders in Criminal Cases of 2001, and the 2004 amendment to the Penal Code with
the effect that capital punishment and life imprisonment cannot be imposed on children for crimes committed below the age of 18. In
addition, the Committee notes with appreciation the establishment of mechanisms that enhance the promotion and protection of
children's rights in the country, including the National Human Rights Commission and the Sub-Committee on Child, Youth and Families,
the National Child Protection Committee and Provincial Child Protection Committees.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention
5. The Committee acknowledges that an exceptional natural disaster caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004 has
largely devastated the south-western coast of Thailand - giving rise to a number of economic and social difficulties and affecting the
lives of many children. It also acknowledges the challenges faced by the State party as a result of the civil unrest in the southernmost
provinces of Thailand, which have adversely impacted overall human rights development in the country.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
6. The Committee notes with satisfaction that various concerns and recommendations in its concluding observations (CRC/C/15/Add.97)
adopted following its consideration of the State party’s initial report (CRC/C/11/Add.13) have been addressed through legislative
measures and policies. However, some of the concerns it expressed and recommendations it made regarding, inter alia, the minimum
legal age of criminal responsibility, birth registration, statelessness, refugee and asylum-seeking children have not been sufficiently
addressed.
7. The Committee reiterates these concerns and recommendations and urges the State party to make every effort to address them, as
well as to implement the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 5
Civil Liberties Score: 4
Status: Partly Free
Overview
The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva continued to rule without a voter mandate in 2009, having taken power in late 2008
following a court decision to dissolve the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP). Abhisit struggled during the year to maintain control over
his coalition and deflect corruption charges against his allies. Meanwhile, deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra continued to
advocate the overthrow of the government from abroad, and a PPP-aligned protest movement mounted antigovernment demonstrations
throughout the year. The protests turned violent in April, prompting Abhisit to declare emergency rule in Bangkok for nearly two weeks.
Also in 2009, the government dramatically increased its coercive use of lese majeste laws to curb freedom of expression and political
speech.
Former TRT members regrouped under the banner of the People’s Power Party (PPP) and won the December 2007 parliamentary
elections with 233 of 480 lower house seats. The DP placed second with 165 seats. The PPP quickly assembled a coalition government.
Throughout 2008, yellow-shirted PAD supporters led protests accusing the government of serving as a corrupt proxy for Thaksin and
demanding its dissolution. At the height of the protests in November, the PAD seized Bangkok’s main airports, seriously disrupting travel
and economic activity in the country and region. Meanwhile, in October Thaksin was sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for
abuse of office.
The PPP-led government—under intense pressure from the PAD, military commanders, and the judiciary—finally fell in December 2008,
when the Constitutional Court disbanded the ruling party on the grounds that it had engaged in fraud during the December 2007
elections. DP leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the head of the opposition, subsequently formed a new coalition and won a lower house vote to
become prime minister. He secured the support of 235 out of the 437 lower house members who were presentwith the help of
opportunistic members of Thaksin’s alliance, including the Buam Jai Thai (BJT) party, which he rewarded with key ministerial posts.
The government consolidated its power in January 2009 by-elections, capturing 20 of the 29 seats contested. Nevertheless, Abhisit
struggled throughout 2009 to maintain control of his coalition partners, cope with opposition protests, and counter corruption charges
filed against his allies. He survived a no-confidence motion in March, garnering 246 out of 449 votes.
The red-shirted United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), which had mounted large protests during the period of
military rule following Thaksin’s ouster, resumed its activities to oppose the PPP’s dissolution and carried out antigovernment protests
throughout 2009. The demonstrations intensified ahead of the Songkran holiday, which marked the Thai new year, in April. The UDD
gathered over 100,000 protesters in Bangkok and stormed the venue of the East Asia Summit in Pattaya, forcing international delegations
to be evacuated by air. At the height of the protests, Thaksin, speaking from Dubai, called for a people’s revolution. Prominent UDD
leader Jakrapob Penkair, who was in hiding to escape arrest, advocated a campaign of violence to depose the government. On the eve of
Songkran, April 12, Abhisit imposed emergency rule in Bangkok and ordered the army to disperse the crowds. At least two people were
killed and over 100 injured in the ensuing street battles. UDD leaders called on their supporters to disperse peacefully, averting further
violence.
Abhisit’s government moved swiftly to crack down on the opposition by revoking Thaksin’s remaining passport, issuing arrest warrants
for protest leaders, and temporarily shutting down radio stations involved in mobilizing support for the UDD. The government also
invoked the Internal Security Act to curtail UDD protests and arrested red-shirt leaders on lese majeste grounds. Separately, on April 17
one of the PAD’s leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, was seriously injured when gunmen opened fire on his motorcade with automatic
weapons.
Emergency rule in Bangkok was lifted on April 24, and Abhisit led a genuine reconciliation effort beginning in May. However, a
multiparty reconciliation panel was unable to agree on draft changes to the 2007 constitution and the question of amnesty for the 111
party officials banned from politics as part of the dissolution of the TRT. Abhisit also faced potential opposition from the New Politics
Party, formed by the PAD in late June and led by labor activist Somsak Kosaisuk. Separately, the red shirts infuriated their opponents
over the summer by garnering over 3.5 million signatures to petition the king for a pardon for Thaksin. In October, General Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh, who had served as prime minister from 1996 to 1997, became chairman of the PPP’s successor party, the Phuea Thai
Party (PTP, or For Thais Party).
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 5
Civil Liberties Score: 4
Status: Partly Free
Overview
The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva continued to rule without a voter mandate in 2009, having taken power in late 2008
following a court decision to dissolve the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP). Abhisit struggled during the year to maintain control over
his coalition and deflect corruption charges against his allies. Meanwhile, deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra continued to
advocate the overthrow of the government from abroad, and a PPP-aligned protest movement mounted antigovernment demonstrations
throughout the year. The protests turned violent in April, prompting Abhisit to declare emergency rule in Bangkok for nearly two weeks.
Also in 2009, the government dramatically increased its coercive use of lese majeste laws to curb freedom of expression and political
speech.
Former TRT members regrouped under the banner of the People’s Power Party (PPP) and won the December 2007 parliamentary
elections with 233 of 480 lower house seats. The DP placed second with 165 seats. The PPP quickly assembled a coalition government.
Throughout 2008, yellow-shirted PAD supporters led protests accusing the government of serving as a corrupt proxy for Thaksin and
demanding its dissolution. At the height of the protests in November, the PAD seized Bangkok’s main airports, seriously disrupting travel
and economic activity in the country and region. Meanwhile, in October Thaksin was sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for
abuse of office.
The PPP-led government—under intense pressure from the PAD, military commanders, and the judiciary—finally fell in December 2008,
when the Constitutional Court disbanded the ruling party on the grounds that it had engaged in fraud during the December 2007
elections. DP leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the head of the opposition, subsequently formed a new coalition and won a lower house vote to
become prime minister. He secured the support of 235 out of the 437 lower house members who were presentwith the help of
opportunistic members of Thaksin’s alliance, including the Buam Jai Thai (BJT) party, which he rewarded with key ministerial posts.
The government consolidated its power in January 2009 by-elections, capturing 20 of the 29 seats contested. Nevertheless, Abhisit
struggled throughout 2009 to maintain control of his coalition partners, cope with opposition protests, and counter corruption charges
filed against his allies. He survived a no-confidence motion in March, garnering 246 out of 449 votes.
The red-shirted United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), which had mounted large protests during the period of
military rule following Thaksin’s ouster, resumed its activities to oppose the PPP’s dissolution and carried out antigovernment protests
throughout 2009. The demonstrations intensified ahead of the Songkran holiday, which marked the Thai new year, in April. The UDD
gathered over 100,000 protesters in Bangkok and stormed the venue of the East Asia Summit in Pattaya, forcing international delegations
to be evacuated by air. At the height of the protests, Thaksin, speaking from Dubai, called for a people’s revolution. Prominent UDD
leader Jakrapob Penkair, who was in hiding to escape arrest, advocated a campaign of violence to depose the government. On the eve of
Songkran, April 12, Abhisit imposed emergency rule in Bangkok and ordered the army to disperse the crowds. At least two people were
killed and over 100 injured in the ensuing street battles. UDD leaders called on their supporters to disperse peacefully, averting further
violence.
Abhisit’s government moved swiftly to crack down on the opposition by revoking Thaksin’s remaining passport, issuing arrest warrants
for protest leaders, and temporarily shutting down radio stations involved in mobilizing support for the UDD. The government also
invoked the Internal Security Act to curtail UDD protests and arrested red-shirt leaders on lese majeste grounds. Separately, on April 17
one of the PAD’s leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, was seriously injured when gunmen opened fire on his motorcade with automatic
weapons.
Emergency rule in Bangkok was lifted on April 24, and Abhisit led a genuine reconciliation effort beginning in May. However, a
multiparty reconciliation panel was unable to agree on draft changes to the 2007 constitution and the question of amnesty for the 111
party officials banned from politics as part of the dissolution of the TRT. Abhisit also faced potential opposition from the New Politics
Party, formed by the PAD in late June and led by labor activist Somsak Kosaisuk. Separately, the red shirts infuriated their opponents
over the summer by garnering over 3.5 million signatures to petition the king for a pardon for Thaksin. In October, General Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh, who had served as prime minister from 1996 to 1997, became chairman of the PPP’s successor party, the Phuea Thai
Party (PTP, or For Thais Party).
Click here to read more »
11 June 2010
OPEN LETTER
CALL FOR AN INDEPENDENT AND IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION
Dear Prime Minister:
Amnesty International has observed Thailand’s ongoing political crisis with great interest and concern, and regrets the violence between
12 March and 20 May 2010, which resulted in at least 88 deaths and more than 1,800 injured. It is clear that human rights abuses were
committed by both security forces and the protesters of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), especially on
10 April and over the course of the protests’ final week. While Amnesty International recognizes that the resolution of the political crisis
will necessarily entail political reform, the promotion and protection of human rights - always of critical importance in good governance -
should occupy a central place in your government’s efforts to resolve this crisis.
Amnesty International also notes that Thailand was elected on 13 May to the UN Human Rights Council, as the final stages of the
protests began. A seat on the Council underlines Thailand’s responsibility to uphold international human rights law and standards,
including adherence to its international human rights treaty obligations.
As your administration embarks on the process of moving the country forward, Amnesty International wishes to convey a number of
human rights-related concerns and recommendations for your consideration.
ACCOUNTABILITY
On 20 April 2010, Amnesty International published a Public Statement, Thailand: Accountability must prevail in political crisis. As
accountability remains a key concern, we welcome your assurances on 21 May that “an independent investigation of all the events that
have taken place during the protests” would be carried out “in a transparent manner”.
Independence is of paramount importance to any investigation’s credibility; whatever body undertakes the effort should be free from
affiliation with either the government or the UDD. The investigation must also be impartial, including alleged human rights abuses by
both sides.
Prosecutions should reflect the evidence and findings, regardless of the alleged abuser’s political allegiances. The government should
ensure that persons identified by the investigation as having participated in the use of excessive force or other human rights-related
offences, including by ordering or otherwise bearing command responsibility for such offences, are brought to justice and that survivors
and families are provided with reparations in accordance with international standards.
Click here to read more »
OPEN LETTER
CALL FOR AN INDEPENDENT AND IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION
Dear Prime Minister:
Amnesty International has observed Thailand’s ongoing political crisis with great interest and concern, and regrets the violence between
12 March and 20 May 2010, which resulted in at least 88 deaths and more than 1,800 injured. It is clear that human rights abuses were
committed by both security forces and the protesters of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), especially on
10 April and over the course of the protests’ final week. While Amnesty International recognizes that the resolution of the political crisis
will necessarily entail political reform, the promotion and protection of human rights - always of critical importance in good governance -
should occupy a central place in your government’s efforts to resolve this crisis.
Amnesty International also notes that Thailand was elected on 13 May to the UN Human Rights Council, as the final stages of the
protests began. A seat on the Council underlines Thailand’s responsibility to uphold international human rights law and standards,
including adherence to its international human rights treaty obligations.
As your administration embarks on the process of moving the country forward, Amnesty International wishes to convey a number of
human rights-related concerns and recommendations for your consideration.
ACCOUNTABILITY
On 20 April 2010, Amnesty International published a Public Statement, Thailand: Accountability must prevail in political crisis. As
accountability remains a key concern, we welcome your assurances on 21 May that “an independent investigation of all the events that
have taken place during the protests” would be carried out “in a transparent manner”.
Independence is of paramount importance to any investigation’s credibility; whatever body undertakes the effort should be free from
affiliation with either the government or the UDD. The investigation must also be impartial, including alleged human rights abuses by
both sides.
Prosecutions should reflect the evidence and findings, regardless of the alleged abuser’s political allegiances. The government should
ensure that persons identified by the investigation as having participated in the use of excessive force or other human rights-related
offences, including by ordering or otherwise bearing command responsibility for such offences, are brought to justice and that survivors
and families are provided with reparations in accordance with international standards.
Click here to read more »
Thailand: Insurgents Target Teachers in South
Spiral of Violence Disrupts Education
September 10, 2010
(New York) - Renewed attacks on teachers by separatist insurgents has seriously disrupted education in Thailand's southern border
provinces, Human Rights Watch said today. On September 7, 2010, the Teacher Federation of Narathiwat suspended classes in all
government schools across the province for three days after insurgents killed two teachers.
In the September 7 attack, an assailant on a motorcycle with an M16 assault rifle shot Wilas Kongkam, 54, of Manang Kayi School, and
his wife, Komkham Petchprom, 53, of Thung Todang School, at about 6 a.m. as they were traveling on a motorcycle to a morning
market in Tanyongmas district. Their killings took place amid a wave of insurgent attacks during Ramadan (August 9 to September 9).
On August 26, Thongchai Butranont, 30, a teacher at Narathiwat's Ban Tue Ngo School, was shot dead in Narathiwat's Sri Sakorn
district by a gunman armed with an M16 assault rifle.
"Insurgent attacks on teachers have created the most serious disruption to education in the south" said Sophie Richardson, acting Asia
director at Human Rights Watch. "These grave crimes cannot be justified in any circumstances."
The government of Thailand has announced that special attention will be given to measures that make schools safe and teachers secure
in their work. Human Rights Watch urged the government to take all appropriate steps to ensure the security of schools.
Human Rights Watch also expressed concern about the unlawful use of force by regular and volunteer members of the Thai security
forces and the mistreatment of persons in custody. Over the past six years, there have been no successful criminal prosecutions in cases
of attacks on Muslims - including assassinations of religious teachers (ustadz) and students of Islamic schools. Some of the attacks
were reportedly in revenge for insurgent attacks on government officials and the ethnic Thai Buddhist population.
For example, on September 1, police dropped criminal charges against an army-trained militiaman attached to a Village Protection Force
(Aor Ror Bor) unit in Narathiwat that is notorious for using extrajudicial tactics and vigilante violence against alleged insurgents. The
suspect, Suthirak Kongsuwan, had been accused of leading a team of gunmen who attacked Muslim worshippers at Al Furqan Mosque
in Jo Airong district in June 2009, killing 10 people and wounding 12 others.
"Insurgents might claim that abuses by the security forces justify their attacks, but the Thai government should not allow its troops to
adopt the same logic," Richardson said. "Any attempt by the government to shield soldiers from criminal responsibility will further
intensify a cycle of reprisal violence."
Click here to read more »
Spiral of Violence Disrupts Education
September 10, 2010
(New York) - Renewed attacks on teachers by separatist insurgents has seriously disrupted education in Thailand's southern border
provinces, Human Rights Watch said today. On September 7, 2010, the Teacher Federation of Narathiwat suspended classes in all
government schools across the province for three days after insurgents killed two teachers.
In the September 7 attack, an assailant on a motorcycle with an M16 assault rifle shot Wilas Kongkam, 54, of Manang Kayi School, and
his wife, Komkham Petchprom, 53, of Thung Todang School, at about 6 a.m. as they were traveling on a motorcycle to a morning
market in Tanyongmas district. Their killings took place amid a wave of insurgent attacks during Ramadan (August 9 to September 9).
On August 26, Thongchai Butranont, 30, a teacher at Narathiwat's Ban Tue Ngo School, was shot dead in Narathiwat's Sri Sakorn
district by a gunman armed with an M16 assault rifle.
"Insurgent attacks on teachers have created the most serious disruption to education in the south" said Sophie Richardson, acting Asia
director at Human Rights Watch. "These grave crimes cannot be justified in any circumstances."
The government of Thailand has announced that special attention will be given to measures that make schools safe and teachers secure
in their work. Human Rights Watch urged the government to take all appropriate steps to ensure the security of schools.
Human Rights Watch also expressed concern about the unlawful use of force by regular and volunteer members of the Thai security
forces and the mistreatment of persons in custody. Over the past six years, there have been no successful criminal prosecutions in cases
of attacks on Muslims - including assassinations of religious teachers (ustadz) and students of Islamic schools. Some of the attacks
were reportedly in revenge for insurgent attacks on government officials and the ethnic Thai Buddhist population.
For example, on September 1, police dropped criminal charges against an army-trained militiaman attached to a Village Protection Force
(Aor Ror Bor) unit in Narathiwat that is notorious for using extrajudicial tactics and vigilante violence against alleged insurgents. The
suspect, Suthirak Kongsuwan, had been accused of leading a team of gunmen who attacked Muslim worshippers at Al Furqan Mosque
in Jo Airong district in June 2009, killing 10 people and wounding 12 others.
"Insurgents might claim that abuses by the security forces justify their attacks, but the Thai government should not allow its troops to
adopt the same logic," Richardson said. "Any attempt by the government to shield soldiers from criminal responsibility will further
intensify a cycle of reprisal violence."
Click here to read more »
Statement by H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand
to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva upon Assuming the Presidency of the Human
Rights Council
Geneva, 21 June 2010
Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Normally, this occasion has been an opportunity for the incoming President to speak about some of his priorities and the plan he intends
to pursue. However, on my part, I would much rather speak less about the priorities on my agenda and concentrate more on how we
can endeavour to forge a common agenda.
But I do wish to take this opportunity to assure you that in discharging my responsibilities, I will be guided by a number of key
principles: First, the credibility and effectiveness of the Council as a whole. Second, the need to strengthen the spirit of constructive
dialogue and a common approach to the promotion and protection of human rights.
I will also be guided by the principle of reaching out, hearing out and respecting the views of all. That is why I hope to begin
immediately informal consultations on the way forward, and to prepare the ground work early on.
We are all very much aware that great expectations have been placed on the Council as a whole, as we are about to complete our fifth
year. There is certainly a shared responsibility among all of us to help move the Council forward. But ultimately, the success and
credibility of the Council will be judged, not by the eloquence of our statements in this Hall, nor by the number of resolutions that we
pass, but rather by how much we can make a real impact on the ground.
And ultimately, we have an overriding obligation to serve our constituency—the people who are in dire need of human rights protection;
the people who are subject to human rights abuses on a daily basis.
As we undertake this important review process, it is imperative that we seek to build upon our successes, which are indeed many. At the
same time, however, we must not shy away from tackling whatever key issues that need to be addressed, and which might have an
important bearing on the work of the Council. There will be the need for some degree of creativity in utilizing the tools at our disposal so
as to enhance our capacity to react to human rights issues and situations.
The membership of the Human Rights Council reflects the rich diversity among our countries and regions. We, therefore, need to draw
synergy from such diversity, recognizing that human rights are indeed universal, indivisible and interdependent, and recognizing, most of
all, that we all share a common stake in the credibility and effectiveness of the Council as a whole.
Click here to read more »
to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva upon Assuming the Presidency of the Human
Rights Council
Geneva, 21 June 2010
Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Normally, this occasion has been an opportunity for the incoming President to speak about some of his priorities and the plan he intends
to pursue. However, on my part, I would much rather speak less about the priorities on my agenda and concentrate more on how we
can endeavour to forge a common agenda.
But I do wish to take this opportunity to assure you that in discharging my responsibilities, I will be guided by a number of key
principles: First, the credibility and effectiveness of the Council as a whole. Second, the need to strengthen the spirit of constructive
dialogue and a common approach to the promotion and protection of human rights.
I will also be guided by the principle of reaching out, hearing out and respecting the views of all. That is why I hope to begin
immediately informal consultations on the way forward, and to prepare the ground work early on.
We are all very much aware that great expectations have been placed on the Council as a whole, as we are about to complete our fifth
year. There is certainly a shared responsibility among all of us to help move the Council forward. But ultimately, the success and
credibility of the Council will be judged, not by the eloquence of our statements in this Hall, nor by the number of resolutions that we
pass, but rather by how much we can make a real impact on the ground.
And ultimately, we have an overriding obligation to serve our constituency—the people who are in dire need of human rights protection;
the people who are subject to human rights abuses on a daily basis.
As we undertake this important review process, it is imperative that we seek to build upon our successes, which are indeed many. At the
same time, however, we must not shy away from tackling whatever key issues that need to be addressed, and which might have an
important bearing on the work of the Council. There will be the need for some degree of creativity in utilizing the tools at our disposal so
as to enhance our capacity to react to human rights issues and situations.
The membership of the Human Rights Council reflects the rich diversity among our countries and regions. We, therefore, need to draw
synergy from such diversity, recognizing that human rights are indeed universal, indivisible and interdependent, and recognizing, most of
all, that we all share a common stake in the credibility and effectiveness of the Council as a whole.
Click here to read more »
National Human Rights Commission pleads for respect for the freedom of peaceful assembly
11 March 2010
วันที่ 11 มีนาคม 2553
National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) expresses its grave concern over the demonstration to be held on 12 March
2010, which also causes anxiety among the public that it can lead to violent situations and human rights violations. In a democratic
society, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly of persons are fundamental. Section 63 of the 2007 Constitution also
safeguards the freedom of assembly, but peaceful and without arms.
Consequently, the NHRCT requests all parties to strictly adhere to peace and non-violence with due respect for every person’s rights and
freedoms. Specifically,
The government, its agencies and officers must respect people’s rights and freedom of assembly. They should not use arms and violent
means in performing their duty. Limitations and restrictions of such freedom have to be in conformity with international human rights
standards. Law enforcement officers must strictly abide by the rules, taking into account the principle of proportionality and the
requirement of the exigencies of situations, including the peaceful outcome.
Leaders and people joining the demonstration have under the Constitution freedom of assembly which is peaceful and without arms.
Furthermore, the assembly must be lawful, not affecting public safety, public order, or the rights and freedoms of others. Leaders and
demonstrators must refrain from incitement to hatred which may lead to violent situations.
Public members need to recognize that the freedom of peaceful assembly is fundamental and necessary in a democratic society. The
NHRCT; therefore, requests for their understanding and tolerance. Such exceptional Thai character has greatly contributed to the long
peaceful coexistence of all people in our society. In addition, the NHRCT encourages people to play a role of active citizen to safeguard
their households and communities.
Person or groups acting in violation of human rights or law, or causing unrests, should be immediately reported to authorities concerned.
They should refrain from confrontation as it can easily lead to chaos and disorder.
The NHRCT has closely monitored the situations and established a hotline to receive information and complaints related to the
demonstration at 1377, by P.O. Box 123 of the Government Complex, or through 12march@nhrc.or.th
Click here to read more »
11 March 2010
วันที่ 11 มีนาคม 2553
National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) expresses its grave concern over the demonstration to be held on 12 March
2010, which also causes anxiety among the public that it can lead to violent situations and human rights violations. In a democratic
society, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly of persons are fundamental. Section 63 of the 2007 Constitution also
safeguards the freedom of assembly, but peaceful and without arms.
Consequently, the NHRCT requests all parties to strictly adhere to peace and non-violence with due respect for every person’s rights and
freedoms. Specifically,
The government, its agencies and officers must respect people’s rights and freedom of assembly. They should not use arms and violent
means in performing their duty. Limitations and restrictions of such freedom have to be in conformity with international human rights
standards. Law enforcement officers must strictly abide by the rules, taking into account the principle of proportionality and the
requirement of the exigencies of situations, including the peaceful outcome.
Leaders and people joining the demonstration have under the Constitution freedom of assembly which is peaceful and without arms.
Furthermore, the assembly must be lawful, not affecting public safety, public order, or the rights and freedoms of others. Leaders and
demonstrators must refrain from incitement to hatred which may lead to violent situations.
Public members need to recognize that the freedom of peaceful assembly is fundamental and necessary in a democratic society. The
NHRCT; therefore, requests for their understanding and tolerance. Such exceptional Thai character has greatly contributed to the long
peaceful coexistence of all people in our society. In addition, the NHRCT encourages people to play a role of active citizen to safeguard
their households and communities.
Person or groups acting in violation of human rights or law, or causing unrests, should be immediately reported to authorities concerned.
They should refrain from confrontation as it can easily lead to chaos and disorder.
The NHRCT has closely monitored the situations and established a hotline to receive information and complaints related to the
demonstration at 1377, by P.O. Box 123 of the Government Complex, or through 12march@nhrc.or.th
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM THAI BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Mission Ombudsman.
3rd Aug 53 (2010)
Mr. President Mongkol Pramote Chot Ombudsman. Professor Charoen Sriracha Panich Ombudsman and the Board with a government
led by Chiang Rai police colonel husband Narongchai Wong, vice ผบก.ภ.จว. Chiang Rai Surfing to check facts boat cruise the Mekong
River to Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai, A. Between the passenger ship that way.
Narongchai Pol Wong, vice ผบก.ภ.จว. husband Chiang Rai Was briefed to the point where the drug trafficking and illegal immigration
along the coast. The Mekong River is the border line area adjacent to neighboring countries. Then the land of A. Khong, Chiang Rai to
the inspection. Saphan construction sites across the Mekong River at Chiang Khong 4 - Huai Sai disputes about the digging of sand from
the Mekong River. Which have been complaints from people that are capitalist, A. Khong has to be digging sand from the Mekong River.
The construction of the bridge across the Mekong River at 4 claiming that the sand from neighboring countries. But people that dug
from the coast of Thailand. Therefore appeal to the Ombudsman, check From this inspection, Mr. President Mongkol Pramote Chot
Ombudsman has revealed to the press that The check was to be the place to do that after the complaint has found that the Division Sai
Kong is filled out. The Marine Department had informed the complaint that the backpack is the responsibility of sand excavated from the
river All river does not allow any concession or for the benefit. Local responsibility. Which is in progress. However, asking officials to
perform duties in the area. Very straightforward, not anxious to titan Following is the implementation of laws and not to any one
stakeholder. To dig up the sand.
It will crack down on corrupt officials out of the area and follow the process Continued. Do not believe anyone will protect the corrupt
officials have. This will allow staff to perform their duties honestly, acted as full Ability without fear of any effect on 3rd Aug 53.
Click here to read more>>
Mission Ombudsman.
3rd Aug 53 (2010)
Mr. President Mongkol Pramote Chot Ombudsman. Professor Charoen Sriracha Panich Ombudsman and the Board with a government
led by Chiang Rai police colonel husband Narongchai Wong, vice ผบก.ภ.จว. Chiang Rai Surfing to check facts boat cruise the Mekong
River to Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai, A. Between the passenger ship that way.
Narongchai Pol Wong, vice ผบก.ภ.จว. husband Chiang Rai Was briefed to the point where the drug trafficking and illegal immigration
along the coast. The Mekong River is the border line area adjacent to neighboring countries. Then the land of A. Khong, Chiang Rai to
the inspection. Saphan construction sites across the Mekong River at Chiang Khong 4 - Huai Sai disputes about the digging of sand from
the Mekong River. Which have been complaints from people that are capitalist, A. Khong has to be digging sand from the Mekong River.
The construction of the bridge across the Mekong River at 4 claiming that the sand from neighboring countries. But people that dug
from the coast of Thailand. Therefore appeal to the Ombudsman, check From this inspection, Mr. President Mongkol Pramote Chot
Ombudsman has revealed to the press that The check was to be the place to do that after the complaint has found that the Division Sai
Kong is filled out. The Marine Department had informed the complaint that the backpack is the responsibility of sand excavated from the
river All river does not allow any concession or for the benefit. Local responsibility. Which is in progress. However, asking officials to
perform duties in the area. Very straightforward, not anxious to titan Following is the implementation of laws and not to any one
stakeholder. To dig up the sand.
It will crack down on corrupt officials out of the area and follow the process Continued. Do not believe anyone will protect the corrupt
officials have. This will allow staff to perform their duties honestly, acted as full Ability without fear of any effect on 3rd Aug 53.
Click here to read more>>
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| Click flag for Country Report |
Phumiphon Adunyadet or
(Bhumibol Adulyadej)
King since 9 June 1946
(Bhumibol Adulyadej)
King since 9 June 1946
Maha Vajiralongkorn
Prince and Heir Apparent since 28 July 1972
Prince and Heir Apparent since 28 July 1972
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
Suthep Thaugsuban
Deputy Prime Minister since 22 December 2008
Deputy Prime Minister since 22 December 2008
Sanan Kachornprasat (Ana
Kachornparsart)
Deputy Prime Minister since 7 February 2008
Kachornparsart)
Deputy Prime Minister since 7 February 2008
Trairong Suwannakhiri
Deputy Prime Minister since 18 January 2010
Deputy Prime Minister since 18 January 2010
