HRDS discusses the civil society perspective following the UPR review of Thailand
Following the review of Thailand by the UPR Working Group on 11 May 2016, the ‘Human Rights Defenders at the UPR Thailand 2016’ side event will discuss the views of civil society from 13h00-14h30 at the Palais des Nations. Human rights defenders in Thailand remain at high risk for protecting their communities and their environment. […]
UPDATE: Targeted shooting of HRD in Thailand
UPDATE: Following the targeted shooting of community-based human rights defender Supoj Karasong, on Friday 8th April 2016, the Southern Peasants’ Federation of Thailand (SPFT) has taken measures to care for Supoj Karasang, as well as to lobby relevant authorities to take action to investigate on the attack and provide protection for Khlong Sai Pattana community and […]
LOEI PROVINCIAL COURT DISMISSES CHARGES AGAINST HRDS IN THAILAND
The Loei Provincial Court dismissed charges against 6 community-based human rights defenders of Khon Rak Ban Koed (KRBK) for a civil lawsuit that was filed by the Tungkum mining company in 2015. Members of KRBK had hung a banner in front of the village gate that read “This Village Doesn’t Want Mining” which the mining […]
Thailand: The struggles of land and environmental rights defenders
Land and environmental rights defenders in Thailand are struggling to make their voices heard, particularly since the 2014 coup d’état. Since then, the shrinking space to address their concerns has been drastically compromised. Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Thailand have been systematically criminalized, prosecuted, and even killed for their human rights and environmental work. In 2015, […]
Thailand: End Impunity and Ensure Justice for Community under Attack
Protection International calls for action on the first anniversary of the murder of the human rights defender Chai Bunthonglek, a member of the Southern Peasants’ Federation of Thailand. His fight for communal land titles continues despite impunity and several attacks on other peasants’ rights defenders. Protection International Thailand calls for action to support and protect community-based human rights […]
THAILAND – The Southern Peasants Federation claims their rights to cultivate land
The Southern Peasants Federation of Thailand – SPFT (Southern Peasant Cooperatives) demands the Government of Thailand to cease the renewal of land concession permits on state land which has the legal status of natural forest land suitable for farming. This land has been exploited by major palm oil firms for the last 30 years. In their struggle […]
New Security Incident at Klong Sai Pattana: Direct threats against the community and SPFT leaders
Protection International has been informed that, on the night of 27th October, at the Southern Peasants’ Federation of Thailand (SPFT) member community Khlong Sai Pattana, Chaiburi district, Suratthani province, 40 palm trees were chopped down and removed from the community area. The following day, when two community members went to the Chaiburi Police Station to file a police report […]
Thailand. Justice will be served in the case of 15th May 2014 horrifying attack against community-based HRDs in Loei.
Between the 13 and the 16 October, nine residents of the Nanongbong village have been heard in the Loei Provincial Court on the case against two suspects allegedly behind the 15th May 2014 attack on the Nanongbong village. On that night, around 10.00 p.m., a group of approximately 300 armed men entered Nanongbong village, part of Khon Rak Ban Koed Conservative […]
European Parliament adopts resolution on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Thailand.
Today 8th Oct, in a plenary session, MEPs discussed and voted on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Thailand. The European Parliament expresses its concern at the “deteriorating human rights situation in Thailand following the illegal coup of May 2014” and urges the Thai authorities to lift repressive restrictions on the right to liberty and the peaceful […]
Thailand: three Isaan community-based Human Rights Defenders’ groups blocked by security forces from accessing Minister of Energy
On 10th August 2015, several hundred villagers from Khon Kaen and Kalasin provinces, Isaan region, northeastern Thailand, staged a demonstration outside a petroleum project in the Dongmoon conservation area, calling for the project to be stopped and for community rights to participate in public affairs. At approximately 9:30 AM, villagers from the Baan Namoon-Doonsard Conservation Group (Khon Kaen), Dongmoon Conservation Group (Kalasin), and Protecting […]