Stories about Thailand
Underscoring the challenges of promoting digital rights in Southeast Asia
"…information disorders have been weaponized for political gain, while oppressive governments have tried to control the internet, particularly through social media, and crackdown on dissidents using digital surveillance as tactic."
Thai political parties sign election code of conduct, pledge to uphold human and digital rights
"Political parties agreed that, regardless of who forms the government, it is crucial to work together to create stability, restore democracy, and promote economic development that leaves no one behind."
Thailand's upcoming general election is fundamentally flawed, say rights groups
HRW and over 50 Thai and international civil society groups highlighted the shrinking spaces for freedoms and democratic processes in Thailand in joint letters to 25 of Thailand’s democratic allies and trading partners.
Ahead of elections, Thai political parties commit to upholding digital rights
"Ahead of the upcoming elections in Thailand, political parties committed to recognising and incorporating the protection of digital rights in their agenda."
When a coup chases you into a corner: The lives of Burmese refugees in Thailand
"If I can, I would like to ask the Thai government to accept us and set up a centre for war refugees. The people who come here aren’t evil people."
Hmong women use TikTok to reveal marriage exploitation in Thailand
“When men actually take us as wife, we have no freedom. It’s just like slavery."
Thailand’s new ministerial decree could further suppress free speech online
The new decree is “another tool of control for the authorities to silence critical dissent, and a reflection of the digital dictatorship in Thailand.”
Indonesia's new penal code revisions don't just threaten sexual freedoms
Indonesia's recent penal code revisions threaten journalists, free speech, bodily autonomy and more — severely undermining democracy in the region.
Student-run press in Thailand offered money by Chinese investor to stop operating
"Despite the incidents, we carry on with our tasks. We condemn every means used by authorities to harass and manipulate the challengers."
Nong Bua Lamphu massacre in Thailand: Recounting mistakes, seeking a way forward
In the wake of the carnage of the October 6 incident, authorities and the media have begun to reflect on past errors and look for a way forward.
Far from home, alone: Cambodian students share life in Thailand during the pandemic lockdown
"We didn't have relatives here, and we were anxious about what to do if we became infected. We have been far away from home."
What is the relation between Cambodia’s human trafficking scam and China’s Belt and Road Initiatives?
As China started cracking down on online gambling, the sector has gone underground, expanded its market to non-Chinese speaking regions, conned people, and forced them to work for their illicit operations.
Portraits of disappeared activists paraded in downtown Bangkok
“Nobody should be disappeared because they think differently.”
Activists and artists in Thailand commemorate Myanmar's 8888 uprising
"They claim our silence to kill others, so I’m just not going to let them use my silence as an excuse to kill other people."
Meet the team behind the Bangkok Pride Parade
After a hiatus of nearly two decades, the Pride Parade returned to Bangkok, Thailand, on June 5, drawing crowds of LGBTQ+ community members, sex workers, feminists, political dissidents, and corporate advocates.
Activists rally for marriage equality in Thailand
A petition was launched proposing amendments to the Civil and Commercial Code to allow marriage registration between two people of any gender.
Thai protesters march against new non-profit organization bill
"The law is being used to silence us and stop us from gathering together. But we still come together in protest and are prepared for whatever charges that follow."
Threatened with deportation in Thailand, a Lao activist seeks asylum in Canada
Khoukham is among the founders of Free Laos, a network of Lao workers in Thailand pushing for human rights in their home country. Thai authorities were seeking to deport him.
Bangkok or Krung Thep Maha Nakhon: What's the correct name of Thailand’s capital?
"The authorities need to understand that the capital is more than words and spelling...If the authorities decide to change it, they should consult people first and ask before making decisions."
How is Southeast Asia reacting to the invasion of Ukraine?
While the ASEAN block referenced the “conflict in the West” and called for de-escalation, many Southeast Asian leaders are choosing to stay silent and sidestep any direct references to Russia.
Thai protesters demand the abolition of royal defamation law
"We believe it would be better to live in a society where people are not imprisoned for simply expressing their political opinions, for demanding a better society..."