Thailand has been placed on a watchlist by the CIVICUS Monitor due to alarming developments in the suppression of political freedoms and human rights.
This scrutiny came in the wake of the Constitutional Court’s dissolution of the Move Forward Party, and escalating prosecutions under the royal defamation laws.
On August 7, the Constitutional Court disbanded the Move Forward Party, which had won the majority in the previous elections.
The court cited treason, alleging that the party’s advocacy for the reform of the Penal Code Article 112 on lèse-majesté (royal defamation) constituted an act against the state.
This move led to a 10-year political ban on the party’s executive members active between April 2021 and January 2024.
“The dissolution of the Move Forward Party is a blatant attempt to stifle political opposition and silence voices calling for reform. This politically motivated decision undermines the democratic process and violates fundamental freedoms, especially the right to political participation,” said Josef Benedict, a researcher from CIVICUS Monitor Asia.
The use of lèse-majesté laws has intensified, with at least 272 individuals prosecuted since 2020, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
Notable recent sentences include three activists receiving seven years in prison for a protest song, and human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa sentenced to four years over Facebook posts critical of the monarchy. Pro-democracy activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak was also sentenced in absentia.
“The ongoing use of lèse-majesté laws to target activists and critics is deeply troubling for a country that is seeking a place on the UN Human Rights Council,” Benedict said.
“These actions are part of a broader pattern of repression that is eroding civic space and silencing dissent in Thailand. They are also inconsistent with Thailand’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” he added.
Concerns over transnational repression have emerged, with independent UN experts raising alarms over the potential extradition of Vietnamese refugee and human rights defender Y Quynh Bdap, who is at risk of severe persecution if returned to Vietnam.
The new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who took office in August 2024, has yet to address these human rights issues. CIVICUS Monitor has urged the Thai government to halt its crackdown on dissent and fulfill its international obligations regarding human rights.
Currently, Thailand holds a ‘Repressed’ rating by the CIVICUS Monitor, indicating significant constraints on civic freedoms imposed by authorities. This rating places Thailand among 50 countries globally facing similar challenges.
