About us

Who is Amnesty?

Amnesty International Thailand (also known as Amnesty Thailand and AI Thailand) is a non-governmental organisation focused on the protection of human rights in Thailand and worldwide with more than 1,000 members across Thailand. Amnesty Thailand is one of more than 50 sections that make up Amnesty International worldwide.

Amnesty International, as a whole, is an organization of more than 13 million supporters, activists and volunteers in over 150 countries, with complete independence from government, corporate and any interest group. It works to mobilise public opinion to put pressure on governments that let abuse take place. The organisation was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.

Amnesty International Thailand was established in 1993 and registered with the Thai Government ten years later in 2003 as an association. Their headquarters are located in Chatuchak, Bangkok. In 2016, Amnesty International also opened its South East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Pathum Wan, Bangkok.

The missions of Amnesty Thailand are largely based on the protection of the Human Rights as explained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Amnesty Thailand campaigns and advocates for :

  • Economic, social and cultural rights
  • Freedom of expression, association and assembly
  • Human rights violation in Myanmar
  • End the death penalty and torture
  • Corporate responsibility
  • The protection of the rights of the refugees and migrant workers in Thailand as well as Southeast Asia
  • Making sure those responsible for human rights abuses are held accountable and victims have access to justice, truth and reparation
  • Providing Human Rights Education and Training of Trainers (TOT) for students, educators, community leaders and government officials

Successes

ด้วยพลังของคนธรรมดาๆ เช่นคุณที่ร่วมมือกับเรา การซ้อมผู้ต้องหาของตำรวจกลายเป็นอาชญากรรมตามกฎหมายระหว่างประเทศ ผู้ที่ถูกจับเพียงเพราะไม่เห็นด้วยกับรัฐได้รับการปล่อยตัว ผู้ละเมิดสิทธิมนุษยชนถูกนำตัวเข้าสู่กระบวนการยุติธรรม คนยากจนที่ถูกรังแกได้รับความช่วยเหลือทางกฎหมาย คนหลากเชื้อชาติ เพศ ศาสนา และพื้นเพต่างเข้าถึงสิทธิทางสังคมอย่างเท่าเทียมกันมากขึ้น

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History

A global movement for human rights begins. Lawyer Peter Benenson launches the ‘Appeal for Amnesty’ in the Observer newspaper, after two Portuguese students are jailed for raising a toast to freedom. © Guardian News and Media Limited.

Amnesty Thailand

Amnesty became known to the Thai people during the 6th October 1976 massacre of Thai students. After the successful campaign, more Thai people started to recognize Amnesty. After that, there were more people supporting Amnesty until the election of the Amnesty Commission in Thailand to attend the Amnesty conference in the international level in 1993. The official office was established in Thailand in 2003.

In Thailand, Amnesty International campaign on several human rights issues, especially the freedom of expression, the end of torture by state officials, land rights of villagers and ethnic groups, human rights defender, rights to reproductive health, including conducting human rights studies for juveniles nationwide.

Independence and Transparency

In the world filled with exploiting businesses and political interests, Amnesty is committed to neutrality, independence and transparency. We receive donations for human rights campaigns from ordinary people just like you. We deny funding from both the public and private sectors because the only benefit we adhere to is the human rights of all people.

Our important decisions comes from consultations with the board of directors representing Amnesty nationwide in order to ensure that our work truly reflects opinions of human rights advocates in Thailand.

Human rights are universal. Regardless of where you come from, race, religion or gender, human rights are yours, and no one can take away your rights. If you are the one who share our belief, please support our works from today.

Where your money goes

Read 8 Things you (might) not know about Amnesty International Thailand and learn where your money goes in our movement. 

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Guidelines on Dealing With Sexual Harassment or Sexual Violation

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OUR GLOBAL STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Outlining our key priorities for 2022-2030

Article 4 of Amnesty International’s (AI) statute requires that “there will be at all times for Amnesty International strategic goals to guide the movement”. Furthermore, Article 13 states that “sections shall act in accordance with the core values and methods of Amnesty International and shall comply with the Core Standards as well as any strategic goals”.

The Global Strategic Framework (2022-2030) are the agreed priorities that guide Amnesty’s work for the period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2030 – the changes that as a movement Amnesty wants to contribute to. The full strategic framework can be found here in English, French, and Spanish.

The Global Strategic Framework was proposed by the International Board and following a thorough consultation process, approved by the Global Assembly.  The Global Assembly is the governance body with ultimate authority for determining Amnesty International’s strategic goals including its financial strategy 

OUR HUMAN RIGHTS PRIORITIES

In a world of uncertainty with an unfolding climate crisis, and the expanded deployment of digital technologies and artificial intelligence amplifying inequality and injustice, Amnesty International will stand our as a broad-based global movement of local relevance. Working in solidarity with individuals and movements claiming their human rights work, we will successfully influence powerful state and non-state actors to recognize and uphold human rights.

To these ends, Amnesty will invest a significant proportion of its resources and campaigning force towards two priority issues.

Priority 1 – Freedom of expression and civic space

1.1 – Strengthening freedom of expression and association

1.2 – Securing the right to peaceful assembly for all

Priority 2 – Equality and non-discrimination

2.1 – Promoting gender, racial and intersectional justice

2.2 – Strengthening enjoyment of rights to health, housing and social security

2.3 – Securing climate justice

2.4 – protecting the rights of refugees and migrants and the rights of people on the frontlines of crises

Flexible areas of work

In addition to work on Global Priorities 1 and 2, Amnesty International entities may dedicate up to 20% of its resource to work on Flexible Areas of Work – human rights issues chosen in response to other pressing local human rights concerns, for example ending the death penalty, access to justice and redress, and preventing human rights abuse within the criminal justice system. 

GLOBAL PRIORITIES

80%

Freedom of Expression and Civic Space AND Equality and Discrimination

FLEXIBLE AREAS OF WORK

20%

Other relevant and emerging human rights issues

COMMON LENSES

In all the work that we do, whether under the Global Priorities or flexible areas of work, Amnesty will analyse, plan and evaluate our human rights work through the following common lenses: 

  • Individuals and communities at risk – Working with and for individuals and communities at direct risk of human rights violations.
  • Intersectionality, gender-mainstreaming and anti-racism – Focus strongly on people subjected to structural discrimination on multiple and intersecting grounds, including, among others, the grounds of gender identity, race, ethnicity, class and other forms of social origin, caste, First Nations/Indigenous identity and sexual orientation.  Analyse the human rights implications of discrimination and clearly incorporate the findings into documentation, recommendations and campaign demands. 
  • Corporate accountability, including for the technology sectors – Analyse the roles of corporate actors and, on that basis, work to ensure states legislate mandatory human rights due diligence requirements for corporations, hold them accountable for their part in human rights abuses, and provide remedy to their victims.

STRENGTHENING AMNESTY’S CAPABILITIES

Within the period of the Strategic Framework 2022-2030, in support of its human rights priorities, Amnesty will strengthen and evolve our ability to deliver human rights change, as follows:

Stakeholders perspective

What do we need to do with our stakeholders to achieve our outcomes?

  • Acting in solidarity with individuals and communities facing human rights challenges and supporting their demands
  • Influencing and enabling duty bearers to uphold their obligations legally and in practice
  • Influencing and enabling corporates to limit the negative impacts on human rights and explore different ways of engaging

Capabilities perspective

How will we innovate and invest to engage our stakeholders?

  • Mobilizing human rights education
  • Enancing human rights research
  • Delivering compelling state and corporate advocacy
  • Strengthening Amnesty people powered movement and visibility
  • Enhancing our work with partners

Internal Processes and Learning Perspective

What will help us engage our stakeholders?

  • Grounding our work on international human rights law and Amnesty policies
  • Strengthening our movement by improving our infrastructure and processes
  • Investing in the well-being of our members and staff and in equality and inclusion
  • Increasing and improving our understanding of impact and evidence-based decision making

Financial Perspective

How can we sustain an increase our resources?

Growing our resourses an dincome to be financially sustainable based on our values.