Images of thousands of people peacefully rallying in Thailand’s main cities have travelled around the world, in the latest illustration of how youth-led protests are defying growing repression. 

n the wake of the lifting of serious emergency situation in Bangkok and attempts to explore solutions by the General Prayut Chan-O-cha government by having the special parliamentary session from 26-27 October 2020 to review recommendations from the parliament, it has failed to ease the onslaught demonstrations put out by school and university students and members of the public as not a single demand of theirs has not been met by the government. Meanwhile, the protest leaders constantly face detention and prosecution triggering the outpouring of assemblies, day in day out and around the country. The nature of the protests around Thailand are now considered as leaderless. From 22 October –7 November 2020, at least 22 public assemblies took place in Bangkok and at least 50 in the province. 

Piyanut Kotsan, Director of Amnesty International Thailand, reveals that after more than five months since Wanchalearm Satsaksit was last seen in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, there has been barely any progress as to the investigation into his enforced disappearance. His family still looks forward to knowing his whereabouts and the reasons for his disappearance, identity of the perpetrators and to having the perpetrators brought to justice.  

Following reports that Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States of America, Amnesty International USA’s Interim Executive Director, Bob Goodfellow, released the following statement:  

สำหรับกรณีความรุนแรง บางทีเราก็ไปสถานีตำรวจกับผู้เสียหายด้วยเลย ทั้งที่เรามองว่ากรณีอาญา กรณีความรุนแรงแบบนี้ ช่องทางที่ควรจะเป็นคือ ตำรวจ อัยการ ศาล เราไม่จำเป็นต้องมีทนายก็ได้ คดีควรจะไปตามช่องทางปกติ แต่ด้วยความที่ผู้เสียหายมีความเปราะบาง ต้องการการเสริมพลัง จึงจำเป็นต้องมีคนคอยสนับสนุนระหว่างทาง บางครั้งเราก็ต้องไปกับผู้เสียหายด้วย วิธีการที่เจ้าหน้าที่พูดกับเรา ทำให้เรารู้สึกแย่ พูดเหมือนกับเรื่องนั้นเป็นเรื่องจิ๊บจ๊อย หรือบางครั้งก็มีการถามว่า เราเป็นใคร เราเป็นผู้มีส่วนได้ส่วนเสียอะไร ทำไมเราถึงต้องมาช่วยเขา อันนี้เจอในระดับปฏิบัติ เราก็มองว่าทำไมถึงเป็นอย่างนั้น เรามองว่าถ้าเราเป็นผู้ชาย เค้าจะใช้คำพูดและท่าทางกับเราแบบนั้นมั้ย

Since I went to work on the ground, or talk about the process of accessing justice in various forums, there was both the issue of sex and the issue of age. If I am not old enough, or have not yet completed a doctorate, important people will not really listen to me much. So I feel that when I talk about access to the judicial process, whether it concerns migrant workers, or the cases of child and female victims, ever since 2017 when I started work and went into the field, I know that important people are not listening, or do not give that much weight to what I say, even though I collect information from people on the ground, and even though I really work at the grassroots level.

1. Overall situation

As peaceful protests in Thailand grow, the authorities continue to use vague, overly restrictive laws to harass and silence people, said Amnesty International today. The organization calls on the authorities to immediately drop all charges against peaceful protesters and release those still detained.

Responding to news that a court has upheld a government order to shut down “all platforms” of Voice TV, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns, Ming Yu Hah, said: 

Responding to the dispersal of protesters by Thai police using water cannons with irritants and dye, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns, Ming Yu Hah, said:  

Responding to news that the Thai authorities have ordered a ban on gatherings of five or more people in Bangkok and on sharing information that “could create fear”, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns, Ming Yu Hah, said: 

Ms. Piyanut Kotsan, director of Amnesty International Thailand reveals that four months after Mr. Wanchalearm Satsaksit was last seen in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, there has been no progress in Cambodian authorities’ investigation of his abduction. His family fervently looks forward to news about his fate and whereabouts. They still long to know the truth about his disappearance, who the alleged perpetrators are and for anyone suspected of involvement in his alleged abduction to face justice.