By Prachatai |
Jiradee (pseudonym), 36, who was accused by an ultra-royalist group of defaming the King in a conversation on Twitter, has been found not guilty of royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act.
By Prachatai |
In its 2026 annual report, Amnesty International raises concerns about ongoing human rights violations in Thailand, including the detention of political prisoners and the lack of protection for refugees.
By Prachatai |
Two noodle vendors have been sentenced to prison for royal defamation after putting up protest signs in front of their shops in 2023 calling for the repeal of the royal defamation law and release of political prisoners.
Highlight
By Yostorn Triyos |
A series of photographs and essay by Real Frame photographer Yostorn Triyos explores life in communities on the banks of the Salween River after the Covid-19 pandemic and the February 2021 Myanmar coup, such as Sop Moei and Mae Sam Laep where people continues to live in uncertainty amidst the war. Meanwhile, the Thai and Myanmar government's project to build 6 dams across the Salween River has been put on hold due to the pandemic and the war.
By Wanna Taemthong |
<p>Following the February 2021 coup in Myanmar and subsequent violence against protesters, a large number of people from Myanmar came to Thailand seeking safety and are now living as refugees in urban areas. Some came with valid visas, while some are undocumented, but all are unrecognised as refugees and unprotected under Thai law.</p>
<p>During the pandemic, Thai musicians and workers in the music industry faced unemployment as bars and entertainment venues were ordered to close. Many had to sell their instruments to keep themselves afloat, or make a living doing whatever else they could, while some left the industry altogether.</p><p>In "Unplugged: Music in Crisis," Thai musicians talk about their lives during and after the pandemic, and the future of creative economy in Thailand.</p>
By Sheikh Mehzabin Chitra |
The landscape of international criminal law and regional diplomacy in Southeast Asia underwent a seismic shift in April 2026 after a coalition of Rohingya survivors and prominent Indonesian human rights defenders submitted a criminal file to the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office against Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hliang over alleged genocide of the Rohingya people.
By Sheikh Mehzabin Chitra |
In late January 2026, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded its hearings on the merits of the case filed against Myanmar by The Gambia over the mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Myanmar. What began as an urgent legal effort focused on provisional measures has gradually evolved into a comprehensive examination of state responsibility under international law, and its implications will have an impact on the lives of Rohingya refugees.
By Prachatai |
As a Ministry of Interior Notification expediting citizenship applications from long-term immigrants and ethnic minority children will expire on 30 June 2026, proposals have been made for extensions to solve status issues for stateless people in Thailand.
By Prachatai |
Thailand is set to introduce an amnesty bill for politically motivated cases aimed at unravelling two decades of political conflict, but this has fuelled another heated debate, particularly on royal defamation cases, which several political parties want excluded from amnesty.
By Prachatai |
To fix political problems arising from the conservative constitution imposed by military leaders after their 2014 coup, Thailand needs a new people’s charter. However, concerned parties are worried that procedural stumbling blocks will make it difficult to get one before the next election in 2027.
By Prachatai |
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra assumes office after delivering a government policy statement to parliament last week in which she promised to increase economic opportunities and promote social equality. However, her government's policy statement drew criticism from both the opposition and civil society groups for failing to address political issues and establish priorities to meet the immediate needs of the public.
By Anna Lawattanatrakul |
Five years after abortion was legalised in Thailand, abortion access remains limited. As an answer to these constraints, the abortion rights group Tamtang Foundation has opened Tarntawan Clinic, aiming to find a friendlier way of providing abortion care and to widen access to abortion in Thailand.
By Prachatai |
Powerful political dynasties, known as Baan Yai [big houses], are once again at the centre of debate following the surprise victory of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s conservative Bhumjaithai party (BJT). However, Baan Yai alone cannot explain the victory, which was also secured by a more powerful tool: the machinery of the state.
By Zoe Chiang |
The Museum of Popular History is a collection of objects from past popular protest movements and a record of popular history often neglected by history books. Anon Chawalawan speaks about his collection and his effort to preserve the history of the people.
By Don Pathan |
The incoming government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is finding out very quickly that conflict resolution for the Deep South is not so straightforward and that his quick-fix approach will not achieve the intended results given the complexity of the Deep South.
By Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal and Phumiyot Lapnarongchai |
The Designers of Mountain and Water: Alternative Landscapes for a Changing Climate at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design features the Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park in Bangkok as a model of climate resilence. Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal and Phumiyot Lapnarongchai write, however, that the narrative leaves out the lived experience of the local community in Sam Yan, who faces displacement due to development projects.
By Puttanee Kangkun |
On 11 December 2025, the Bhumjaithai Party, led by the now Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, dissolved parliament, with the aim of capitalizing on the nationalist sentiments stirred up by the armed conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, and the public admiration for the Half-Half Plus Co-Payment Program – a populist program that the government would subsidize half of, in total 2,000 THB per individual daily spent to buy goods. Consequently, intense nationalistic and economic rhetoric has dominated the election programs—combating online scam centers, illicit capital tied to transnational repression, and corruption have become the main emphasis for most parties. These are all genuine concerns, and it is right that they should be raised, but the human rights violations associated with them also need attention.
By ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) |
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) condemns in the strongest terms the declaration of a 90-day state of emergency and the imposition of martial law across 60 townships in nine states and regions of Myanmar, announced by Min Aung Hlaing on April 23, 2026.
By Human Rights Watch |
On 30 April 2026, the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal upheld the politically motivated conviction of the Cambodian political opposition leader Kem Sokha, Human Rights Watch said today (30 April). The court extended Sokha’s de-facto house arrest and 27-year sentence that had been imposed in March 2023 and added an additional five-year ban on international travel. Cambodian authorities should immediately quash the conviction and release Sokha from custody.
By European Union in Thailand |
The European Union (EU) has launched a new programme titled “Supporting Thailand’s Transition to Self-Reliance & Inclusion: Preparing Myanmar Displaced Persons for Inclusive Future”, with a total financial support of EUR 15 million (approx. THB 570 million).
Prudence Foundation, in partnership with Plan International, today marked the successful conclusion of the Comprehensive School Safety (CSS) Project with the official handover of the CSS Learning Platform (www.thaicssplatform)
