(Geneva, 4 August 2016) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and its members in Thailand – People’s Empowerment Foundation (PEF), Community Resource Centre (CRC) and the Association for Human Rights and Women’s Rights in Development (AWARD) – express grave concern over severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms prior to the forthcoming constitutional referendum [ Read more ]

(Geneva, 27 June 2016) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) urges the UN General Assembly (UN GA) to carefully consider Thailand’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC). Its candidacy for the term 2017-2018 is questionable given the deteriorating human rights situation under the military Government in [ Read more ]

32nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention – General Debate Oral Statement Delivered by R. Iniyan Ilango On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Thursday, 23 June 2016   Mr. President, we draw the Council’s attention to several [ Read more ]

32nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Thematic reports by the High Commissioner – General Debate Oral Statement Delivered by Rosanna Ocampo On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Tuesday, 21 June 2016 Mr. President, FORUM-ASIA welcomes the High Commissioner’s practical recommendations for the creation and [ Read more ]

Joint Statement – 13/06/2016 – For a Thai version of this statement, please click here. We, the undersigned civil society groups, are gravely concerned about the legal action taken by the Royal Thai Army for criminal defamation and Computer Crimes Act violations against Woman Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) Ms. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Ms. Anchana Heemmina, and [ Read more ]

(Geneva, 14 May 2016) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) calls on the Government of Thailand to take heed of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations to end the rapid deterioration of the human rights situation in the country and return to democratic civilian rule. The UPR is a unique peer [ Read more ]

On 11 May 2016, FORUM-ASIA will co-host a live webcast of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Thailand from the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.  The live webcast is co-hosted with Amnesty International Thailand, the International Commission of Jurists, Justice For Peace Foundation, the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand, the [ Read more ]

On 9 March 2016, FORUM-ASIA, Southern Peasant Federation of Thailand (SPFT), Community Resource Center (CRC), Amnesty International Thailand, Focus on the Global South, and Protection International organised a panel discussion in Bangkok, Thailand. The discussion deliberated on the challenges faced by land rights defenders in Thailand, and recommend more effective ways to ensure their safety.

29 April 2016, On the eve of the five-year anniversary of his detention, we, the undersigned international organizations, condemn the ongoing and arbitrary deprivation of liberty of human rights defender Somyot Phrueksakasemsuk and call on Thailand’s authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him. Somyot, 54, is currently incarcerated in Bangkok’s Remand Prison, where he is [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 5 April 2016) – Thailand must immediately revoke National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Order 13/2016 which confers sweeping powers on the Royal Thai Armed Forces in contravention of human rights and the rule of law, said the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI), Asian Forum for [ Read more ]