Thailand Politics

Another Land Rights Activist Murdered in Southern Thailand

Chai Bunthonglek (far right) and villagers of Khlong Sai Pattana Community in Surat Thani province at a rally to protect the community’s land

SURAT THANI – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development a Human rights group in Thailand is calling on the Thai government to provide greater protections after the slaying of another land rights activist in southern Thailand.

Chai Bunthonglek was a member of the Southern Peasants’ Federation of Thailand

Sixty-five year-old local land rights campaigner Chai Bunthonglek was gunned down by an assailant who came to his house last week in the early evening, shooting him several times before fleeing on a motorbike.

Chai died almost instantly, making him what Thai rights groups say is the fourth land rights activist killed in southern Thailand since May 2014. The others killed include a lawyer representing landless farmers, a protest leader against a mining operation, and an organizer calling for legal investigations into a palm oil plantation.

Rights advocate Angkhana Neelapaichit, whose husband, a lawyer, was kidnapped and disappeared in 2004, says the killing of Chai in the southern province of Surat Thani follows a familiar pattern of advocates being threatened or killed over issues of land access or natural resources.

“I’m really sad because it happens again and again and we have no mechanism to protect and especially with it happening in the quite remote area. Surat Thani is not far but (killings) happens when the people try to protect the natural resources,” said Neelapaichit.

Angkhana says there is a climate of fear within the community, with people less likely to speak out in the future.

In Chai’s Khlong Sai Pattana community in Surat Thai province alone, there have been four land rights activists killed since 2010.

The conflict involves a palm oil company that had leasehold access to the community’s land. But the entitlement ended under the former government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, which more than four years ago backed the community’s right to live on their homeland.

The killings began in 2010 with the murder of a local activist. This was followed in 2012 with the gunning down of two women from the Southern Peasants Federation of Thailand in broad daylight as they made their way to a local market.

The New York based Human Rights Watch has accused successive Thai governments of failing to prevent and respond to attacks against local activists.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development said there has been a disturbing deterioration in the security of human rights defenders in Thailand, especially those working on land rights.

Asia Forum’s East Asia Program Officer, Pimsiri Petchnarob, said the killing further highlights the climate of impunity.

“The company or people who murdered human rights defenders they know even if they commit this kind of serious crime against land rights activists but they would be able to get away with it,” said Petchnarob. “The government and police must bring the perpetrators to justice and to see that we are not going to tolerate the impunity – that’s why it happens continuously.”

The United Nations Human Rights Office for South East Asia called on the Thai government to promptly investigate Chai’s murder and improve security measures for members of the community.

Rights groups say that in Thailand since 2001 more than 30 human rights advocates and conservationists have been killed with police charging suspects in fewer than 20 per cent of the cases.

Thailand Politics

Thai Prime Minister’s Popularity Declines as Move Forward Party dominates

(CTN News) – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin continues to make local and international visits to try to solve problems and promote Thailand, but he has failed to impress most voters, according to a Nida poll. The poll also revealed the declining popularity of Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the rise of the Move Forward Party.

According to a poll released on Sunday, only 12.85% of people supported the prime minister, down from 17.75% in the previous survey. The daughter of convicted former Prime Minister Thaksin, currently on parole, saw her popularity drop from 6% to 4.85%.

The National Institute of Development Administration conducts a quarterly survey of the public’s preferred political leaders. The last survey was released at the end of March.

According to the survey, supporters of the prime minister described Mr Srettha as a resolute decision-maker determined to address their problems. Ms Paetongtarn was complimented for her vision, leadership, knowledge, and grasp of the country’s difficulties.

This weekend, the prime minister will be in the northeast region listening to citizens’ concerns. The journey occurred only a few days after he had visited northern provinces earlier in the week.

Despite criticism, he has reduced his abroad trips, citing the need to showcase Thailand to investors and traders.

Pita Limjaroenrat, the chief advisor of the Move Forward Party, remained the top candidate for prime minister with 45.50% of the vote, up slightly from 42.75% in the previous quarter’s poll.

Pirapan Salirathavibhaga was the huge winner. The leader of the United Thai National Party saw his popularity nearly quadruple from 3.55% to 6.85%.

The sampled voters stated they appreciated Mr Pita’s political beliefs and thought he had broad knowledge. They praised Mr Pirapan’s credibility, claiming he was clean and honest.

Two other probable prime minister candidates were Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party and Anutin Chanvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai. However, they were less popular than others.

About 20% of voters still did not believe any candidate was qualified to lead the country, which is the same percentage as in the last survey.

Move Forward Party was the most popular party with 49.20%, up slightly from three months ago, while Pheu Thai fell around five percentage points to 16.85% from 22.10%.

The poll, issued on Sunday, surveyed 2,000 ineligible voters between June 14 and June 18.

Thailand Politics

Move Forward Party MP Jirat Thongsuwan Appeals Suspended Jail Sentence for Defamation

(CTN News) – Jirat Thongsuwan, a Move Forward Party MP, says he would appeal his one-year suspended jail sentence for defaming a former senior defense ministry official concerning the state’s procurement of bogus bomb detectors.

The Criminal Court also fined Mr Jirat 100,000 baht for falsely accusing ACM Tharet Punsri, a former Air Force chief-of-staff who later became the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, of being the chairman and shareholder of a company that supplied the military with the infamous GT200 bomb detectors.

The Chachoengsao MP claimed a July 20, 2022, no-confidence vote against cabinet ministers in Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government. ACM Tharet was not a cabinet member.

Jirat Thongsuwan also identified ACM Tharet as a key figure in the 2006 coup headed by then-army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, which overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra.

ACM Tharet told the court that Jirat Thongsuwan’s charges were false and harmed his reputation. He denied involvement with the bomb detection company and said he was not the company’s senior chairman or shareholder.

In addition to the suspended jail term and fine, the court ordered Jirat Thongsuwan to pay $ 500,000 baht in damages to ACM Tharet and publish an apology in three newspapers for five days.

Jirat Thongsuwan later announced on his X account that he had challenged the verdict with the hashtag “An injustice is infuriating”.

The MP has also been accused of dodging required military conscription. He admitted to the accusation on May 8.

A British business promoted the GT200 as a “remote substance detector” and sold it in several countries. Between 2004 and 2009, fourteen Thai government organizations, most of which were military, were projected to spend 1.4 billion baht on the units.

Concerns about the GT200 and related gadgets arose after the National Science and Technology Development Agency discovered they lacked electronic components.

The devices were later revealed to be “divining rods”.

Thailand Politics

Thaksin Shinawatra Files 100 Million Baht Defamation Lawsuit Against Warong Dechgitvigrom

(CTN News) – Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister, has launched a defamation action against Warong Dechgitvigrom, the head of the Thai Pakdee Party, accusing him of paying a bribe to be released on bail in a lese majeste case.

Thaksin’s attorney, Winyat Chartmontree, filed a lawsuit against Warong, seeking 100 million baht in damages.

Warong, a long-time Thaksin Shinawatra critic, gave a public statement and posted on social media, saying that 2 billion baht was paid to judicial officials in exchange for release on bail in the lese majeste case.

Thaksin Shinawatra Granted Release on 500,000 Baht Bond

Thaksin was granted release on a 500,000 baht bond last week and told not to leave the country without court authorization after pleading innocent to charges of defaming King Rama IX in a 2015 interview with South Korean media.

Winyat stated that, while Warong did not identify Thaksin Shinawatra by name in his speech or post, he did include a hashtag with Thaksin’s name as well as the date Thaksin must appear in court, allowing readers to connect Thaksin to the allegations.

Winyat further stated that he was investigating the fact that Warong mentioned the specific aircraft and automobiles utilized by Thaksin Shinawatra to violate the Personal Data Protection Act.

“I have requested Mr Warong to provide proof as to where he received the data. “If it turns out that it came from state officials, there will be legal consequences,” he warned.

The Criminal Court has scheduled the case’s preliminary hearing for September 30.