Panel urges more public participation in making laws

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's laws do not uphold human rights, and fail to bridge the country's socio-economic and political divides, according to participants in a symposium organised by the government's Legal Reform Committee.

National Human Rights commissioner Nirand Pitakwatchara said citizens ought to play a greater role in passing legislation to ensure their rights are truly protected and that they benefit from the law.

Nirand said laws should not only be viewed from the perspective of governance, but should also respect human rights in a non-patronising fashion.

"Thai society has deep political disparity, and this leads to violations of citizens' rights, such as the security laws in the southern border areas, where since 2004 martial law has been imposed despite its lack of efficacy. This shows that the wrong medicine is being applied," he said, adding that laws restricting citizens' right to freedom of assembly have dehumanised demonstrators over the past two to three years and led to deep political divides.

"The Computer Crimes Act has also been used to limit freedom of expression and should be amended or abolished in order to protect citizens' rights," he said.

Sayamol Krayurawong, director of the Project for the Fostering of Ecological Consciousness, said she is worried that natural resources are being plundered by the state, which fails to pass laws based on the principle of the rule of law and community rights. Legal cases on environmental disputes are often judged according to the letter of the law, which is too narrow, she said.

Sayamol said she's worried about how small farmers who rent land will be affected when Asean moves toward a single market in 2015. She said 59 per cent of farmers have to rent land for farming, and multi-national corporations could exploit the situation, leading to many farmers being pushed into becoming factory workers.

Somchai Hom-laor, a member of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT), expressed concerns about laws restricting the right to political assembly, saying it could impact farmers who wish to demonstrate to let the government know about their plight.

Somchai said other laws that need to be reviewed include the election law, for forcing people who have been working in a province for a long time to return to the place of their household registration to vote, causing a lot of inconvenience and sometimes hurting voter turnout.

People also need more bargaining power in the process of drafting laws, Somchai said.

-- The Nation 2012-03-13

Of course thailand has huge restrictions on free speech.It,s not even possible for a university to allow a teacher to discuss the country,s future w4th its stuents.No free thinking in Thailand .so no advancement EVER

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Thailand should modernize it's laws, specifically those regarding to the rights of working and living here of those foreigner who have Thai relatives(wife, child, parents etc), is not human to deny the right of freely work here for those foreigners, they should learn from the US, or Singapore.

There is no political will in this country for any real change. Elites in Thailand constantly feed the public perception that Thailand is only for Thais, that Thais are more morally pure than other peoples, and that Thais are ingenious, in-demand people. This campaign of ignorance and complacency has worked spectacularly. The majority is concerned more with the (immediate) accumulation of material possessions than any real improvement in living conditions through a vibrant economy and political reform. This plays well into the hands of the wealthy and powerful, who continue to raise prices even as wages stagnate and people lose their jobs (in the aftermath of the floods and recent political strife). The problem is that this dynamic strips the society of its veil of superficial progress and reveals the parasitic core in all its glory. As those who previously were ignorant of their relative social status are suddenly enlightened, they will become incensed. Political instability is nearly guaranteed for at least a couple of generations in Thailand. In addition, the Kingdom's outmoded system of education is only beginning to bear the dark fruits we know are inevitable for Thailand's future generations. This all as the world only becomes more competitive and integrated.

"Thai society has deep political disparity..."

There needs to be a real, long-term effort to solve this before any of the symptoms of the deeper class divisions can be addressed, in my humble opinion.

Thailand should modernize it's laws, specifically those regarding to the rights of working and living here of those foreigner who have Thai relatives(wife, child, parents etc), is not human to deny the right of freely work here for those foreigners, they should learn from the US, or Singapore.

I agree particularly in the area concerning rights of people with Thai relatives. This country condones child abduction and parental alienation. The labor laws castrate the foreign fathers ability to care and support his family unless he is willing to engage in illicit activities. I am fighting all my urges to become a hardened cynic because I know many lovely wonderful generous and helpful Thais. However when I can't earn enough in a country to fight for my legal rights there is a huge disparity. I am not asking for handouts from the Thai government (something my own government would extend to foreigners) just simply the right to work and support my family in a manner that they are accustomed to. For foreign fathers you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Why should Thailand have to change any of its attitude with respect to human rights. As long as it is regarded as a good guy and friend of the West serious international comment is a unlikely to be voiced. There is reasonable evidence for this argument for example the Saudi Arabia government, the Afghanistan government. Need I go on?

in the land where the farang has to only right to spend his money and not even own 1 rai of land to build his own house

Asking for public participation in making laws sounds better than it is. When university professors do so, they are already beaten up and scoffed at by generals who came to power illegally. Participating in any activity that protects human rights can get you killed

Asking for public participation in making laws sounds better than it is. When university professors do so, they are already beaten up and scoffed at by generals who came to power illegally. Participating in any activity that protects human rights can get you killed

Did the coup generals kill people that spoke out? Are they still doing it 5 years after the coup?

Thais suffer from cognitive dissonance, on the one hand they are led to believe they are superior to farangs, yet when they observe resident and tourist farangs we all are patently much better off than them.

Participating in any activity that protects human rights can get you killed

No one knows that better than human rights lawyer Somchai's widow:

Somchai Neelapaijit, a Thai Muslim-lawyer and human rights activist, disappeared on March 12, 2004 during Thaksin Shinawatra's regime.

Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is believed by many interested in the case to have played a part in the disappearance and what some are certain is a murder.

While a body has not yet been located, motive was thought to be Somchai's representation of Muslim defendants in terrorism cases.

The day after Somchai's disappearance, concerns were publicly raised, but Thaksin at the time said, "Oh, don't worry. I understand he had a fight with his wife, and will probably be back home in a day or two."

http://en.wikipedia....hai_Neelapaijit

.

There is no political will in this country for any real change. Elites in Thailand constantly feed the public perception that Thailand is only for Thais, that Thais are more morally pure than other peoples, and that Thais are ingenious, in-demand people. This campaign of ignorance and complacency has worked spectacularly. The majority is concerned more with the (immediate) accumulation of material possessions than any real improvement in living conditions through a vibrant economy and political reform. This plays well into the hands of the wealthy and powerful, who continue to raise prices even as wages stagnate and people lose their jobs (in the aftermath of the floods and recent political strife). The problem is that this dynamic strips the society of its veil of superficial progress and reveals the parasitic core in all its glory. As those who previously were ignorant of their relative social status are suddenly enlightened, they will become incensed. Political instability is nearly guaranteed for at least a couple of generations in Thailand. In addition, the Kingdom's outmoded system of education is only beginning to bear the dark fruits we know are inevitable for Thailand's future generations. This all as the world only becomes more competitive and integrated.

"Thai society has deep political disparity..."

There needs to be a real, long-term effort to solve this before any of the symptoms of the deeper class divisions can be addressed, in my humble opinion.

A perfect summing up, It does stem from the grass roots. No desire to change anything for the long term benefit of Thailand by Thais

Thailand should modernize it's laws, specifically those regarding to the rights of working and living here of those foreigner who have Thai relatives(wife, child, parents etc), is not human to deny the right of freely work here for those foreigners, they should learn from the US, or Singapore.

Mexican parents of children born in the USA have the right to freely work in the USA even though they aren't permanent residents or citizens? This is HUGE news!

Thailand should modernize it's laws, specifically those regarding to the rights of working and living here of those foreigner who have Thai relatives(wife, child, parents etc), is not human to deny the right of freely work here for those foreigners, they should learn from the US, or Singapore.

I agree particularly in the area concerning rights of people with Thai relatives. This country condones child abduction and parental alienation. The labor laws castrate the foreign fathers ability to care and support his family unless he is willing to engage in illicit activities. I am fighting all my urges to become a hardened cynic because I know many lovely wonderful generous and helpful Thais. However when I can't earn enough in a country to fight for my legal rights there is a huge disparity. I am not asking for handouts from the Thai government (something my own government would extend to foreigners) just simply the right to work and support my family in a manner that they are accustomed to. For foreign fathers you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

A perfect example of Why not to have a Thai family in Thailand , you have and will always have so few rights

Thailand should modernize it's laws, specifically those regarding to the rights of working and living here of those foreigner who have Thai relatives(wife, child, parents etc), is not human to deny the right of freely work here for those foreigners, they should learn from the US, or Singapore.

I agree particularly in the area concerning rights of people with Thai relatives. This country condones child abduction and parental alienation. The labor laws castrate the foreign fathers ability to care and support his family unless he is willing to engage in illicit activities. I am fighting all my urges to become a hardened cynic because I know many lovely wonderful generous and helpful Thais. However when I can't earn enough in a country to fight for my legal rights there is a huge disparity. I am not asking for handouts from the Thai government (something my own government would extend to foreigners) just simply the right to work and support my family in a manner that they are accustomed to. For foreign fathers you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

What country are you from that gives handouts to foreigners on visitors visas or non-immigrants?

Participating in any activity that protects human rights can get you killed

And joining a redshirt mob attacking hospitals and burning down Bangkok will earn you 7.5 million baht.

Why should Thailand have to change any of its attitude with respect to human rights. As long as it is regarded as a good guy and friend of the West serious international comment is a unlikely to be voiced. There is reasonable evidence for this argument for example the Saudi Arabia government, the Afghanistan government. Need I go on?

That's not really the point though is it?

Thailand should modernize it's laws, specifically those regarding to the rights of working and living here of those foreigner who have Thai relatives(wife, child, parents etc), is not human to deny the right of freely work here for those foreigners, they should learn from the US, or Singapore.

Mexican parents of children born in the USA have the right to freely work in the USA even though they aren't permanent residents or citizens? This is HUGE news!

No if neither parent is a citizen of USA but if one parent was an American then the other non citizen can in 18 months become a full citizen.