Thailand 'loses claim' as human-rights leader in Southeast Asia
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand appears to have lost its leadership in the Southeast Asian region when it comes to human rights, as many people's rights have been suspended for speaking against the May 22 coup, rights expert Sriprapha Petcharamesree has said.

Sriprapha previously represented Thailand at the Asean Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).

"Whatever we say carries less weight now," she said referring to the community of Thai human-rights activists, of which she is a leading member. "It's like we are preaching about something that doesn't truly exist in Thailand."

Sriprapha has called on AICHR to speak out about the declining state of human rights in Thailand and to raise concerns, adding that the Thai public expected to hear voices of concern from AICHR, which is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

"At present, there's no political space for people to express [differing political] opinions," Sriprapha, who also lectures in human rights at Mahidol University, said.

Some people in neighbouring countries also were using the military coup in Thailand to justify and support the limitation on basic civil liberty in their own countries, she said, claiming the coup was necessary in order to put a halt to endless street protests.

"[The Thai coup] justifies the lack of political space and lack of freedom of expression in their countries," she pointed out, adding that and since it "appears" that many Thai citizens have welcomed the coup, such limits on civil rights could occur elsewhere too.

On the other hand, Sriprapha said, Thailand was imitating the military rules of some neighbouring countries by filling the government with men in uniform, as well as marking out a large chunk of the National Legislative Assembly for the military.

" 'If the neighbours can do it, why can't we'? Or so goes the argument," said Sriprapha.

"It has already become a norm for the region. That's scary."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Thailand-loses-claim-as-human-rights-leader-in-Sou-30240228.html

[thenation]2014-08-05[/thenation]

"It's like we are preaching about something that doesn't truly exist in Thailand."

 

You are right, it doesn't.

No go ahead, you can still claim all you want.

You could understand they have a point here.   

You could understand they have a point here.   

 

 

Please explain the point Bob.

thailand, human right??

 

these  thai people are living in their little world.

Actually they only can fool themself, not the rest of the world!

 

 

In whose eyes was Thailand a leader in human rights? Given their teetering position on the TIP rating for the last 4 years and their current demotion to the lowers level, one would struggle to see their position as a leader in human rights. This state of affairs is further complicated by the new rules imposed by the generals. Someone please give Sriprapha Petcharamesree some new glasses, the rose coloured ones appear to not be working.

Ummm...what ASEAN countries sit below them or with them on the American Humans Abuse tier 4 ratings from a month or two ago? Lost them? Never had them.

This would I assume relate to interpretation , what leader in human rights , the leader of what rights, you have got abuse right across the board from restrictions on press freedom the right to speak on one particular subject, to treatment of migrant workers from other countries and you Thailand are a leader , get real,  your are full of B/S big time, the coup and their restrictions are a small matter in a big whirl pool of muck, get your act together Thailand. 

"It's like we are preaching about something that doesn't truly exist in Thailand."

 

You are right, it doesn't.

but i try Mr Faulty,i try

....leader.........???

There goes another "hub" status.

Well Thailand didn't really respect (nor cared about) them before the coup, so this one you cannot blaim Prayuth.

There are plenty of cases where human rights were violated loooong before May 22. How Thailand the last many years in general has treated the tribes along the Myanmar border could be a nice example. Another one is an inconsistent judiciary system that hands down very hard sentences to an old couple who picks mushrooms and at the same time fails to convict a cop killing Ferrari driver. The military appears now to be picking up some of the pieces (of which I am sure there are many), they appear to be actually caring.

Please stop smoking that stuff and get down from cloud number 9 and face the realities.

When you look at the kind of regimes running most other countries across southern Asia, it is hardly surprising that a human rights organisation which is supposed to represent them all is being a little coy about slamming Thailand.

Thailand are not a signitory to the UN agreement on human rights and treatment of refugees so they can do what they like with these unfortunate people and just laugh at those who question them.

When you look at the kind of regimes running most other countries across southern Asia, it is hardly surprising that a human rights organisation which is supposed to represent them all is being a little coy about slamming Thailand.

 

No one needs to "slam" Thailand. They are doing it very nicely for themselves , thank you.
 

No worries Thailand. Second place is actually first place for losers - yaaaaay still number one !

 

You could understand they have a point here.   

 
 
Please explain the point Bob.

 

Incapable I would guess.

@ post 13 ... don't forget the fishermen and the minors abused in the sex trade.

Facts are one thing, but when the ability to even make a claim is lost this is seriously bad news here.

"It's like we are preaching about something that doesn't truly exist in Thailand."
 
You are right, it doesn't.

Considering lese majeste, did it ever?

Hmmm how could one put proper spin on this? AH... that's it! Thais only consider other Thais to be human. All of us foreigners are sub human, so don't register on human rights scorecard. Case solved!

But they are Happppy


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Is this title serious? Since when has Thailand been "a leader" in Human Rights?

 

The reason that the other newspaper cannot be linked to is on instructions from that paper, not a choice made by ThaiVisa at all.

 

Maybe so, but I wonder - why would any newspaper object to links to its online articles? 

A troll post criticizing the news source and the news team has been removed also the replies to it

A troll post criticizing the news source and the news team has been removed also the replies to it

 

I guess that answers my question, at least in part, but I remain open to be corrected.

Edited August 5, 201411 yr by rreddin

thailand, human right??

 

these  thai people are living in their little world.

Actually they only can fool themself, not the rest of the world!

 

 

 

You didn't read the "Southeast Asia"?

Who is better? Mynamar, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia?

Hmmm how could one put proper spin on this? AH... that's it! Thais only consider other Thais to be human. All of us foreigners are sub human, so don't register on human rights scorecard. Case solved!

 

We are not even sub humans to them, we are "Aliens" Maybe they believe that we have arrived from another planet?

@ post 13 ... don't forget the fishermen and the minors abused in the sex trade.

 

And don't even mention the Rohingyas pushed back out into the sea with no food or water...