Human Rights Commissioner Pledges to Reverse Standing
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Pro-democracy activists crash an award ceremony Dec. 12, 2014, to criticize the National Human Rights Commission’s unwillingness to defend rights in the junta-ruled Thailand.

BANGKOK — The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, or NHRC, has been downgraded from by its international governing organization, a decision one commissioner hopes will be overturned later this year.

Citing a failure to maintain independence and address human rights violations in a timely manner, the commission’s international coordinating committee announced Thailand was downgraded from A-level status to “B” on Thursday, a year after it first issued a warning to the Thai rights agency.

Commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit said she accepted the demotion but vowed to “step up” the agency’s efforts and convince the international committee to restore her agency to the top rank.

“It’s over,” Angkhana said when asked whether she plans to appeal the decision. “But there will be the next meeting in October or November. We will perform our duty and prove that this current set of commissioners work in accordance with the Paris Principles and in defense of human rights.”

Its lower status means it can not vote or take leadership roles on the international committee, where it can only participate as an observer.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1453983941&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2016-01-29

Quite obviously Thailand has been deemed a basket case whilst the Prayut - O junta are in power as far as human rights are concerned ,mind , this isn't the only issue with Prayut, the country is on the verge of completely becoming a basket case and it wont take very much pushing for that to happen, roll on 2017..........................

An obvious response from the commissioner but wasted words as she can do nothing since she's not running the country and those who are won't pay the slightest attention to her or anyone else for that matter.

"We will perform our duty and prove that this current set of commissioners work in accordance with the Paris Principles and in defense of human rights.”

Good luck with that.

So who is right? The EU or NHRC.

So who is right? The EU or NHRC.

Two letters good

Four letters bad.

Is freedom of speech a human right ? Last article the Junta is asking Google to remove content without a court order. How can you have human rights if you have a government that is always trying to take your rights away. How does article 44, the new martial law, play into achieving human rights ? The logic is baffling .

Is freedom of speech a human right ? Last article the Junta is asking Google to remove content without a court order. How can you have human rights if you have a government that is always trying to take your rights away. How does article 44, the new martial law, play into achieving human rights ? The logic is baffling .

AAAAND a possible implementation of an online GATEWAY, that must not be named...

Is google seriously considering the request of the Gov?

I wish I could get on the panel that gives out these ratings. No point in down grading unless you say why.

Tell the truth, let the people of Thailand know just how scummy those in charge are.

Edited January 29, 201610 yr by berybert

Hauling away students, arresting people for les majeste on royal dogs, those two poor Burmese boys in Koh Tao, slave labor on the fishing boats, sensitivity to Royhinga, prisoners dying in prison from "food poisoning", and a host of other things regarding freedom of speech will likely further degrade the scores. No light at the end of this tunnel yet.

Good ! well deserved.

Long overdue step to sideline the Thai NHRC - notoriously skewed feudalistic , yellow, democracy averse apparatchiks.They have shamed the human rights cause in Thailand which they were supposed to champion.Good riddance.

Never knew the Thai NHRC ever existed. No lost in the downgrade. The pro democracy students and activists are doing a better job.

Quite obviously Thailand has been deemed a basket case whilst the Prayut - O junta are in power as far as human rights are concerned ,mind , this isn't the only issue with Prayut, the country is on the verge of completely becoming a basket case and it wont take very much pushing for that to happen, roll on 2017..........................

Oh so when 3000 people were killed during the Taksin regime plus all the other atrocities under his regime, Thailand had a good human rights record then?

Quite obviously Thailand has been deemed a basket case whilst the Prayut - O junta are in power as far as human rights are concerned ,mind , this isn't the only issue with Prayut, the country is on the verge of completely becoming a basket case and it wont take very much pushing for that to happen, roll on 2017..........................

Oh so when 3000 people were killed during the Taksin regime plus all the other atrocities under his regime, Thailand had a good human rights record then?

If it pleases you, no government in past history of Thailand has any good human right records. So what's your point.

"Human Rights Commissioner Pledges to Reverse Standing"

just as soon as she can figure out another way to supplement her income.

"[Thai NHRC] can only participate as an observer.

That accurately describes that organization since it was created by the 1999 National Human Rights Commission Act.

It has no investigative and/or prosecurial powers. In fact the CDC proposes to further denegrate what little authority it has by merging it with the junta-controlled Office of the Ombudsman of Thailand into one body to be called the Office of the Ombudsman and Human Rights Protection. NHRC would no longer even be an Independent Organization as provided in the now-abolished 2007 Constitution. The Ombudsman would decide the budget and priorities of NHRC.

Long overdue step to sideline the Thai NHRC - notoriously skewed feudalistic , yellow, democracy averse apparatchiks.They have shamed the human rights cause in Thailand which they were supposed to champion.Good riddance.

If I remember correctly the commissioner at the time of Mr. T's war on drugs resulting in 2,000+ deaths supported what was happening as it was ridding the country of drug dealers ! No thoughts about ex-judicial killings etc.

Nothing and no one in Thailand is truly independent or ever hope to be as the system doesn't work that way and isn't set up for it.

Can anyone see the current commissioner buttonholing the PM and saying she wants to discuss human rights ?

Puket seems to fit the description of uncooperative quite well. Start with that den of

shame that reflects on all Thailand.

Put everyone involved with just what was exposed yesterday, with the release of 30+ confined to dormatory(jail),

forced to work on fishing boats (unpaid)and not a mention of Thai involvment.Its going take the army and their

firepower to clean up the slave trade that is going on daily. Just make sure the dead bodies left

are the dealers and not the prisoners

Puket seems to fit the description of uncooperative quite well. Start with that den of

shame that reflects on all Thailand.

Put everyone involved with just what was exposed yesterday, with the release of 30+ confined to dormatory(jail),

forced to work on fishing boats (unpaid)and not a mention of Thai involvment.Its going take the army and their

firepower to clean up the slave trade that is going on daily. Just make sure the dead bodies left

are the dealers and not the prisoners

Spot on. Nest of corrupt vipers the lot of them. Apart from the odd one or two who are merely incompetent.

If i had a 100 Baht for every 'pledge' and 'promise' made by Thai Politicans and Officials i would be a billionaire by now !

"[Thai NHRC] can only participate as an observer.

That accurately describes that organization since it was created by the 1999 National Human Rights Commission Act.

It has no investigative and/or prosecurial powers. In fact the CDC proposes to further denegrate what little authority it has by merging it with the junta-controlled Office of the Ombudsman of Thailand into one body to be called the Office of the Ombudsman and Human Rights Protection. NHRC would no longer even be an Independent Organization as provided in the now-abolished 2007 Constitution. The Ombudsman would decide the budget and priorities of NHRC.

Actually in many countries the status of the NHRW organisation is fairly similar. The Netherlands for instance has the NIHR since 2012 which has

Mandate

· Powers: the The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights is a predominantly quasi-judicial body;

· Litigation powers:

-- Bringing proceedings in its own name;

-- Formally deciding on complaints (decision or recommendation) - not legally binding.

Edited January 31, 201610 yr by rubl

Enjoy your observer status while you still can. The next one will be sanctions.

I think Thailand's standing has been reversed already, negatively speaking.

"[Thai NHRC] can only participate as an observer.

That accurately describes that organization since it was created by the 1999 National Human Rights Commission Act.

It has no investigative and/or prosecurial powers. In fact the CDC proposes to further denegrate what little authority it has by merging it with the junta-controlled Office of the Ombudsman of Thailand into one body to be called the Office of the Ombudsman and Human Rights Protection. NHRC would no longer even be an Independent Organization as provided in the now-abolished 2007 Constitution. The Ombudsman would decide the budget and priorities of NHRC.

Actually in many countries the status of the NHRW organisation is fairly similar. The Netherlands for instance has the NIHR since 2012 which has

Mandate

· Powers: the The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights is a predominantly quasi-judicial body;

· Litigation powers:

-- Bringing proceedings in its own name;

-- Formally deciding on complaints (decision or recommendation) - not legally binding.

The "observer status" relates to the NHRC role in meetings of the oversight (UN) body. It is not a description of their role within Thailand.

These commissions are intended to be watchdogs, investigating and reporting on human rights issues that may otherwise be ignored by the government or the private sector. To do that effectively, they have to be independent, and they have to be timely. Evidently, the NHRC did not meet that standard.

Until they make an example of the owners, who is bankrolling the operation, sieze assits, and jail those at the top of the food chain, no one has any hope of improvement. Then to futher convience the public, the announcements of raids, arrest warrents, siezures, in advance and release on bail via a swinging door must stop.

Anyone of authority who comments these type actions should be charged with the crimes committed and serve the penality as law perscribes, until the orginal outlaw is there to replace him/her

Quite obviously Thailand has been deemed a basket case whilst the Prayut - O junta are in power as far as human rights are concerned ,mind , this isn't the only issue with Prayut, the country is on the verge of completely becoming a basket case and it wont take very much pushing for that to happen, roll on 2017..........................

Oh so when 3000 people were killed during the Taksin regime plus all the other atrocities under his regime, Thailand had a good human rights record then?

If it pleases you, no government in past history of Thailand has any good human right records. So what's your point.

THAT is my point.