Thai Foreign Ministry will hold a meeting with UN Human Rights delegates next week

[webfact]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold a meeting with UN Human Rights delegates next week

BANGKOK, 9 May 2916 (NNT) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will be holding a meeting with delegates from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) next week regarding concerns over the government's human rights issues.

The MFA’s Spokesman Sek Wannamethee has revealed that the MFA will be inviting delegates from UNOHCHR for a discussion next week.

The meeting will be held in the wake of accusations made at an academic network requesting that UNOHCHR inspect the government’s actions towards persons with opposing views for concerns on any violations of human rights.

The MFA spokesman said Thailand has been coordinating with the UNOHCHR’s headquarters in Bangkok and Geneva, Switzerland, on the serious concerns raised about the situation human rights in Thailand.

A group of Thai officials led by the Ministry of Justice’s Permanent-Secretary Charnchao Chaiyanukij will be visiting Geneva to present a report on the condition of human rights in Thailand. This will be the second time Thailand has voluntarily presented this report since the first presentation in June 2015.

-- NNT 2016-05-09

[rkidlad]

I have no doubt that once the government explains Thailand's unique political situation and love of human rights - the Thai government will issue a statement explaining that the UN is very happy. In fact, the UN has actually learnt from them.

[chainarong]

While one wishes to remain neutral , and indeed if the present Administration performance on human rights wasn't so bad with basic liberties being eroded ,I would, I don't refer to other nationals, as Thailand still has a long way to achieve international standards , I refer to its own people , there is a strong reason to make overtures to the UN human rights Group to listen less to the current unelected government and pay more attention to the academic's , these people have in the past expressed views that were beyond reproach, when disputing the constitution rewrite in the Thaksin Shinawatra years, anything concerned with a military junta should be viewed with scepticism ................................................ .

[aussieinthailand]

Two things,

First,

I'd love to sit in on that meeting and then after that listen to the public statement, UN has a better understanding of the situation in Thailand and are happy.

Second,

So another gaggle of government and hangers on will go on yet another junket too Switzerland for a week of five star hotels, room service, restaurants, tours, gift giving and receiving, photos, finger pointing, all to present another document on how Thailand is special and that "The junta Always respect human rights"

all tied up in a nice tax payer funded thanks again suckers, meanwhile back at the bat cave, massive drought issues no water for months on end in many villages,

followed by nation wide floods yet again, an economy that has tanked under these mental minnow's, and the gaoling of Ja New's mother for LM and computer crimes for not criticizing a message sent to her on her FB.

Yu'p It's all gunna be just fine, the UN will totally be onboard with them

[soalbundy]

Coward that i am i would advise my TV comrades to be careful what views they express and how they express them.

[Jai Dee]

One post referring to the government as a dictatorship has been removed from this thread.

From the pinned topic in the News Forum:

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[tuanku]

In support of the Moderators, if we examine the 14 key indicators of a military dictatorship (extract below) we can see the junta is clearly NOT a dictatorship. Decide for yourselves

In the article, "Fascism Anyone?", Laurence Britt compared the regimesof Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Suharto, and Pinochet and identified 14
characteristics common to those fascist regimes.
http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=britt_23_2

1. Nationalism.

Dictators love to encourage the associated patriotism with speeches, mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia.
Schools are used as breeding places for patriotic soldiers. The military is glorified and imitated at school, in parades, hymns,pledges, ceremonies, flags, uniforms and sport.

2. Contempt for people's rights.

Under the pretence of national security, violation of rights is institutionalised. This is particularly the case in regard to privacy,freedom of expression and freedom of choice.

3. Using scapegoats and external enemies as a an instrument to unify
people behind the regime.

the dictatorial regime, seeks to divert attention by pointing at perceived common threats or foes: those who are racially,ethnically, culturally or religiously different from the majority of the "chosen people"

4. Glorification of the military.

Soldiers and military service are glamorized. Despite the typical economic misery, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding. A
national military-industrial complex is created to act under the cloakof secrecy, placing itself and its staff above the law, above journalistic scrutiny and above market accountability.

5. Rampant sexism.

6. Controlled mass media.

Typically, the media are directly controlled by the government;alternatively, a front of sympathetic apologists is appointed tocontrol the media. Censorship is common.

7. Obsession with national security.

Fear is used as an instrument to control society and to discourage people from questioning the regime. People are terrified into collaborating and making sacrifices for the national interest, under the pretence that any questioning of decisions made by the ruling elite was an act of treason that was inspired by those seeking to undermine national security.

8. Religion and government are intertwined.

Dictatorial regimes like to use the predominant religion in a country as a tool to manipulate public opinion and to portay themselves as militant defenders of that religion.

9. Business is controlled.

The industrialists and the local business aristocracy that feeds on this military-industrial complex typically support such dictatorial
regimes that exercise strict control over business activities to hide their shortcomings and to prevent outsiders from entering these captive
markets.

10. Access to work is restricted and workers are organized by trade.

11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts.

Dictators nurture open hostility towards academics, politicians, intellectuals, artists, journalists and writers who question the regime.

12. Obsession with crime and punishment.

Dictatorial regimes are characterized by the large proportion of people imprisioned, executed or disappearing under their rule.

13. Rampant cronyism, favoritism, nepotism and corruption.

In dictatorships, people are not appointed on merit. The resulting elite feeds on power and seeks to enrich itself like a predator, at the expense of the
people of the country.

14. Fraud in elections.

Typically, elections in dictatorially-ruled nations are a complete sham. If there is any opposition to start with, voters are manipulated by smear campaigns.Dissidents are thrown into prison, often just before elections, while those in prisonare prohibited from voting. The judiciary collaborates to manipulate or
control elections.

[Eric Loh]

2 of my favourite human rights quotes.

"Fear is not the natural state of civilized man" Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Peace can only last when human rights are respected, where people are feed and where individuals and nations are free" Dalai Lama.

[wabothai]

Two things,

First,

I'd love to sit in on that meeting and then after that listen to the public statement, UN has a better understanding of the situation in Thailand and are happy.

Second,

So another gaggle of government and hangers on will go on yet another junket too Switzerland for a week of five star hotels, room service, restaurants, tours, gift giving and receiving, photos, finger pointing, all to present another document on how Thailand is special and that "The junta Always respect human rights"

all tied up in a nice tax payer funded thanks again suckers, meanwhile back at the bat cave, massive drought issues no water for months on end in many villages,

followed by nation wide floods yet again, an economy that has tanked under these mental minnow's, and the gaoling of Ja New's mother for LM and computer crimes for not criticizing a message sent to her on her FB.

Yu'p It's all gunna be just fine, the UN will totally be onboard with them

How about a delegation from TV readers to join the talks, just for proper understanding.

[skildpadden]

the MFA will be inviting delegates from UNOHCHR for a discussion

So it is basically another attitude adjustment session then?

[Srikcir]

It looks like the Ministry of Justice's planned presentation in Switzerland got pre-empted with an unforseen visit by the UN next week.

Perhaps the UN wants to help the Prayut regime understand what human rights mean so that his government doesn't embarrass itself before the UN Commission in Switzerland.

In either case the complaints to the UN has gotten a lot of attention.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

When one of the countries that will be getting a vote on whether to agree to Thailands request,is a country that is in the midst of a huge conflict over what toilets(and they are called toilets not bathrooms) that transgender people can and cannot use.

The Thais must believe they are on a winner and really fancies their chances.