“The State of Thailand’s Human Rights and Democracy after the 2023 Election”
Sponsored by the Justice in Southeast Asia Lab (JSEALab)*
Sirikan Charoensiri
Deputy Director and Lawyer
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)
On 14 May 2023, Thailand held its second general election after the 2014 coup d’état took over the democratically elected government. The election outcome was promising for the pro-democracy movement in Thailand. The reformist Move Forward Party (MFP) emerged as the winner of the election. Among other issues, MFP advocates for reforms of the monarchy, amendment of Section 112 (lèse-majesté) of the Criminal Code, military reforms, and other fundamental structural reforms. Despite winning the May 2023 election with the most seats in the parliament’s lower house — 151 of 500 seats, or around 37% of direct votes — the progressive Move Forward Party has officially been pushed out of the government coalition led by the runner-up Pheu Thai Party
After more than three months since the general election, a Pheu Thai candidate and real estate tycoon, Mr. Srettha Thavisin, has finally been voted in as the country’s 30th Prime Minister.
Undoubtedly, the May 2023 election and subsequent political developments have immense implications for human rights in Thailand. Since late 2020, more than 1,900 individuals have been charged under the criminal law for exercising their right to freedom of expression or peaceful assembly. And cases against more than 1,000 people are ongoing today.
Sirikan’s lecture will provide a briefing on “Post-Election Updates and Implications for Human Rights in Thailand”. It will highlight key updates and observations about the ongoing political developments, as well as implications of the political situation on the state of freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
Sirikan Charoensiri (June) is Deputy Director and a lawyer of the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), a non-governmental organization based in Thailand that works to document human rights violations and provide free legal support to people whose civil and political rights have been violated. The group was co-founded by her and Thai human rights lawyers and defenders immediately after the May 2014 military coup in Thailand. Due to her representation in court of activists of the New Democracy Movement and refusing warrantless searches in 2015, June received threats by high-ranking police officers and currently faces several sets of criminal charges. In March 2018, she was honored among ten women to receive the International Women of Courage Award from the US State Department. In addition, in December 2018, the Foreign Minister of Germany and France together awarded the 2018 Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law to June in recognition of her commitment for human rights and the rule of law.