<p>Protection International calls attention to the threat to human rights during the COVID-19 pandemic and calls for governments not to use their crisis responses as an excuse to crack down on human rights defenders and to ensure that their response measures are in strict accordance with human rights standard.</p>

<p>The Thai government should ensure that the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation (2005) to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic does not impose unwarranted restrictions on human rights, Amnesty International said today.</p>

<p>Arthit Suriyawongkul, a Thai PhD student at Trinity College Dublin, has filed a complaint with the Thai Administrative Court on Wednesday (25 March) calling for the repeal of the new travel restrictions announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), which require Thai nationals returning from overseas to present a fit to fly certificate and a certifying letter from their local Thai Embassy before being allowed to board a flight home.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.article19.org/resources/thailand-emergency-measures-threaten-human-rights/">ARTICLE 19</a> and <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/25/thailand-covid-19-clampdown-free-speech">Human Rights Watch (HRW)</a> have issued statements following the announcement of <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8429">emergency measures</a> by the Thai government yesterday (26 March), raising concern over how these measures may threaten freedom of expression and access to information.</p>

<p>As the Thai government moves to exercise its power under the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation B.E. 2548 (2005) (&ldquo;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/482b005f2.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1585206537455000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG_VFIFEdZeOfqxa6NegLia1_qjcg" href="https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/482b005f2.pdf" target="_blank" title="https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/482b005f2.pdf Ctrl+Click or tap to follow the link">Emergency Decree</a>&rdquo;) to combat the COVID-19 outbreak, the ICJ would like to&nbsp;reiterate&nbsp;its&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Thailand-emergency-decree-report-2011-eng.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1585206537455000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEEBuJOQN0Iu4KCZ5JZ-BDJL6sFBQ" href="https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Thailand-emergency-decree-report-2011-eng.pdf" target="_blank">recommendations made since 2005</a>&nbsp;regarding lawful and proportionate exercise of this power in a manner consistent with Thailand&#39;s obligations under international law.</p>

<p>Prachatai presents the statistics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, as of 24 March 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/asia/cambodia">Cambodian</a>&nbsp;authorities should stop arresting people for expressing concerns about COVID-19&rsquo;s impact in Cambodia and claiming they are spreading so-called &ldquo;fake news,&rdquo; Human Rights Watch said today.</p>

<p>Thai students in the UK are struggling to return home after the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, announced that Thais returning from overseas will be required to present a Fit to Fly certificate and a certifying letter from their local Thai Embassy before being allowed to board a flight home.</p>

<p>As governments in Southeast Asia increase measures in response to the spread of coronavirus, regional lawmakers have today urged authorities to ensure that human rights are at the forefront of their responses.&nbsp;</p>