<p>In a submission to the 14th session of the Human Rights Council, the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) described the use of arbitrary orders for interrogation of civilians in army camps and other facilities under emergency regulations during the violence between state forces and antigovernment protestors in Thailand in April-May 2010 (A/HRC/14/NGO/42, 17 May 2010).</p>

<p align="justify">(Hong Kong, July 30, 2010) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on Friday launched a new webpage on the state of emergency in Thailand. </p> <p>The webpage, Thailand State of Emergency 2010, features a map showing provinces where the emergency remains in effect, and carries links to AHRC material as well as outside resources on the emergency decree. </p> <p>The webpage can be accessed at: <a target="_blank" href="http://thailand.ahrchk.net/emergency2010/">http://thailand.ahrchk.net/<wbr></wbr>emergency2010/</a> &nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite being under emergency rule for four months, many Bangkokians still believe their lives are &quot;normal.&quot; </p> <p>However, there's nothing normal about living under the emergency decree.</p> <p>The &quot;silent majority&quot; should not complacently accept the emergency law as status quo because it not only violates their rights, but is also bad for democracy. Unless they want Thailand to become another Burma, they should seriously stop and think about the merits of this law.</p>

<p>We, the undersigned 30 organizations, groups and networks, are extremely perturbed about the deterioration of human rights and universally recognized freedoms in Thailand .</p> <p>In response to people&rsquo;s exercise of their freedom of expression, opinion and peaceful protest, the government of Thailand had responded with force and violence, that to date has resulted in about 88 deaths, majority of whom were civilians, and injured some 1,800 people.</p>

<p>Almost a million registered migrant workers from Burma, Cambodia and Laos now have a right to formally purchase and register motor vehicles in Thailand. However, because of officials&rsquo; discriminatory use and interpretation of laws and a lack of genuine respect for human rights, these migrants continue to be denied the right on national security grounds to drive these vehicles.</p>

<p>Southeast Asian nations should press the Myanmar government to protect the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association throughout the elections period and beyond, Amnesty International said today [18 July] on the eve of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Ha Noi.</p>

<p>The purpose of reforms should be to eradicate the defects that exist at present, in the police. The main defects are that the system of criminal investigations is based on primitive methodologies and the use of torture is an inherent part of such investigations, therefore the elimination of the use of torture and the development of modern techniques of criminal investigation should be the major priority in any reform; corruption is rampant within the police and the eradication of corruption should also be a priority in police reforms; The police often have to serve political masters and powerful persons and this prevents the police from serving the law as their king; Thus, bringing the police within the rule of law by eradicating their control by politicians and other powerful persons should also be a priority in police reforms.</p>

<p>Bangkok/Brussels, 5 July 2010: The Thai government should immediately lift the state of emergency to create conditions for national reconciliation that would allow the building of a new political consensus and the holding of peaceful elections if the country is to return to stability.</p>

<p>A group of human rights NGOs and activists have opposed the government's extension of the imposition of the Emergency Decree.</p>

<p>In response to the <a href="http://www.prachatai3.info/english/node/1895">AHRC's open letter</a> to Abhisit Vejjajiva on 18 June regarding the detention and treatment of people arrested under the Emergency Decree, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has posted its <a href="http://www.mfa.go.th/web/35.php?id=24670">reply</a> on its website.</p>

<p>The election of Thailand as chair of the UN human rights council has little to do with its record but may make the country change.</p> <p>The recently concluded session of the UN human rights council, an intergovernmental organisation tasked to promote and protect human rights worldwide, ended with the election of Thailand as the new president to the 47-member council.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Dear Mr. Abhisit&nbsp;</p> <p>THAILAND: Chaining of wounded detainees under Emergency Decree&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you regarding the treatment of detainees under the state of emergency that your government has imposed in Bangkok and other provinces of Thailand in response to protests that gripped the capital in recent months.&nbsp;</p>