News
11 Apr 2020
A civil society organisation in Karen State has released a report on water contamination linked to a Myanmar military-run cement factory and requested the withdrawal of all charges against environmental activist Saw Tha Phoe who has advocated for the social and environmental rights of local Karen communities.
Public prayer ceremony on January 17, 2020 to protest the water pollution. (Source: Karen River Watch)
9 Apr 2020
The Immigration Bureau announced on Tuesday (7 April) that all foreigners’ visas will be automatically extended as an effort to prevent long queues at immigration centres and control the spread of COVID-19.
9 Apr 2020
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced a temporary ban on all international flights to Thailand from 6-18 April as a measure to control the COVID-19 outbreak. Those who departed before the ban came into force were subject to 14 days quarantine.
7 Apr 2020
In a statement and open letter addressed to the Prime Minister released yesterday (6 April), the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) calls for the exemption of journalists from the nationwide curfew implemented last week, which prohibited people from leaving their residences between 22.00 - 4.00.
3 Apr 2020
“In prevention and assisting the people, we will follow the principle of health before freedom,” said Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday (2 April) during a televised announcement of a nationwide curfew starting today (3 April), as an additional measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.
2 Apr 2020
Bangkok’s Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said today (1 April), following a Bangkok Communicable Disease Control meeting, that all restaurants, street food stalls, and convenience stores will be asked to close between midnight and 5.00 am from 2 April in an additional measure to contain the transmission of COVID-19.
2 Apr 2020
The National Multimedia Group announced yesterday (31 March) that it will be cutting the salaries of all its employees and suspending all employee benefits due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business.
1 Apr 2020
In a statement released on Monday (30 March), Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) says that while they find that it is necessary for the state to “impose measures” to control the spread of COVID-19, it finds that the Emergency Decree, in effect from 26 March to 30 April, “contains provisions which significantly restrict people’s rights and freedom,” especially freedom of expression, press freedom, and freedom of movement, raising concerns about the necessity and proportionality of the measures issued under the decree.
27 Mar 2020
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.
26 Mar 2020
ARTICLE 19 and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have issued statements following the announcement of emergency measures by the Thai government yesterday (26 March), raising concern over how these measures may threaten freedom of expression and access to information.
25 Mar 2020
The Thai government today declared a State of Emergency and enacted the 2005 Emergency Decree in an effort to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 in Thailand, closing the national borders and ordering high risk venues to remain closed. Meanwhile, senior citizens, children, and those with preexisting health conditions are told to stay home.
25 Mar 2020
On Tuesday (24 March), an announcement was posted in the Royal Gazette stating that King Vajiralongkorn has approved a name change for two military bases in Lopburi, which were previously named after revolutionary leaders, renaming them after his parents.