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19thRegularSessionoftheUNHumanRightsCouncil Item6:UniversalPeriodicReview(UPR)PlenaryonThailand OralStatementDeliveredbyMr.AkanitHoratanakunonBehalfof AsianForumforHumanRightsandDevelopment(FORUMASIA) Thursday,15March2012 Thankyou,MadamPresident.FORUMASIA,PeoplesEmpowermentFoundationandother95Thaicivil societyorganisationsendorsingStakeholdersJointSubmission91appreciatetheopendialoguewiththe MinistryofForeignAffairsonthefollowuptotheUPRWorkingGroupsession,thoughmoreneedstobe donetoensurethattheUPRdoesnotremainaoneoffeventbutisanongoingnationalprocess. Of the 134 recommendations accepted by the Thai government, its pledge to sign the International ConventionfortheProtectionofallPersonsfromEnforcedDisappearances(CED)isnoteworthy,anda timelinemustbeprovidedforitspromptratificationwithoutreservations.Meanwhile,themechanism to periodically review the governments position on the ratification of the Convention relating to the StatusofRefugeesanditsProtocolaswellastheConventionrelatingtotheStatusofStatelessPersons mustbefullytransparentwithinvolvementofcivilsocietyandincludeacleartimeframe. Madam President, the government accepted the recommendations posed by several States including Vietnam,LaosandMalaysiatoprioritisenational reconciliation.Weregretthatdespitethe pledgesof the Yingluck administration to reform the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) to ensure its focus on establishing the facts of the alleged human rights violations committed during the AprilMay 2010 conflict, the truthseeking has been entirely overlooked in the interimreports,publichearingsandotherevents.Furthermore,therehasbeenasignificantdelayinthe processforprosecutingtheallegedperpetrators. MadamPresident,wesharetheviewofseveralStatesincludingtheUnitedKingdomthatitshouldbe possible to debate the role of the monarchy and constitution without fear of prosecution. We are concerned that lsemajest cases continue to proliferate due to the lack of clarity in the scope and application of the 2007 Computer Crimes Act and section 112 of the Criminal Procedures Code. In addition, the undue restrictions to the right to bail of persons accused under lsemajest laws are troublingasinthecaseoflabourandmediaactivistSomyotPruksakasemsuk.2Inthislight,wewelcome thegovernmentsstandinginvitationtoallSpecialProcedures,andbelievethatthereisapressingneed forthevisitof theSpecialRapporteuronthe righttofreedomofopinion andexpression to assistthe government in taking concrete steps towards bringing laws and practices in line with international humanrightsstandards. Finally,wecontinuetobedisturbedbytheprolongeduseofspecialsecuritylawsintheSouthernBorder Provinces,whichcontributetothecultureofimpunity.Whilethegovernmentexpresseditsultimategoal of lifting such laws in its written replies to the UPR Working Group report, a precise plan of action towardsthisendmustbepresentedandtherepealofsection17oftheEmergencyDecreeshouldbea firststepinthisregard.Thankyou,MadamPresident.
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12thsessionoftheUPRWorkingGrouponThailand(5October2011),StakeholdersJointSubmission9, http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/session12/TH/JS9JointSubmission9eng.pdf 2 FORUMASIA,FIDH,CivilRightsDefenders,CleanClothesCampaign,LawyersRightsWatchCanada,OMCT&ProtectionInternational,Joint OpenLettertoPrimeMinisteronUpcomingTrialsofSomyotPruksakasemsukandChiranuchPremchaiporn,10February2012, http://www.forumasia.org/?p=12038