An ongoing wave of protests has swept Thailand in recent months. Hundreds of thousands of people, mainly students, have taken to the streets to teach Prime Minister Prayut Chan–Cha what democracy is. The former general has regularly imposed anti-democratic measures on the dissident people of Thailand. 

Protesters are fed-up with how the country has been run. Corruption and shrinking democratic space, among others, are chronic diseases caused by the incompetence of the military government. The movement has been calling for three significant changes to Thailand’s power structure: the dissolution of parliament, the rewriting of the military-drafted constitution, and an end to the intimidation of dissidents.

The protest today is a continuation of the resistance that happened long before, especially the one that caught the attention of the international community, namely the Red Shirt movement in 2010. However, the reaction of Prayut’s regime was predictable, ordering the brutal crackdown of the movement. Now Prayut has imposed a state of emergency in an effort to silence the voice of the people. Bangkok is becoming a real battleground between the savage police and the movement. Both police and military are like predators hunting protesters: they beat, raid, and arrest without restraint.

According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), by 18 October, there are 81 protestors with different background, for instance, guards, students and truck drivers that have been arrested. Several pro-democracy activists have been arrested denied bail such as,

• Ekkachai Hongkangwan (former lèse-majesté prisoner)
• Jatupat Boonpattararaksa (human rights defender and former lèse-majesté prisoner)
• Panupong Jadnork (young activist leader)
• Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul (student leader)
• Parit Chiwarak (student leader)
• Somyot Pruksakasemsuk (labour activist and former lèse-majesté prisoner)

We, Asian Transnational Corporations (ATNC) Monitoring Network strongly condemn the government of Thailand for the ongoing crackdown on the pro-democracy movement.

We stand in solidarity with the protest movement in Thailand and demand:

1. Lift the state of emergency and end the crackdown on pro-democracy protests
2. Release the pro-democracy activists and all political prisoners
3. Stop the intimidation against pro-democracy activists
4. End the military rules and hold a fair election
5. Repeal repressive laws including the lèse-majesté law

Endorsed by:

1. Korean House for International Solidarity (KHIS), Korea
2. Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC), Hong Kong
3. Sedane Labour Resource Centre (LIPS), Indonesia
4. Printing, media and information workers union (PPMI), Bekasi, Indonesia
5. Bandung Legal Aid, Indonesia
6. Street Library, Nunukan, Indonesia
7. Solidaritas Perempuan, Jakarta, Indonesia
8. Solidaritas Perempuan Anging Mammiri, Indonesia
9. Transnational Palm Oil Labour Solidarity (TPOLS), Network
10. Worker’s Initiative, Kolkata, India
11. Joy Hernandez, labor rights and tax justice activist, Philippines
12. Apo Leong, labor rights activist, Hong Kong
13. Bruce Van Hois, labor rights activist, Hong Kong
14. Suisse Solidar, Hong Kong office
15. Textile and Garment Workers Federation (TGWF), Bangladesh
16. Globalization Monitor, Hong Kong
17. Serve the People Association (SPA), Taiwan
18. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor, Malaysia
19. North South Initiative, Malaysia
20. Centre for Worker Education, India
21. Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL), Cambodia

Penulis

Tim Redaksi

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