28th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Oral Statement Delivered by Pornpen Khongkachonkiet on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Tuesday, 17 March 2015 Mr President, FORUM-ASIA expresses concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in a number of Asian countries. We draw this Council’s attention to the increasing [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 12 March 2015) – On the 11th Anniversary of the disappearance of Somchai Neelapaijit, a prominent human rights lawyer and former chair of the Muslim Attorney Centre, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly reiterates its call for the government of Thailand to bring the perpetrators responsible for Somchai Neelapaijit’s disappearance [ Read more ]

  Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha Office of the Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister Office Government House, 1 Pissanulok Road Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand Facsimile: +66 (0) 2282 5131 Re: Killing of Mr. Chai Bunthonglek in Khlong Sai Pattana, Surat Thani, Thailand Your Excellency, We, the undersigned civil society organisations, express our grave concerns over the lack [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 23 February 2015) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned by the Thai Criminal Court’s verdict today on ‘The Wolf Bride’ case under lèse majesté law (Article 112 under the Criminal Code) that concluded with the conviction and sentencing of two theatre activists to two and half years [ Read more ]

Office of the Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister Office Government House, 1 Pissanulok Road Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand Subject: Murder of Mr. Chai Bunthonglek in Klong Sai Pattana, Suranthhani Province, Thailand His Excellency General Prayuth Cha-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the killing of Mr. Chai Bunthonglek, a [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 12 February 2015) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), together with its member the People’s Empowerment Foundation (PEF) from Thailand, has strongly condemned the killing of Chai Bunthonglek, a land rights defender and member of the Southern Peasant’s Federation of Thailand (SPFT) from Khlong Sai Pattana Community in Chaiburi District [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 6 February 2015) – The proposal to merge the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) with the Office of the Ombudsman (Thailand) will land a significant blow to human rights governance and protection in the country, particularly under the current political climate where rights violations and abuses remain rife, the Asian NGO Network [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 28 October 2014) – Defamation charges against community based human rights defenders who exposed alleged human rights abuses by Tungkum Company Limited (TKL) should be dropped immediately, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) said today. The Order Announcement of Mr. Surapan Rujichaiwat will be held on 29 October at 13.30 pm [ Read more ]

30 August 2014 Today, on the occasion of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, we, the undersigned organizations, urge ASEAN member states to end acts of enforced disappearances in Southeast Asia. Cases of enforced disappearances continue to occur in the region. Victims include human rights defenders as well as ordinary citizens. Enforced disappearances [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 13 June 2014) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights group with 47 member organisations from 16 countries across Asia, calls on the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and ASEAN governments to take firm action against disappearance cases of human rights defenders in the region [ Read more ]