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Democracy And Gender Equality For LGBT Community

Chatwan Mongkol
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Democracy And Gender Equality For LGBT Community

THAILAND. Bangkok. Thai LGBT activists led a protest of all ages and genders in demanding the government to step down, echoing Free Youth’s protest and advocating for gender equality incompatible under the current dictatorship.

On 25 July, LGBT activists held a demonstration at the Democracy Monument to project Free Youth’s three demands: dissolution of the parliament, an end to state harassment, and a more democratic constitution. The demonstration consisted of entertaining activities such as dancing, a movie recital, and improvisation.

Various speakers took turns detailing problems created by the current administration such as appointments of unfit officials, pro-wealthy policies, government incompetence, double standards, missing activists, and the extension of the state of emergency act.

Besides the three main demands, they asked the government to put gender equality into its agenda by legalizing sex workers, amending the marriage laws, and abolishing conscription.

A sign brought to the protest at the Democracy Monument. Photo Credit: Siamrath PHOTO
Protesters holding a sign said, “1448 For All,” a gender equality advocates group name. Photo Credit: Siamrath PHOTO

Civil Partnership Bill does not bring gender equality

Protesters showed their opposition against the Civil Partnership Bill. The bill was first introduced in 2013 by the Justice Ministry. After many revisions, the current cabinet members recently endorsed it in early July. The bill is controversial as the public believes it does not give same-sex couples equal rights as heterosexual couples.

According to the bill, two people of the same biological gender would be legally considered “civil partners” not “spouses” when married. The bill gives same-sex couples equal rights as heterosexual couples in terms of rights to manage shared assets and debts, rights to inheritance and succession, and rights to adopt a child together.

However, the bill is unclear if civil partners would receive state welfare as spouses receive. It also does not state anything about engagement. The bill faced a lot of criticism in the past in terms of unequal and unclear legal rights including rights to a partner’s medical consent, rights to partner’s social security funds, rights to spouses tax reduction program, and rights for a non-national partner to obtain a marriage visa. Many LGBT activists saw this bill as a tool government uses to consider the LGBT community as second-class citizens. It became one of the talking points of the protest.

The bill has been submitted to the parliament for consideration. It would go into law if the parliament approves it.

Amendment to existing marriage laws needed

While the protesters disagreed with the endorsement of the Civil Partnership Bill, they showed support for the amendment to marriage laws proposed by the Move Forward Party.

The amendment would change some terms of the existing marriage laws to create gender equality. “Husband and wife” would be replaced with “spouses.” “Man” and “woman” would be replaced with “person.” All spouses would have equal legal rights regardless of gender if these laws are amended. The Move Forward Party also proposed a raise of marriage age to 18 instead of 17.

LGBT activists believe this amendment would bring about gender equality, not the Civil Partnership Bill.

The amendment is up online for public opinions since early July. Over 54,000 people have expressed their thoughts.

Protesters proposed the abolition of conscription

In Thailand, serving in the army is listed as a duty for all males age over 21. One of the speakers suggested that it should be voluntary not an obligation as there are other ways to serve the country instead of being in the military.

In early June, the Move Forward Party proposed a Military Service Bill, which would abolish the required service and change it into a voluntary basis. The bill would allow state to recruit new personnel using education-based criteria instead of age-based. There would be a civilized standard training, welfares, and benefits. The bill also allows the government to pass the Conscription Decree when the country is under war.

The bill has been up online for public opinions.

Massive rainbow flag waved at Democracy Monument

Before the protesters left, they waved a massive LGBT flag in front of the monument while playing music and dancing. Leaders thanked everybody for coming before encouraging everyone to hang out afterward at Khaosan Road, famous for nightlife venues, to stimulate the economy.

Students Pride Parade Against Discriminatory Rules, Curriculum, Treatments In Schools

Chatwan Mongkol
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Students Pride Parade Against Discriminatory Rules, Curriculum, Treatments In Schools

THAILAND. Bangkok. Student rights activists hosted the first pride parade in the country to demand rights for their fellow LGBTQ+ students while the permanent-secretary of the Ministry of Education (MOE) failed to answer their questions and walked away.

On 29 July, a group of high school students, Bad Student group, hosted a 1.3 kilometers pride parade from Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall to the Education Ministry. The parade was held under the theme of #เราไม่ใช่ตัวประหลาด (#WeAreNotWeirdos). Their four demands were that the MOE revises the haircut rules, revises the dress codes, revises the discriminatory curriculum, and ends discriminatory treatment in schools. 

While walking, they sang a parody sport-cheering song, “La Malila,” in which their lyrics consisted of issues Thai LGBTQ+ students have to face in schools: textbooks state that LGBTQ+ people are abnormal, uniforms and haircuts rules that are specified for only boys and girls, and the education authorities that fail to acknowledge and solve the problems.

Symbolic expressions to protest outdated actions

A representative from Bad Student, Laponpat Wangpaisit, said LGBTQ+ students are oppressed under antiquated ideas set by the MOE. Several health education textbooks state that people who do not act like their biological genders have mental disorders. Wangpasit tore a textbook as a symbolic expression and said the textbook is outdated and useless.

Another student defended students’ rights to control their own bodies as there are specific MOE haircuts and uniform rules enforced at every public school. The student said all the rules contradict basic human rights before undressing out of a boy’s uniform and changing into a girl’s uniform.

Authorities failed to listen and answer

MOE Permanent-Secretary Prasert Boonruang came out as a representative to receive their petition. Boonruang said it is necessary to make everyone happy, but there must be many organizations involved in the rule-changing process, so he could not promise when it will be done. He said the case would be taken into consideration before he refused to answer any question and immediately walked away. 

Laponpat Wangpaisit tearing health education textbook. Photo Credit: iLaw

Wangpaisit asked members of the press to remember this day as the permanent-secretary failed to answer students’ questions. Wangpaisit said this is not the first time he came to submit a petition regarding the haircut rules, but he has not seen any progress from the authorities.

“We are being oppressed, violated, deprived. You never acknowledge. You never inspect schools,” Wangpaisit said. “Is this your promise? Is this your change? It’s the same. Our rights are deprived even more.”

New Approaches To Anti-Government Protests

Chatwan Mongkol
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New Approaches To Anti-Government Protests

THAILAND. Bangkok. Youth in Thailand organized anti-government protests with new approaches including a Japanese-anime-inspired recital, eating McDonald’s and pomelos, all despite obstructions from officials. 

Over thirty-five anti-government events have been staged across the country to echo Free Youth’s protest on 18 July, emphasizing 3 main demands: dissolution of the parliament, an end of state harassment, and a more democratic constitution. More events are scheduled in the coming days.

Local news reported several kinds of intervention attempts from civil servants of all levels to stop the events from happening. Activists faced harassment at their homes by both uniformed and undercover police. High school students faced threats of graduation disapproval by their teachers if they attended the events. University presidents issued letters not allowing protesters on campuses citing Covid-19 concern.

However, most protest organizers chose to defy those obstructions. Many came up with creative ways to project their voices.

Parody Japanese-inspired recital

“The most delicious thing is taxpayers’ money,” protesters sang. “Dissolve the parliament!”

The parody lyrics were sung by over 1,000 protesters who gathered at the Democracy Monument on 26 July. The song was modified from the theme song of a Japanese anime, “Hamtaro” about a hamster whose favorite food is sunflower seeds.

The original lyrics were, “The most delicious things are sunflower seeds.” Protesters then ran around the monument in a circle mimicking the song title, “Let’s Run, Hamtaro.”

One of the organizers said that the people are like hamsters in a cage. While the power structure has oppressed and destroyed the cage until it is almost broken, it is time that all the hamsters must run out of that cage with the hope of gaining rights, freedoms and equality.

Free burgers for democracy

Along with the anti-government recital that was organized by the youths, 52-year-old Sombat Bunngam-anong hosted an event giving out free McDonald’s hamburgers under the theme, “I am hungry, I will not bear it.” The event was held overlapping with the Hamtaro event at the same location.

The rule for a free burger was that Bunngam-anong would say the prime minister’s name, Prayut Chan-o-cha, and the participants must whisper the correct code words that would go after “Prayut” in order to get one. Bunngam-anong said people who are pro-democracy would know the code words.

Participants then joined the recital with the youths after they finished their meals.

“We have occupied this McDonald’s,” Bunngam-anong announced after the event as there were a lot of people joined. He said he spent more than 30,000 Baht.

Pomelos movement for free speech

“Whoa, delicious!” was the theme of an anti-government event on 27 July where people joined together in eating pomelos. The theme translates into Thai as “Som-o, O-ho, O-cha.” While o-cha in Thai means delicious, it is also a part of the prime minister’s last name, Chan-o-cha.

Each pomelo was displayed with messages on it including, “Dissolve the parliament,” “Amend the constitution,” “Stop harassing citizens,” “Civil partnerships bill,” “Conscription” and “Forced disappearance.”

The event was held under the idea of free speech. The organizer said those messages on the pomelos are issues that happened in the country but that no one dares to talk about.

Participants then ate the pomelos together.

Executed Serial Killer Cremated After 60 Years of Preservation

Chatwan Mongkol
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0
Executed Serial Killer Cremated After 60 Years of Preservation

THAILAND. Nonthaburi. Executed serial killer was cremated on 23 July at Bang Phraek Tai Temple, after 60 years of preservation.

In 1959, Si Quey, a resident of Thap Sakae in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, was executed as he was convicted for murdering seven children.

He was also accused of taking children’s internal organs and consuming them. Shortly after the execution, his corpse was preserved in an exhibition at Siriraj Hospital’s museum in which the museum labeled him as “Si Quey: A Cannibal.”

The funeral came after over 19,000 people signed a petition on Change.org in 2018 demanding that Siriraj Hospital releases him and return him his human dignity.

Human rights of the dead

Former member of the National Human Rights Commission, Angkhana Neelapaijit, said this is the first time in Asia that a death-row inmate received human dignity after execution.

Si Quey’s exhibition at Siriraj Hospital. Photo Credit: ThaiRath

New narrative of the cannibal legend

Thap Sakae Resident Pol Phlaisathit, age 50, said 10 Thap Sakae residents came up to Nonthaburi to send off Si Quey for the last time.

Phlaisathit was one among many people who submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission for consideration of giving the murderer his dignity back. 

Phlaisathit said this cremation ceremony marks the end of Thap Sakae residents’ mission to end the cannibal legend.

He hopes that the Department of Corrections scatter Si Quey’s ashes over the sea as it is more appropriate than having the Thap Sakae people keep it at a local temple.

Wannapa Thongchim, 68, said she hopes this ceremony changes the narrative of Si Quey.

Even though Thongchim could not find any evidence to clear Si Quey’s convictions and accusations, she confirmed that he was a good person. She said people should remember him for his good deeds.

Vipa Kittichotakul, 83, was one of the few people who had met Si Quey. Kittichotakul met him when she was around 15 to 17 years old, she said.

She does not believe that Si Quey was a cannibal as he was a nice and honest person.

Si Quey’s story told to scare children

Many years ago, adults kept their children behaved by telling Si Quey’s story, and warning them that that if they do not listen, Si Quey would come and eat their organs.

The story was later created as a TV show in 1984 and a movie in 2004. Si Quey’s role in both versions was played by Terdporn Manopaiboon.

Manopaiboon also came to the funeral and said it was a role that created both fear and hatred in society.

However, there is no evidence that Si Quey ate the murdered children’s internal organs as it was told as testimony was odds with evidence at the scene.

Actor Terdporn Manopaiboon and a monk are standing in front of crematory with Si Quey’s corpse in it. Photo Credit: Chatwan Mongkol

Sources: The Reporter and BBC Thai

State Of Emergency Extended In Thailand

Chatwan Mongkol
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State Of Emergency Extended In Thailand

THAILAND. Bangkok. Despite zero internal transmission of the virus, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) decided on 22 July to extend the imposition of the Emergency Decree for another month. It´s currently set to last until the end of August as the National Security Council (NSC) proposed.

The cabinet will have to approve the decision on 28 July before the extension.

The NSC said there were three reasons for the extension. The authorities need to control the entries and exits of both Thai and foreign nationals. They also need the order to centralize power for a faster response to an emergency situation. Lastly, they need to use the decree as a tool to slowly ease other restrictions.

The Thai government originally imposed an emergency decree on 26 March due to COVID-19. It was initially set to end on 30 April but has been extended four times.

Emergency decree grants authorities more power. Under this mandate, the prime minister has the authority to impose curfews, ban gatherings, censor information that creates fear, restrict all types of transportation, and ban the use of certain buildings or areas.

The order also stated that if the situation is considered a serious emergency, authorities would have the power to arrest people that might worsen the situation. Authorities can issue a summons, seize suspicious items, issue search warrants, deny citizens the right to exit, deport non-nationals, and suspend activities perceived as security threats under this decree as well.

Violators can face up to two years in prison, a fine upwards of 40,000 Baht, or both.

A perfect excuse to control people? The government has been criticized for using the emergency decree as a political tool to suppress the opposition and dissidents. Several political activists have been arrested and charged for violation of the mandate after they organized protests against the government.

However, NSC Secretary-General Gen Somsak Rungsita said that the decree will no longer ban gathering after the extension.

Protests against the government order. In recent months, people have protested and demanded that the government lifts the emergency decree. On 10 July, People GO Network group marched from a subway station to the civil court in Bangkok to file a lawsuit against the statute. Messages on signs people held at the event include, “Stop citing the pandemic to shut people’s mouths.”

On 8 July, the Student Union of Thailand led nearly 200 people in a protest in front of Pathumwan Police Station. A sign at the event stated, “Stop medical coup.”

Thousands Of Thais Protested Against The Government

Chatwan Mongkol
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0
Thousands Of Thais Protested Against The Government

THAILAND. Bangkok. Over 2,500 people gathered at the Democracy Monument on 18 July to demand the dissolution of the parliament, an end to the state harassment on its citizens, and a new constitution. Several local news outlets reported that this is the biggest crowd since the 2014 coup d’état.

The protest came after police brutality in Rayong, government double standard, “lost faith” shirt controversy and the disappearance of a political exile.

Youth gather to protest. Members of the Free Youth group and the Student Union of Thailand organized a demonstration. The public started to gather at the monument early afternoon, hours before the event was set to start at 5 p.m.

Police officers, both uniformed and undercover, were on the scene and around the monument to prevent the protesters from entering the area. Towards the beginning of the protest, police played a looped audio recording of laws protesters might violate; however, protesters forced them to relocate and stop.

Protesters occupied a side of the roundabout and closed down a street after breaking police barricades.

“Everyone of us is not supposed to be here. We should be using this time to do what we love and join together in developing the country. But in this ‘must not develop’ country, the most basic right of demanding justice is difficult to obtain,” said a Free Youth’s statement.

Protest leaders took turns giving speeches. There were concerts from the Commoner Thailand and Rap Against Dictator.

Police ready to intervene. There was no intervention by the police. However, it was reported that police prepared forces, including batons and high-pressure sprinkler trucks, to dissolve the gathering. The organizers also said they saw officers on the rooftop of a nearby building.

Organizers initially said they were going to protest overnight before waking the government up in the morning by singing the national anthem at 8 a.m., but later announced the dispersion around midnight. They said there were “suspicious” things going on and they were concerned about the safety of the protesters.

If their demands are not met within two weeks, they said they would take the protest to another level.

A hashtag #เยาวชนปลดแอด (#YouthLiberation) trended on Twitter before, during, and after the event with over 10 million tweets.

  • Two student leaders are giving speeches stating the purpose of the demonstration.
  • Protesters are breaking the police barricades before occupying the street.
  • Police officers are standing around the Democracy Monument to prevent protesters from entering the area.
  • One of the student leaders is giving a speech. The sign said “Don’t take this chance to centralize power.”
  • The sign said “The People’s Party is not dead.”

On 19 July, there were similar protests in Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani.

Two Imported COVID-19 Cases Spark Thai Anger

Chatwan Mongkol
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0
Two Imported COVID-19 Cases Spark Thai Anger

THAILAND. Bangkok. Thai netizens criticized the government through hashtags on Twitter after the government allowed entries of two COVID-19 patients with exemptions from current travel restrictions because of their diplomatic and military privileges.

Taweesin Visanuyothin, the spokesperson of Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said at a press conference on July 13 that there were two foreign-nationals who tested positive for COVID-19 and were exempted from a 14-day mandatory state quarantine.

One was an Egyptian military officer who stayed at D Varee Diva Central Rayong Hotel in Rayong on July 8-11. He visited Laemthong Department Store during his stay. According to Visanuyothin, 31 Egyptian military officers were allowed in under “a special exemption.”

Another case was a 9-year-old daughter of a Sudanese diplomat whose group was allowed entry because of the diplomatic privilege. The group was supposed to quarantine at the embassy, but they later moved into a condominium in Sukhumvit.

Criticism from internet users. Despite over a month of zero internal transmissions, the government brought in COVID-19 patients. Thais expressed their frustrations on the government operation through trended Twitter hashtags: #รัฐบาลหัวควย (#DickheadGovernment), #รัฐบาลส้นตีนคนเชียร์ก็ส้นตีน (#FuckGovernmentFuckTheOnesWhoLikeThisGovernment) and #ประยุทธ์ออกไป (GetOutPrayut). The hashtags trended for two days.

Netizens criticized the government for having double standards for V.I.P. people. According to the current travel restrictions, all arriving passengers need to be in a 14-day state quarantine at a government facility or at an alternative approved facility. However, those two groups were exempted from the regulations because of their privileges.

People also said the government has been telling them “not to let their guard down” but the government itself could not enforce its own regulations with its official guests.

Apologies offered, but responsibility still needed. Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha publicly took the blame and apologized on July 14. The CCSA disclosed the information about their visits to Rayong and Bangkok on the same day. Both came after they faced a backlash from the internet.

The public seeks responsibility from the government. As local news reported, all schools in Rayong had been closed, 90% of hotel bookings in the province had been canceled and over 1,900 had been told to self-isolate.

Visanuyothin said the CCSA is sorry for what happened and will take this as a lesson. He also said that the government will review its policies with special guests.

Thai Youth Dissidents Abducted While Protesting During Prime Minister’s Visit

Chatwan Mongkol
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0
Thai Youth Dissidents Abducted While Protesting During Prime Minister’s Visit

THAILAND. Rayong. Rayong Police violently abducted two youth activists from the Eastern Youth for Democracy group on 15 July while they were holding signs criticizing the government for its handling of COVID-19. Police later released them without charge, but pressed charges after they filed a report against them.

Panupong Jadnok and Nutchanon Payakaphan, activists from Eastern Youth for Democracy, held signs during Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha’s visit to Rayong. The prime minister’s visit came after the country found an imported COVID-19 patient who visited public venues in Rayong despite the requirement to quarantine.

The signs activists held said “Don’t let your guard down, father,” and “Bullshits happen if you stay, get out, assholes.”

Panupong Jadnok and Nutchanon Payakaphan holding signs to protest the prime minister. (Source: Thai Post)

Violent arrests. Five minutes into the protest, around six undercover police took them into custody without telling the young men what they did wrong or identifying themselves as officers. Payakaphan live-streamed from inside the police car. He said police told them they were heading to the police station. But instead, they headed to Rayong Police’s shooting range, which was kilometers from where the prime minister was.

The activists were released there. They attempted to walk back to where the prime minister was but they were intervened by the police. The police said the two activists were “dangerous people and threats to the prime minister’s security.”

After the prime minister departed the area, Jadnok and Payakaphan filed a report against the police for false imprisonment, physical assault, abduction, and abuse of power.

Police said what Jadnok and Payakaphan did was wrong. Police later pressed three charges on the two activists: violation of the Emergency Decree, obstruction of police officers, and resisting arrest.

Thairath reported that Pol Col Kritsana Phattanacharoen, a deputy spokesperson of the Thai Police, said the arrests happened after the two activists were asked to leave the area for the prime minister’s security and COVID-19 concerns but they did not cooperate. According to the Emergency Decree, activities that might lead to transmission of the virus are not permitted, and Phattanacharoen said the two activists had obviously violated it.

Activists seek helps from the Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice and Human Rights. On 16 July, The Standard reported that Jadnok and Payakaphan filed a complaint with the parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice and Human Rights. Jadnok said they only wanted to question the prime minister about how he plans to cure Rayong citizens after 247 schools had to shut down and business owners had to face uncertainty because of the government. He thought what the police did to them was unreasonable.

# นี่คือรอยบาดแผล จากการกระทำอันป่าเถื่อนของเจ้าหน้าที่รัฐ ที่กระทำกับประชาชนบริสุทธิ์อย่างพวกเรา #ขอประณามการกระทำของเจ้าหน้าที่ #ผมผิดอะไร #จับผมทำไม

Posted by ภาณุพงศ์ จาดนอก on Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Jadnok’s wounds from the arrest attempts.

Rangsiman Rome, the committee spokesperson, said the committee has always believed that freedom of expression is a basic right of the Thai people. Rome said he will make sure the committee will be fair with every side during the investigation.

Amnesty International Thailand stands with the two activists. On July 16, Piyanut Kodsan, director of Amnesty International Thailand, said the police should not shut the people’s voices when they come out to protest peacefully. She said COVID-19 must not be used as an excuse to violate people’s freedom of expression.

Amnesty International Thailand demanded Thai authorities to dismiss all the charges against Jadnok and Payakaphan. The statement said police should be protecting the rights of the people to assembly not punishing them for exercising their rights.

The public’s reactions. During the incident, a hashtag #ตำรวจระยองอุ้มประชาชน (#RayongPoliceAbductedThePeople) trended on Twitter with over a million tweets.

Free Youth Thailand and its networks will organize a protest on 18 July at Democracy Statue in Bangkok to demand that the government dissolve parliament, stop harassing the people, and draft a new constitution. They said if there is no response from the government within two weeks after the protest, they will advance their protest.

“Don’t leave this issue for our grandchildren to endlessly call for justice. Let it end in our generation,” Free Youth Thailand stated.

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