HRDs in Thailand are subjected to threats, physical assaults, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, surveillance and profiling, criminal investigations and defamation.

The Working Group on Justice and Peace (WGJP) released a report in 2009 called "Thailand's Unarmed Heroes: An Overview of the Situation of Human Rights Defenders" in which they highlighted four major rights hotspots in Thailand: "A significant number of human rights defenders are working with migrants, particularly along the border with Burma, and with victims of Thailand's aggressive drug war. Other human rights defenders are fighting for economic rights all over the country, and there are many human rights defenders working in the conflict zone of the three border provinces in southern Thailand".

Front Line visited human rights defenders in southern Thailand in November 2008 and remains extremely concerned by the reports of the continued violations against human rights organisations and defenders and the absolute impunity with which the military and authorities are operating. Following the January 2004 attacks by separatist groups in the four provinces in the south near Malaysia martial law was introduced. This allows the authorities to detain persons for seven days without charge. The emergency decree, introduced in 2005, allows for persons to be held for a further 30-days without charge. HRDs in the South, particularly those working with the mainly Muslim victims of the conflict, report regular misuse of the law and emergency decrees and a general abuse of power by the authorities.

HRDs carrying out fact-finding work on human rights violations are often harassed and threatened by the military presence in the villages. A general state of impunity means that those members of the military, against whom a complaint has been made, are simply moved to another village rather than being investigated and brought to justice. In the South HRDs are working to put an end to the violence and to support the victims of past violence.

The credibility and public image of HRDs in Thailand is often under threat due to statements attributed to government officials, accurately or inaccurately reported in the press, denigrating NGOs.

HRDs in Thailand reported that they are often the victims of defamation campaigns and negative reporting. They have been accused of “obstructing the country’s development” and of being “influences that must be checked”.

HRDs from Burma working in Thailand on the situation of human rights in Burma are often publicly labeled as drug traffickers in an effort to discredit them. Some government agencies have reportedly created blacklists of organisations and individuals, including human rights defenders, who are subsequently defined as national security risks and targeted by police and intelligence services for surveillance or other repressive actions.

Protests are often met with violent police repression. There have been a number of incidents during which peaceful protests by local communities against the construction of mega projects such as dams or oil pipelines have been met with police repression and detention of demonstrators followed by criminal proceedings against them. Defenders are also targeted for judicial prosecution– many organisations have cases against them pending before the courts or arrest warrants outstanding for their members.

Despite the challenges the human rights community is strong and determined but feels that it is operating in an environment where the perpetrators of violations are protected rather than those fighting injustice.

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