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  • Writer's pictureManushya Foundation

One year on: Why is the draft NGO Law still a danger to democracy in Thailand?












#ThaiNGOLaw ๐Ÿšจ Do you remember this Draft NGO Law? Watch out! This is a real danger to #ThaiDemocracy โš ๏ธ Read on to learn more!


#SaveThaiDemocracy ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Yesterday, it was exactly a year since the proposal of a very BAD NGO Law was approved by the Cabinet. According to this vaguely articulated draft, NGOs would need to register with the Ministry of Interior to be allowed to operate. This is not about bringing transparency to the NGO sector, this is the next step to control civil society in Thailand and to destroy the NGO world!


๐Ÿ“Since the first time the draft law was presented, a huge opposition of nonprofits operating in Thailand denounced it. For example, on 17 February 2022, at least 210 out of 300 civil society representatives that participated in the session organized by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security voted against the draft law.


โœŠ๐Ÿผ The domestic opposition was amplified by the international community. During its 3rd Universal Periodic Review in November 2021, Thailand received 9 recommendations on the revision of this flawed bill. ๐Ÿšซ However, so far, the Government has not accepted any of these recommendations!


๐Ÿšซ The draft law is violating the rights to freedom of expression and association of millions of individuals! As of today, we still donโ€™t know what will happen to many of us fighting for #Democracy #Equality and #SocialJustice! Together with our partners from #NGOsForThePeople - Cross Cultural Foundation, Amnesty International, Young Pride Club, Fortify Rights and SEA Junction and many others, we say #NoNGOBillTH!


โœŠ๐Ÿผ We canโ€™t remain silent!

โœŠ๐Ÿผ We will not let the Draft NGO Law become reality!

โœŠ๐Ÿผ We will continue to speak #Truth to power!


#WeAreManushyan - Equal Human Beings


๐Ÿ—ฃ How would the new law affect your life? Let us know in the comments!


๐Ÿ‘‰ Like & Share this post with your network to raise awareness of this danger! The more people know about it, the better we can fight back together!

๐Ÿ‘‰ Read our analysis of the draft law here.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Use these hashtags to denounce the Government's efforts to destroy the nonprofit sector in Thailand #ThaiNGOLaw #เน„เธกเนˆเน€เธญเธฒเธžเธฃเธšเน€เธญเน‡เธ™เธˆเธตเน‚เธญ #NGOsForThePeople



#WhatsHappeningInThailand

#MilkTeaAlliance #documentary #advocacy #ThaiDemocracy #Justice #HumanRights #HumanRightsDefenders #Politics #Environment #SLAPP #threefingers #raisethreefingers #เธขเธเน€เธฅเธดเธ112


REFERENCES:


Amnesty International: Thailand: NGO law would strike โ€˜severe blowโ€™ to human rights. April 2, 2021. Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/04/thailand-ngo-law-severe-blow-human-rights/


Globe, Thailandโ€™s proposed NGO law will devastate civil society. Available at: https://southeastasiaglobe.com/thailands-ngo-law/?fbclid=IwAR3Se_JZP584ugHOMfIMb2KnDBC1ws0izfgqrubn5Li2g-YYBpPIsKRkZ0A


Human Rights Watch: Thailand: NGO Law Would Strike โ€˜Severe Blowโ€™ to Human Rights. April 2, 2021. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/02/thailand-ngo-law-would-strike-severe-blow-human-rights


ICJ: Thailand: repressive draft law on the operation of not-for-profit organizations must be revised or scrapped. March 31, 2021. Available at: https://www.icj.org/thailand-repressive-draft-law-on-the-operation-of-not-for-profit-organizations-must-be-revised-or-scrapped/


Manushya Foundation, Why is the draft NGO Law a danger to democracy in Thailand?, (17 June 2021), available at: https://www.manushyafoundation.org/post/why-is-the-draft-ngo-law-a-danger-to-democracy-in-thailand


Mark S. Cogan: Thailandโ€™s proposed NGO law will devastate civil society. May 4, 2021. Available at: https://southeastasiaglobe.com/thailands-ngo-law/?fbclid=IwAR3Se_JZP584ugHOMfIMb2KnDBC1ws0izfgqrubn5Li2g-YYBpPIsKRkZ0A


The Nation Thailand: Cabinet okays new law forcing NGOs to register with govt. February 24, 2021. Available at: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403014


Rebecca Ratcliffe, Amnesty faces pressure to leave Thailand amid โ€˜growing intoleranceโ€™, (17 February 2022), available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/17/amnesty-faces-pressure-to-leave-thailand-amid-growing-intolerance


Thai Post, เธเธฃเธฐเธ—เธฃเธงเธ‡ เธžเธก.เน€เธ›เธดเธ”เน€เธงเธ—เธตเธฃเธฑเธšเธŸเธฑเธ‡เธ„เธงเธฒเธกเธ„เธดเธ”เน€เธซเน‡เธ™ (เธฃเนˆเธฒเธ‡) เธž.เธฃ.เธš. โ€˜เธเธฒเธฃเธ”เธณเน€เธ™เธดเธ™เธเธดเธˆเธเธฃเธฃเธกเธ‚เธญเธ‡เธญเธ‡เธ„เนŒเธเธฃเน„เธกเนˆเนเธชเธงเธ‡เธซเธฒเธเธณเน„เธฃ เธž.เธจโ€ฆ..โ€™ เธ„เธฃเธฑเน‰เธ‡เนเธฃเธ เธ เธฒเธ„เธ›เธฃเธฐเธŠเธฒเธŠเธ™เธฃเธฐเธ”เธกเน€เธชเธตเธขเธ‡เธ„เน‰เธฒเธ™เน„เธกเนˆเน€เธซเน‡เธ™เธ”เน‰เธงเธขเนƒเธซเน‰เธขเธเน€เธฅเธดเธ เธž.เธฃ.เธš.เธ—เธฑเน‰เธ‡เธ‰เธšเธฑเธš, (18 February 2022), available at: https://www.thaipost.net/district-news/87487/?fbclid=IwAR3SxiPMjvr6cDRQImXNwvHo45wqQRYt0p5uhj7ACyKUgY4lFc7e3asyq5A


Thai Post: เน€เธ„เธฃเธทเธญเธ‚เนˆเธฒเธขเธญเธ‡เธ„เนŒเธเธฃเธŠเธธเธกเธŠเธ™เธเธงเนˆเธฒ 40 เธˆเธฑเธ‡เธซเธงเธฑเธ”เธขเธทเนˆเธ™เธซเธ™เธฑเธ‡เธชเธทเธญเธœเนˆเธฒเธ™ เธœเธงเธˆ. เธ–เธถเธ‡เธฃเธฑเธเธšเธฒเธฅ-เธฃเธฑเธเธชเธ เธฒ เธ„เน‰เธฒเธ™เธฃเนˆเธฒเธ‡เธเธŽเธซเธกเธฒเธขเธงเนˆเธฒเธ”เน‰เธงเธขเธเธฒเธฃเธ”เธณเน€เธ™เธดเธ™เธ‡เธฒเธ™เธ‚เธญเธ‡เธญเธ‡เธ„เนŒเธเธฃเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธกเนˆเนเธชเธงเธ‡เธซเธฒเธœเธฅเธเธณเน„เธฃ เธ”เน‰เธฒเธ™เธ เธฒเธ„เธ›เธฃเธฐเธŠเธฒเธชเธฑเธ‡เธ„เธกเธŠเธตเน‰เน€เธ›เน‡เธ™เธเธŽเธซเธกเธฒเธขเธ„เธงเธšเธ„เธธเธกเธ›เธฃเธฐเธŠเธฒเธŠเธ™-เธเธฅเธฑเธงเธฃเธฑเธšเน€เธ‡เธดเธ™เธ•เนˆเธฒเธ‡เธŠเธฒเธ•เธด. June 4, 2021. Available at: https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/105270


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