Thailand will be reviewed by UN Member States on all its human rights records during its Third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) taking place on 10 November 2021 at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva (39th Session of the UPR Working Group). 

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To tell the truth behind #WhatsHappeningInThailand and to guarantee Recommending States make SMART recommendations that will hold the Thai government accountable on its international human rights obligations and will improve the situation on the ground, Manushya Foundation, local community members of the Thai CSOs Coalition for the UPR and the Thai BHR Network, and partner Civil Society Organizations have prepared UPR Advocacy Factsheets addressing the most challenging human rights issues and providing community-led UPR recommendations to be made to the Thai government.

 

This UPR Factsheet on Prison Conditions in Thailand was prepared by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) on the basis of their Joint NGO Submission with the Union for Civil Liberty (UCL).

 

The UPR Factsheet examines the compliance of Thailand with the recommendations it received during its 2nd UPR cycle in relation to Prison Conditions in Thailand. Overcrowding remained the most pressing issue in prisons, with an increase in the number of prisoners during the country’s second UPR cycle. In June 2016, Thailand had a prison population of 321,372 inmates, according to official figures from the Department of Corrections.

 

This factsheet indicates that the current legal developments violate Thailand’s international human rights obligations in relation to Prison Conditions in the following manner:

 

• Failure to address overcrowding in prisons

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• Failure to adopt effective policy measures to decongest prisons

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• Prisons conditions below international standards

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The UPR Factsheet includes community-led UPR recommendations for Recommending States to use when making their UPR recommendations to the Thai government and ensure their recommendations address the needs of local communities on the ground. It is critical for diplomats to make recommendations that are directly coming from communities to improve the human rights situation on the ground; as communities are experts of their issues: they live with the challenges and they also know the solutions they need to advance their human rights.

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Learn more about our work with UN Human Rights Mechanisms (Click here)