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Writer's pictureManushya Foundation
Feb 25, 2022

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












#ThaiNGOLaw 🚨 Do you remember this Draft NGO Law? Watch out! This is a real danger to #ThaiDemocracy ⚠️ Read on to learn more!


#SaveThaiDemocracy 🇹🇭 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!


📍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.


✊🏼 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. 🚫 However, so far, the Government has not accepted any of these recommendations!


🚫 The draft law is violating the rights to freedom of expression and association of millions of individuals! As of today, we still don’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!


✊🏼 We can’t remain silent!

✊🏼 We will not let the Draft NGO Law become reality!

✊🏼 We will continue to speak #Truth to power!


#WeAreManushyan - Equal Human Beings


🗣 How would the new law affect your life? Let us know in the comments!


👉 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!

👉 Read our analysis of the draft law here.

👉 Use these hashtags to denounce the Government's efforts to destroy the nonprofit sector in Thailand #ThaiNGOLaw #ไม่เอาพรบเอ็นจีโอ #NGOsForThePeople




REFERENCES:


Amnesty International: Thailand: NGO law would strike ‘severe blow’ 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, Thailand’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 ‘Severe Blow’ 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: Thailand’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 ‘growing intolerance’, (17 February 2022), available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/17/amnesty-faces-pressure-to-leave-thailand-amid-growing-intolerance


Thai Post, กระทรวง พม.เปิดเวทีรับฟังความคิดเห็น (ร่าง) พ.ร.บ. ‘การดำเนินกิจกรรมขององค์กรไม่แสวงหากำไร พ.ศ…..’ ครั้งแรก ภาคประชาชนระดมเสียงค้านไม่เห็นด้วยให้ยกเลิก พ.ร.บ.ทั้งฉบับ, (18 February 2022), available at: https://www.thaipost.net/district-news/87487/?fbclid=IwAR3SxiPMjvr6cDRQImXNwvHo45wqQRYt0p5uhj7ACyKUgY4lFc7e3asyq5A


Thai Post: เครือข่ายองค์กรชุมชนกว่า 40 จังหวัดยื่นหนังสือผ่าน ผวจ. ถึงรัฐบาล-รัฐสภา ค้านร่างกฎหมายว่าด้วยการดำเนินงานขององค์กรที่ไม่แสวงหาผลกำไร ด้านภาคประชาสังคมชี้เป็นกฎหมายควบคุมประชาชน-กลัวรับเงินต่างชาติ. June 4, 2021. Available at: https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/105270


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