On the need for political amnesty

In a few days of multiple events that we’d normally post on, we missed a seminar at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand, “People’s Amnesty — the rights way forward for Thailand.” Even so, the blurb for the event had some useful information:

Thailand faces a critical crossroads for human rights, where the path taken could either advance reform or entrench human rights violations.

Since the 2006 coup, over 5,000 individuals have been politically prosecuted. A large portion of these prosecutions occurred since the 2020 pro- democracy movement, during which nearly 2,000 people — including 280 children — were charged under repressive laws for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

Despite the formation of a civilian-led government in September 2023, led by the Pheu Thai Party, political prosecutions persist, with 688 cases involving 1,238 individuals still ongoing. Thailand cannot achieve political reconciliation if it continues to prosecute and imprison people for peacefully expressing dissent.

The People’s Amnesty Bill, proposed by over 20 civil society organizations last year, seeks to address the political repression since the 2006 coup and ease the growing political divide in Thailand. After collecting over 35,905 signatures, the Bill was submitted into Parliament on 14 February 2024. Since then, it remained in the legislative pipeline until it was scheduled for deliberation in Parliament on 9 April 2025 — one day before the parliamentary session came to an end. However, it was delayed yet again. If the Bill were to be included in the next parliamentary session, scheduled to open in July 2025, it will have to pass three voting sessions.

While there is broad political consensus on granting some form of amnesty, disagreement remains over the inclusion of the lèse-majesté law (Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code). In October 2020, General Prayut Chan-ocha resorted once more to the law in response to the pro-democracy movement. That has led to no fewer than 279 individuals charged and a conviction rate near 90%. Over 60% of political prisoners (30 out of 47) are also detained under Section 112. Despite these concerns, the People’s Amnesty Bill is the only amnesty bill in Parliament that guarantees amnesty for victims charged and/or prosecuted under the lèse-majesté law.

Moreover, the international community has repeatedly voiced concerns on these issues. UN experts have called on Thailand to repeal the lèse-majesté law, drop charges against those facing prosecution, and release those sentenced. Meanwhile, the European Parliament adopted an Urgency Resolution in March 2025, calling on Thailand to amend or repeal the law, and demanding that amnesty be granted to victims of political prosecution. As a current member of the UN Human Rights Council and an important partner to the European Union, Thailand must be held to a higher standard of human rights.