BANGKOK — 10 November 2026, Thai activists gathered on Tuesday to review the recently concluded United Nations review process on human rights in Thailand — a once-in-four-years UN mechanism known as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which took place in Geneva late on 9 November, Bangkok time.
Issues discussed both in Geneva and Bangkok included the controversial lese-majeste law, Thailand’s Deep South, abortion rights, LGBTIQ issues, and more. Here are the highlights of the symposium in Bangkok, organised by the Manushya Foundation, Amnesty Thailand, and a host of other organisations.
In total, 297 recommendations were made to the Thai government by 107 UN member states. The Thai government will announce on 13 November which recommendations it will accept and act upon.
Lese-Majeste law
Nattaporn Artharn, a representative from the Isaan Democracy Movement, said she was “very disappointed” at the Thai government’s response on the issue, which is deemed by several UN member states to violate freedom of expression.
She stated that Thailand will never be accepted into the OECD as long as the law remains in its current form. She added that the Thai government insists the royal defamation law is a matter of national security, despite growing doubts about the transparency of the judicial process.
Many countries, including Finland, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway and Ireland raised the issue of the law they see not in line with international norms.
Meanwhile, Thanaporn Keedatisanit from Amnesty Thailand said the stance of the Thai government remains unchanged, with officials insisting that the law complies with international human rights standards. “Thailand didn’t seriously discuss the issue,” Thanaporn said.
On refugees
Tayakorn Thippayapokin, a representative from Asylum Access, said Thailand continues to refuse to recognise “refugee status” despite calls from several UN member states. She later told Khaosod English after the symposium that this reluctance may partly stem from government fears of opening the floodgates to more asylum seekers.
Countries including New Zealand, Belgium, and Canada urged Thailand to recognise refugee status during the UPR process.
She noted that Bangkok alone currently accommodates 5,500 foFroreign asylum seekers, who are legally barred from working to earn an income. She also mentioned that several countries urged the Thai government to review its new deportation regulations and adhere strictly to the principle of non-refoulement. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, suggested educational support for Indigenous peoples.
Indigenous populations
Katima Leejah, a leader of the Indigenous Women’s Network, said the Thai government continues to refuse legal recognition of Indigenous peoples in Thailand. She added that Indigenous communities living in forest areas remain at risk of eviction, with their traditional ways of life threatened. Although they have been granted temporary land ownership for 20 years, there is no certainty regarding what will happen after that period expires.
Ecuador, she noted, called on Thailand to formally recognise the status of Indigenous peoples in Thailand, while Norway urged Thailand to guarantee their land rights. Tayakorn added that many Indigenous individuals lack Thai citizenship, making access to basic welfare difficult, if not impossible.
Pattani and the Deep South
Asmah Tanyongdaoh, from the Patani Group for Monitoring on International Mechanisms, stated that Costa Rica has urged Thailand to end discriminatory treatment of Thai-Malay Muslims in the Deep South. However, Asmah noted that no UN member state specifically called for Thailand to end the use of emergency decree laws in the region.
Austria, meanwhile, suggested that the Thai government should not grant amnesty to officials accused of human rights abuses in the area.
Environmental rights
Nattaporn Artharn of the Isaan Democracy Movement said South Korea urged Thailand to ensure adequate environmental protection from factories operating within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), while the Marshall Islands called for the passage of a Clean Air Act.
”And we are still not even talking about the potential environmental impacts of foreign investments and Free Trade Agreements [FTAs],” Nattaporn said.
Carbon credits
Nittaya Muangklang, a village leader from the Sab Wai community in Chaiyaphum province, said that while carbon credits were discussed during the UPR process, the Thai government fails to acknowledge that carbon offset policies could lead to the eviction of rural villagers in order to clear land for reforestation projects. She added that the root cause — fossil fuel consumption — should be tackled instead.
Abortion rights
Chonthita Kraisrikul, a representative from the Tam Tang Foundation, said the Thai government remains in denial about the need to fully decriminalise abortion. She explained that public hospitals do not advertise abortion services, restricting access, while many women seeking abortions encounter verbal abuse from healthcare workers, leaving patients deeply stigmatised.
Iceland, she said, called on Thailand to stop stigmatising patients and to eliminate the requirement for women to seek consent from a male partner to undergo an abortion.
LGBTIQ rights
Suthitep Santham, a representative from the Young Pride Foundation, said that while many governments praised Thailand for passing the same-sex marriage bill last year, legal gender recognition continues to be denied. This causes confusion and distress for many individuals, particularly job applicants whose legal gender titles differ from their appearance and identity. This issue also severely affects intersex individuals.
Online bullying targeting LGBTIQ people remains prevalent. Seven countries — including Mexico, Greece, South Africa, Iceland, and Belgium — called on Thailand to strengthen protections against social media harassment. Suthitep concluded by calling for an end to the binary gender system in Thailand.