THAILAND Angkhana, the (isolated) face of human rights in the new Senate in Bangkok

Although no longer directly selected by the military, power groups still controlled the election of the new members of Thailand’s Upper House. One of the only three civil society representatives elected is the widow of lawyer Neelapaijit who disappeared twenty years ago. “We will work for the people, but we are baffled by this result.”

Bangkok () – Last Wednesday’s elections for the Thai Senate – in the hands of nearly three thousand “grand electors” selected in two previous rounds at district and provincial level from among 20 categories of citizens who should represent the whole of Thai society – have resulted in a completely renewed Senate but above all one that is no longer linked to the interests of the Armed Forces. The 200 elected and the 100 possible “replacements” will take the place of the 250 senators appointed by the military whose five-year mandate ended in May. However, many doubts remain about the institution, starting with its real function and its independence from certain political or power groups, as indicated by the investigations of the Electoral Commission on the possibility of fraud and lobbying. The presence of the various expressions of Thai civil society is certainly still very limited.

This was reported yesterday by Angkhana Neelapaijit, one of the best-known faces of Thai activists who is one of the new senators. Angkhana, 68, is the wife of Somchai Neelapaijit, a Muslim lawyer who disappeared in Bangkok on March 12, 2004 during the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, whose footsteps she has followed in the fight against injustice and the violation of human rights. . .

Commenting on his election, Angkhana Neelapaijit highlighted that only three candidates from his area of ​​commitment (civil society and NGOs) won, and even they by few preferences. “This demonstrates the great difficulties that candidates who do not have the support of powerful groups face in winning a seat in the Senate.”

She and other candidates committed to defending rights and democracy suspect that “influential figures” supported certain candidates, allowing them to easily pass through the different phases of the election. For example, the Bhumijai Psrty, a medium-sized political group that has long positioned itself as “key” in the complex Thai politics by directing its influence according to the interests of its leaders, seems to have played a role in the victory of some candidates. The party is said to have “protected” some seats with strong lobbying action, preventing others from accessing them.

“As civil society candidates, we want to step forward and work for the people, but we are surprised to see that some seats were reserved for certain candidates and that those from our sector won by very narrow margins.”

Beyond numerical consistency, it will now be interesting to see how the senators committed to an evolution of Thai society will be able to carry out their requests in the Chamber in the face of the difficulties and even the risks that the Somchai case has highlighted for twenty years. Neelapaijit. Her commitment to shedding light on the fate of her husband and her determination to end the repressive practices that still persist have made Angkhana a symbolic figure within the country and abroad. Role that she has also confirmed her participation in the National Human Rights Commission between 2015 and 2019.