39th Universal Periodic Review of human rights: UK statement on Thailand

Rita French, UK International Ambassador for Human Rights delivered the UK statement at Thailand's Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

From:

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Rita French

Geneva, Switzerland

Delivered on:

10 November 2021 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Thank you.

The United Kingdom welcomes Thailand’s transition to democracy and notes progress made on human rights, including the adoption of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. We look forward to its implementation and encourage Thailand to take further steps to create an open and enabling environment for civil society.

We recommend that Thailand:

• Implement a National Referral Mechanism for modern slavery, which adopts a victim-centred approach, and ensure that national guidelines for victim identification and screening are uniformly implemented.

• Adopt an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for

  UN Treaty Body elections.

• Ensure the protection of civic space and human rights defenders, including youth, members of civil society, lawyers, media, and academics, so that they can operate freely and fully exercise the rights to freedom of expression, including online, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Thank you.