Thailand’s government under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has failed to meaningfully improve the country’s human rights situation, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2026. Despite expectations that a new administration would reverse years of repression following military rule, longstanding abuses have continued, raising concerns ahead of the national election scheduled for February 8, 2026.
Human Rights Watch highlighted persistent judicial interference in politics as a major obstacle to democratic governance. After years of military dominance, Thailand’s elected governments have remained unstable, often cut short by court rulings. In August 2025, the Constitutional Court dismissed then–Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, citing an alleged ethical breach related to a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s Senate president during a period of heightened bilateral tensions.
Restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly remain severe. Nearly 2,000 people face criminal charges for exercising basic civil liberties, including criticizing the government or participating in protests. The Anutin government has opposed reforms to Thailand’s lese majeté law, which criminalizes insults to the monarchy, and has rejected proposals to grant amnesty to those prosecuted under the provision.
The report also criticized Thailand’s treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. Authorities have arrested and forcibly returned individuals to countries where they face a serious risk of persecution, ignoring warnings from the United Nations and international partners. In 2025, Thai authorities deported 40 Uyghur men to China and forcibly returned a prominent Montagnard religious activist to Vietnam, drawing sharp condemnation from rights groups.
Human Rights Watch noted one significant positive development: beginning in October 2025, Myanmar refugees living in camps along the Thai-Myanmar border were granted the right to work legally, improving access to livelihoods and basic services for thousands of displaced people.
The report further documented civilian harm resulting from border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in mid and late 2025. Fighting during these periods killed and injured civilians, including children, and damaged homes, medical facilities, and religious and cultural sites.
Human Rights Watch urged Thailand to use its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, which it assumed in 2025, to strengthen respect for human rights domestically and to play a constructive role internationally. The organization stressed that without concrete reforms, Thailand’s democratic institutions and fundamental freedoms will remain at risk.
