Statement by the Delegation of Thailand

Ms. Pitikan Sithidej

Director General of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department,
Ministry of Justice

Item 3: Clustered ID with Special Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights defenders and Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

Thursday, 1 March 2018

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            Mr. President,

            My delegation thanks both Special Rapporteurs for the presentation of their reports.

            Thailand attaches great importance to the prevention and suppression of torture in general and migration-related torture. Over the past few years, Thailand has regularlized over a million of undocumented migrant workers, providing legal protection and access to basic human rights such as healthcare as well as access to education for dependent children.

            The Government has also started a study on the possibility to become State Party to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and has also tasked the Royal Thai Police to undertake consultations on setting up a screening mechanism for irregular migrants and refugees to ensure protection to those with genuine need.

            The Government is also working on ending child migrant detention.  According to the Thai law, children under 15 years of age shall not be detained. However, in case of those accompanying their parents, the Government is working on a memorandum of understanding in order for them and their parents to stay at facilities of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and certified NGOs.

            Given that today's migration-related abuse is committed through social media, my delegation would like to pose a question. How can we make use of social media to promote tolerance to prevent migration-related abuse?

             Thank you, Mr. President.