The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to affirm the government’s intention to enforce the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act as initially planned.
Published in the Royal Gazette on Oct 25 last year, the new law is set to take effect on Feb 22 — after more than 14 years of campaigning to make it a reality.
The government is also encouraged to allocate more budgets to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and other law enforcement agencies to help them prepare for their obligations under the new law, said commissioner Wasan Paileeklee.
Mr Wasan was responding to a petition recently submitted by the RTP to the Ministry of Justice urging it to defer enforcing the law so as to allow police and related state agencies more time to prepare for its enforcement.
The RTP has cited a lack of equipment, skills and standard guidelines as a reason for their petition while further claiming that enforcement of the law under current circumstances would cause more harm.
“Any delays in the enforcement of the law will affect not only the protection of rights and freedom of people but also international confidence in Thailand’s commitment to better counter torture and enforced disappearances,” Mr Wasan said.
Between 2015 and last year, the NHRC received 232 complaints about alleged torture and forced disappearance, suggesting the situation in Thailand has not improved, Mr Wasan said.
This would change when the new law is in place, and fully enforced, he said.
The RTP’s complaint over its lack of budget to procure enough body cameras for use during a search and arrest, for instance, doesn’t justify the delay in enforcing the new law, he said.
The police will be allowed to substitute camera recordings by giving a detailed report of an arrest to local officials and prosecutors during a transitional period of the new law’s enforcement.