Thailand’s failure to win a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council last week came down to several factors, but the most important was suppression of democracy and human rights in the Kingdom.

Thailand launched its campaign for a place on the rights body last year when the country was run by an elected government. There had already been occasional reports of Thai authorities violating rights, but nothing on a “grand” scale. Our lobbyists at the U.N. could point to Thailand’s democratic governance as proof that the authorities here respected the principle of human rights. The fact that we had a woman prime minister was further “proof” that equal rights for all were enshrined as law.

But the situation changed when antigovernment protest led to a military coup. Although the coup-makers claimed they had no choice and were acting to prevent an imminent civil war and to restore law and order and lay the foundations for a “genuine” democracy, doubts were raised both in Thailand and abroad as to their real intentions.

Yet Thai lobbyists continued asking for support from members of the U.N. on the grounds that Thailand maintained its faith in democracy and fully respected human rights. Some U.N. members agreed to continue supporting the Thai bid, but many countries had second thoughts.

Meanwhile the Thai junta has sought to reassure the world of its respect for rights and democracy, though without much success. Martial law put in place just before the May 22 coup is still in effect. Activists, politicians, academics and journalists have been ordered to report to military authorities and hundreds detained with little or no explanation. Some have been charged and prosecuted in military courts, with trials ongoing for those who have resisted summonses or failed to report on time. Denials by those in power that Thailand has political prisoners are beginning to sound hollow.

The junta is also scrutinising and blocking the news media, both covertly and overtly. Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has blamed the media for many things ― even Thailand’s failure to gain a place on the UNHRC. Yet a media free of political control is also a fundamental right. Prayut has accused the media of emphasising the negative side of the coup and military rule and thus torpedoing the U.N. rights campaign.

The Foreign Ministry might argue that the failure to secure the UNHRC seat had nothing to do with the coup or with rights practices in Thailand. Thailand was a member and even chair of the U.N. rights body from 2011 to 2013. Election to the council mostly depends on vote-trading and diplomacy, the ministry said.

But Thailand did exceedingly poorly. With only four seats available for Asia, Qatar edged out Thailand with 142 votes to Bangkok’s 136. India got the highest number of votes at 162, Indonesia received 152 and Bangladesh 149.

Jakarta, in particular, has an impressive track record in improving rights, pledging to promote religious freedom and tolerance as the world’s third-largest democracy and its biggest Muslim-majority nation. In 1998 Indonesia enacted reforms to limit the military role in politics. Around the same time, Thailand enforced its so-called People’s Constitution of 1997 to promote and protect democracy and civic rights. Since that time Indonesia has suffered no coups while Thailand has had two.

The failure at the U.N. should not be regarded as merely a simple loss of votes at a far-flung international forum. It should be a lesson for the entire society, notably the elite, that democracy and rights is the global trend. The international community has sent a signal that it values human rights highly. Thailand must take note.

(Editorial, The Nation)

(Asian News Network)