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National Inquiry to Promotion and Protection
of Human Rights

Chuleeporn Dechkum*

Abstract

This article is based on “Manual on conducting a National inquiry into
systemic patterns of human rights violation” by Asia Pacific Forum of National
Human Rights Institutions (APF) and Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and

Humanitarian Law (RWI). A national inquiry is an investigation into a systematic human
rights problem in which the general public is invited to participate. It is conducted in
a transparent and public manner. It involves evidences from witnesses and experts,
related to the investigation of systemic patterns of human rights violation and the
identification of findings and recommendations. The national inquiry is appropriate for
addressing the complex situations of human rights violation which can be divided into
various dimensions such as a space dimension focusing on the scope of the situations’

effect toward the entire country or a part of it. The other dimensions are a time
dimension which is related to historic pattern of human rights violation embedded
over years and the participation of significant number of different actors for eliminating
and preventing the violation. To conduct the inquiry, it requires working with media,
so they can raise social attraction. The report, findings and recommendations from the
inquiry should be based on the evidences and information gathered by the inquiry.
The recommendations have to address how the problems can be fixed in comply with
human rights obligations. At present, the importance of human rights is increasingly
recognized in Thai society. Meanwhile, there are some complex situations of human

rights violations needed to be addressed. National Human Rights Commission of
Thailand (NHRCT) as the national institute is in a good position to apply the national
inquiry to its work for addressing the human rights violation. Thus, the human rights
promotion and protection in Thailand will be raised.

Keyword: National inquiry, National Human Rights Institutions, Raoul Wallenberg
Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), Human Rights

* Director of legal and Legitimate Bureau, Office of the National Human Rights Commission