Page 73 - Dignity and justice for all of us our voices are heard in Thailand

Article 13

“Thailand should have a judicial system that provides justice
and protects its people based on its international obligations”

Commentary

Mr. Somchai Homla-or
Mr. Somchai Homla-or, an experienced human is ‘narrow-minded’, as the Universal Declaration
rights lawyer, comments on the rights to applies to all human beings and, in accordance
movement and change of place of residence that with human rights ideology, the above are
affect three main groups of people in Thailand: considered natural rights. Documents or
stateless people who have missed being conventions, both national and international,
documented under the civil registration survey should only serve as affirmation of these rights.
and those who are known as ‘people with coloured
IDs’ (such as the hill tribes or ethnic groups in the In his view, Article 13 of the Universal Declaration,
north of Thailand, or Thai displaced persons in the which states that persons have the right to choose
south); cross-border labourers from neighbouring their place of residence and the right to
countries and countries in South Asia (the majority movement, covers the rights of these people.
of whom are illegal immigrants, although some These are not absolute rights, but are sensible and
have legal work permits and identification cards); reasonable conditions and limitations based on the
and lastly, refugees, who in Thailand are called needs of the state. These are different from rights
‘displaced persons fleeing from civil strife’ and who regarding religious beliefs and some other rights
live along the borders, including students from which are fundamental, absolute rights which
Myanmar, and people who have been registered as cannot be abused. The question Mr. Homla-or
camp residents and recognized as refugees. These raises is whether the rights of these people are
three groups, combined with unregistered groups, sensibly and reasonably balanced on the basis of
could account for millions of people. the needs of the state.

These people do not have the rights and liberties Mr. Homla-or believes that the rights of these
of Thai nationals, as they are not considered people are unreasonably limited. For example, the
citizens. This interpretation, in Mr. Homla-or’s view, fact that they are forbidden to leave the province

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