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Suntariya added that a role-play workshop on çSocial Justice Revolution with Systems
Thinkingé is being held from this Thursday to Saturday by the Institute of Development with
the aim of equipping justice system staff with a gender lens.†

çIn some countries, law students are given time in jail cells to get first-hand experience
of the justice systemûs workings. The role play and case studies offered by the workshop
should be helpful tools in understanding gender inequality.é

Women who fought to change the law
†
When Thai women have chosen to stand up and speak out against gender injustice,

their voices have led to legal amendments that have improved womenûs rights in a
male-dominated society.

In 1805 during the reign of King Rama I, Amdaeng Pom asked a judge to allow her to
divorce her husband Nai Boonsri as she had met another man. After consulting the jury,
Judge Phra Maha Kasem ruled that women could divorce men. A furious Nai Boonsri appealed

to the king, accusing Judge Phra Kasem of siding with Amdaeng Pom because they were
having a secret affair. Though he disagreed that an adulterous woman should be able to
divorce her husband, the king refused to intervene in the case, citing the law at the time that
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çeven though a man has done nothing wrong, a woman can divorce himé.
Sixty years on, the voice of another woman, Amdaeng Muan, created a historic
change in the law that suppressed womenûs rights at the time.

In 1865, during the reign of King Rama IV, a 21-year-old Amdaeng Muan had fallen
in love with Nai Rid, going against her parents wishes for her to be married to Nai Phu. After

being beaten then finally threatened with death for refusing to enter Nai Phuûs house,
Amdaeng escaped to be with her lover.
Nai Rid apologised to Amdaengûs parents but Nai Phu wasnût letting her go so easily.

He took his case to the governor of Nonthaburi, accusing Nai Rid and Amdaengûs parents
of stealing his wife. Amdaeng Muan denied she was ever Nai Phuûs wife but was thrown in

jail with the case stalled.
Desperate, she appealed to the king. He ruled that she had the right to choose
her husband for herself as she was over the age of 20. Learning that Amdaengûs parents

had given permission for Nai Phu to take her in return for a bride fee, the king judged that,
çchildren are not animals -- parents do not own them, nor can they swap them for money
against their willé.

Court and Gender Justice