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Execlusive Summary
of data collection system that covers all areas and could be used to assess and analyse progress in the
works on child rights, for example. In 2017, the government tried to take actions to promote and protect
children’s rights through amendments of several laws, such as Labour Protection Act (5 Issue), B.E. 2560 Summary
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(2017), National Children and Juvenile Development Act (2 Issue), B.E. 2560 (2017), and Promotion of Food
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Market for Infants and Small Children and Related Products Act, B.E. 2560 (2017). However, it was found
that the State still need to pay attention to monitor and solve some problems, such as to reduce death
and injuries of children from drowning and road accident, to monitor and suppress child pornography,
and to protect children who are followers of foreign migrant labour.
Women
The State had made progress in legal reform according to the UN Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) by including the principle of gender equality in the
Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2560 (2017) while trying to reduce gender inequality. However,
there were still many challenges that affect gender equality, such as opportunity to complete education,
economic opportunity and participation, and political power. Violence against women, including domestic
violence increased. Women’s rights situations have foundation on traditional attitude towards women which
lead to discrimination based on sex. The State and local governments still do not recognize importance
of empowerment and aggregation of ethnic and indigenous women into network.
Moreover, it was found that there was gender-based violence connected to power relation. Men in
commanding position use their superior power to commit violence against women under their command
in various forms from sexual abuse or harassment to physical attack and having activities that include body
contacts which create opportunities for sexual harassment. Such sex-based violence makes abused women
shameful, putting them in fearful situations. They may be threatened and intimidated, resulting in they
dare not quickly complain to the police or other concerned persons on the day that offence take place.
In addition, it was also found that women who asked for maternity leave according to official regulations
were investigated whether their maternity leave was correct or not according to legal regulations; their
child was born from legal marriage or not. If it was found to be incorrect, they would be considered to
commit disciplinary wrongdoing or wrongdoing in term of officials’ ethics, and would be punished as an
example for other officials not to do it. This made the women feel that they were disrespectful, cynical,
and their reputation was damaged as if they did something wrong even if they openly lived with a husband.
Persons of different gender orientation and gender identity
Thai society has developed to increasingly recognize diverse gender identities and expressions. However,
there were still challenges in four important areas caused by structure, attitude and various understanding,
that were stigmatizing, sexual harassment, violence against gender diverse persons in general situations,
especially reproduction of media that stereotyped gender diverse persons as abnormal, erratic from other
people in general, laws or policies that obstructed expression or recognition of their gender orientation and
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