Reflections and Hope: CrCF Annual Report and the Human Rights Situation in Thailand 2025
Throughout 2025, cases involving torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, enforced disappearances, and pushbacks remained frequent across various regions. Though often obscured from public attention, these issues persist—unresolved by legal technicalities, a lack of institutional proactivity, and the inherent difficulty of holding state actors accountable. This pervasive lack of accountability fuels a culture of impunity. Unless the state acknowledges its fundamental duty to protect citizens’ human rights, these grievances will remain a chronic affliction upon our society.
Based on our legal assistance under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act B.E. 2565, the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) has identified critical challanges and observations in the enforcement of the Act as follows:
Cases of torture and enforced disappearance occur nationwide. Our field missions were most frequent in the Eastern and Southern regions. In the Deep South specifically, the imposition of special security laws grants officials broad, unchecked power, severely undermining transparency and oversight.
Cruel and degrading treatment is the most frequent violation, often manifesting as physical assault, medical neglect leading to death, the shackling of prisoners, or corporal punishment in schools. Because such practices are often normalized, CrCF has prioritized filing complaints to establish legal precedents that clarify the definitions of “cruel” and “degrading” treatment under the Act.
Out of 34 cases under CrCF’s care, only 9 have reached the court. 8 remain under investigation, while 17 have failed to enter the justice process. Furthermore, 5 cases were dismissed mainly on the grounds that “no evidence of state official involvement was found.”
Enforced Disappearances (4 cases): Kraidej Luelert, Chatchan Buppawan, Siam Theerawut, and Surachai Danwattananusorn.
Torture & Cruel Treatment (1 case): Siriwat Chaidee.
Note: CrCF has submitted objection letters.
These outcomes may reflect a narrow interpretation of the “duty to investigate until the fate is known.” Investigation should not merely seek perpetrators but must uncover the truth. Currently, there is a profound failure to reveal the full facts to the victims’ families and the public.
CrCF issued 82 formal complaint and follow-up letters to relevant agencies, yet received only 13 responses. These replies were largely “acknowledgments” with no substantive progress reported. This data raises grave questions regarding state system efficiency, public officials’ duties, and the true political will of the state.
Read the full report: “Reflections and Hope: CrCF Annual Report and the Human Rights Situation in Thailand 2025”
