Globally, women today hold only 64% of the legal rights that men enjoy. Justice systems must ensure that rights can be exercised safely, equally and effectively. This is the call of International Women's Day 2026: Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls, in all their diversity.Thailand has shown a sustained commitment to equality before the law. Constitutional guarantees of non-discrimination, the Gender Equality Act, national human rights plans and gender-responsive budgeting provide strong foundations. Progress on marriage equality and expanded legal identity for stateless persons reflects continued reform.But justice is not measured by laws alone.It is measured by whether a woman facing violence feels safe enough to speak, and whether institutions respond with fairness and dignity when she does. It is reflected in women's participation in political and economic life, and in access to education, healthcare and essential services.Ultimately, it is measured by whether society stands not as a bystander, but as an active partner in advancing gender equality.Thailand has made meaningful progress. Survivors of violence have increasing access to support services, and national strategies recognise gender equality as central to sustainable development. Yet gaps remain. Migrant women workers, women human rights defenders, and those living at the margins of formal systems face higher risks of exclusion and abuse.Thailand's nationwide network of one-stop crisis centres (OSCC) for domestic violence offers a concrete example of support in practice. Each year, over 30,000 cases of violence against women are reported to the OSCC, yet only about 5,000 cases are recorded by the police, and 1,500 cases result in an arrest.This reflects a global reality: fewer than 40% of women who experience violence seek help, and fewer than 10% report to the authorities. The challenge is not only legal. It is about trust:trust that when a woman speaks, she will be believed and protected.Justice must therefore be accessible, trusted, and responsive if women and girls are to exercise their rights with confidence.Thailand's rapid digital development presents both opportunity and risk. Digital tools can expand access to legal information, but the digital divide, particularly affecting poorer women in rural areas, deepens inequality. Online abuse, scams and harassment disproportionately target women and girls. Ensuring safety in digital spaces is essential so that technology empowers rather than exposes.Access to justice also requires cooperation. Government, civil society and communities all play vital roles in ensuring that justice institutions are inclusive, transparent and effective. Thailand's engagement at regional and international levels reflects its ongoing commitment to fairness and the rule of law.That commitment is reflected this year in a partnership in Bangkok. The Embassy of Sweden is co-hosting the 2026 Ambassador for a Day initiative with the United Nations, bringing more than 40 Youth Shadows into dialogue with women leaders from diplomatic missions, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN. The theme, "Ensuring Access to Justice for Women and Girls", is not symbolic. The young leaders remind us that justice must evolve with society, and that access must be real for everyone, not only guaranteed in principle.Sweden's long-standing commitment to gender equality and accountability aligns closely with Thailand's efforts. Sweden is recognised for its policies on gender equality and a legal framework that promotes equal access to justice, including anti-discrimination laws.However, Sweden is not perfect when it comes to gender equality and access to justice. There are still cases when, for example, immigrants and marginalised women face barriers that limit their ability to seek protection and fair treatment.Experiences across countries show that justice is never complete. Laws must adapt. Systems must be reformed.Values need to evolve. A police officer must believe victims of violence. A public official has to treat a complaint seriously. And institutions need to respond with fairness.The UN works alongside Thailand and other member states to strengthen these systems, supporting survivor-centred services, building institutional capacity and helping ensure that when a woman seeks justice, she finds protection, fairness and trust.Because justice is a cornerstone of the human rights system. It underpins dignity and sustains inclusive, prosperous societies.Closing power gaps, ending legal discrimination, eliminating violence, building trust in institutions, removing digital bias, investing in women and girls, and ensuring women's full participation in decision-making are not separate goals. Together, as the UN Secretary-General emphasises, they form a blueprint for equality.This International Women's Day, we recognise Thailand's progress and reaffirm our shared commitment to ensuring that rights are not only guaranteed but realised.Rights. Justice. Action. For all women and girls.Anna Hammargren is the Ambassador of Sweden to Thailand. Michaela Friberg-Storey is the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General and UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand.

Written by Anna Hammargren and Michaela Friberg-Storey

Originally published by the Bangkok Post

Thailand criminalizes sexual harassment, including onlineInternational Women’s Day 2026 arrives as Thailand updates its legal tools to address a form of violence that increasingly plays out on screens. On 30 December 2025, Thailand’s Act Amending the Penal Code (No. 30) B.E. 2568 (2025) took effect, formally criminalizing “sexual harassment” as a distinct offence, including conduct through electronic communications.“This amendment is significant because it broadens how sexual harassment is understood in law, recognizing that harm can be inflicted not only through physical acts, but also through words, gestures, stalking and communications,” says Santanee Ditsayabut, Public Prosecutor and Director of Justice Strategies at the Nitivajra Institute, Office of the Attorney-General of Thailand.She adds that the law is intended to protect people of all genders, reflecting the reality that sexual harassment affects women and girls disproportionately, but can also target men and people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and others (LGBTQI+). Santanee notes that the amended provisions modernize Thailand’s law by recognizing patterns of behaviour, including continuous or repeated conduct that can amount to “chronic sexual harassment”. “The law also acknowledges how harassment has shifted into digital spaces, where abuse can be delivered through messages, comments and other online communications, and can be repeated and amplified quickly.” In that sense, she says, the amendment seeks to make accountability clearer and enable earlier intervention, including when offenses occur online.Prosecutor Santanee will attend the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women and present at the Side Event, Justice for Her: Overcoming Challenges and Transforming the Justice System into a Safe Space for Victims in Gender-Based Violence Cases organized by the Government of Thailand.The change comes amid growing regional concern about technology-facilitated gender-based violence, from unsolicited sexual messages and intimidation to the spread of humiliating or violating content. Advocates have long argued that weak legal coverage and slow remedies can allow online harm to multiply, with consequences for women’s safety, work, education and public participation.“This is an important step because, in the past, Thailand did not have a specific legal provision defining what sexual harassment is. This law matters because it defines sexual harassment and explicitly covers online sexual harassment,” says Thararat Panya, Attorney-at-law at Feminist Legal Support.UN Women’s Asia-Pacific policy brief on technology-facilitated violence warns that digital harm is evolving rapidly – including through new tools such as artificial intelligence – and that responses must combine laws, survivor-centred services and platform accountability.Public debate on the issue sharpened in late December 2025 after a high-profile case involving Yossuda “Jinny” Leelapanyalert, the daughter of Thai politician Sudarat Keyuraphan. A public figure posted a sexually explicit comment under an online photo connected to her political activities. Jinny said the remark was “degrading and should not be normalized”, particularly when it comes from someone with public influence. Her mother condemned it as online sexual harassment and said the family would pursue legal action.Legal change matters because when laws change, lives change. Closing legal gaps can create clearer pathways to accountability, stronger prevention and better survivor support. But legal protections are only as strong as the ability to use them.From laws to remedies: A new fast-track “take it down” mechanismOn 26 January 2026, Thailand further introduced a new pathway to help address the ongoing harm caused by the circulation of violating or obscene content. The Office of the Judiciary introduced a “take it down” procedure through the Court Integral Online Service platform, allowing victims to seek court orders to suspend dissemination and remove content linked to online sexual harassment, thanks to the recently amended section 284/4 of the Penal Code.“This is a good start towards stronger legal protection for survivors,” says Saijai Liangpunsakul, Founder of Stop Online Harm, a survivor-centred initiative that documents online harm, supports survivors and engages governments and tech platforms on accountability. “Survivors now have a clearer legal process to request the removal of harmful online content, and the courts have made the process more accessible by allowing requests to be submitted online.”The Penal Code amendments allow complainants to submit petitions online, through an end-to-end electronic system, and courts to conduct inquiries online, with in-person attendance required only when necessary.“This kind of remedy matters because digital harms can persist long after a single incident,” says Thararat. “Content can be copied, reposted and weaponized for blackmail, intimidation and reputational harm. Where there is no law, no remedy and no accountability, impunity persists. That is why the judiciary’s takedown order mechanism is important. It does not require an investigation file from police. If an incident happens and data in a computer system could lead to further harm, the court can hold an inquiry, order dissemination to be suspended, and have the content taken down immediately.”Human rights advocates have welcomed the criminalization of sexual harassment while also raising concerns about its implementation and the need to ensure that remedies are effective in practice. “[…] However, is still too early to assess the full impact. We still need to build awareness of this law among survivors and support law enforcement and authorities to implement it in a truly survivor-centred way,” says Saijai.Justice systems decide whose rights are protected and whose are ignored. If laws and justice pathways do not address online abuse and abuse offline, they leave a protection gap that women and girls pay for every day – in fear, silence and lost opportunities. Originally published by UN Women

Every day, as dawn breaks, hundreds of fishing vessels leave Thailand’s ports for days at sea. For the thousands of migrant fishers who contribute to this industry, and the workers who process and package the catch onshore, the distance from port has meant distance from safety and protection.Thailand’s seafood sector is a vital part of the country’s economy and supports the livelihoods of many households. It is also a cornerstone of the global supply chain and contributes to a secure food system. But behind the products on supermarket shelves is a workforce, dominated by migrants, that faces serious risks: unpaid or underpaid wages, forced labour, limited access to social protection and limited feedback mechanisms. Migrant workers’ work permits are often tied to a single employer, which can discourage them from reporting unsafe working conditions for fear of losing their jobs or facing other retaliation. Also, many migrant workers do not speak Thai, leaving them isolated and unable to access services or navigate any feedback systems in place. They are also often unaware of their rights and available services, even after settling into their host communities.How are Fishers and Seafood Workers Supported?  Ship to Shore Rights (S2SR) is a multi-country, multi-agency UN initiative designed to change this reality by providing end-to-end protection for migrant workers in the seafood industry, from recruitment, through work at sea or on the factory floor, to return and reintegration at home.The programme brings together UN agencies, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), government authorities, trade unions, civil society and the private sector to prevent labour exploitation, combat human trafficking and strengthen access to justice and services. Its approach combines policy support, capacity building and provision of information and services to ensure that protections are not just on paper but reach workers in real life.  Making Social Justice a PriorityThe initiative first began in Thailand in 2016. As one of the world’s major seafood exporters and a regional hub for migrant labour, Thailand became a proving ground for transforming practices.Thailand is the first and only country in Asia to ratify both the Work in Fishing Convention (Convention No. 188), which sets minimum standards for working conditions, safety, health and welfare of fishers, and the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention (Protocol No. 29), which strengthens measures to prevent forced labour and ensure access to relevant support.The impact of these commitments is already visible in communities. International standards have been incorporated into national law, inspection systems have been reinforced and new mechanisms have been introduced to better protect workers’ rights. This change is visible across the region. One of the most tangible achievements of the programme is the establishment of Migrant Worker Resource Centres (MRCs). In the last five years, 28 MRCs have been set up in seven countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. They have provided support services, including counselling, psychosocial support, legal aid, outreach, pre-migration training and return and reintegration services to more than 240,000 migrant workers and families. This initiative has targeted programmes for vulnerable members of the community, including migrant women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, fishers and seafood processing workers. As a result, workers are better informed about their rights, more aware of available services and feel more empowered to advocate for themselves. Workers’ organizations, supported by S2SR, have played an important role in this transformation. Through trade unions and worker‑led networks, the programme supported fishers in becoming more organized and provided opportunities to bargain collectively, better understand their rights and resolve grievances. Through this support, more migrant workers feel confident using formal feedback systems, seeking fair treatment at work and getting adequate support to tackle unsafe workplace conditions. Real-life Results for WorkersFor many workers, the biggest change has been finally getting the wages they were owed. In Ranong province, 11 migrant fishers from Myanmar who worked months without pay received their full wages following a request submitted with support from ILO’s partners.“We stood up together and finally got justice… This shows we can stop vessel owners from cheating us,” says Aung Myo Oo, the leader of a worker organization.Across the Gulf of Thailand, in Trat province, a group of Cambodian fishers in a similar situation learned about their legal rights. They, too, leveraged this support to engage their employer and receive proper compensation for their efforts. “We learned we have strength in numbers when we stand together,” they share.In Phang Nga, two Myanmar fishers who faced wage loss and physical abuse received adequate support, showing how transformed feedback systems can change lives. Sharing clear, simple information also made a big difference. At ports and in local communities, S2SR’s civil society and worker organization partners offer guidance in languages migrant workers understand, including on contract issues, pay, complaint cases, workers’ compensation claims and other labour rights.  This kind of support was crucial when 17 migrants from Myanmar were detained near the border. With support from a Migrant Worker Resource Centre, they received proper guidance and support to return home safely. Shared Expertise is Shared ProgressThese impacts are possible due to the close collaboration between partners and across the UN, with agencies bringing complementary expertise.  ILO leads the initiative, helping governments, workers, employers and civil society strengthen labour standards, inspections, complaint mechanisms, access to services and social dialogue in the fishing and seafood processing sectors.IOM focuses on addressing human trafficking and return and reintegration issues for migrants. This includes victim identification and referrals to services.  FAO contributes technical expertise on fisheries governance, helping prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing while promoting sustainable fishing practices and supply chains.At the national level, partnerships with government institutions, the private sector, civil society and workers’ organizations ensure protection is institutionalised in law, policy and practice.  A Journey from National to Regional ImpactShip to Shore Rights is now in its next phase, focusing on consolidating progress in Thailand while strengthening cooperation across the region. Lessons from efforts to promote responsible business conduct and worker voice and participation in the seafood sector are now being shared in several countries.For migrant fishers and processing workers in Thailand, the initiative represents a concrete step towards safe migration, decent work and access to justice. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has underscored, “Migration is a powerful driver of progress, lifting economies, connecting cultures and benefiting countries of origin and destination alike.” Realising that promise, however, requires that rights travel with workers wherever their livelihoods take them. On the World Day of Social Justice, the S2SR programme affirms a simple principle: social justice, protections and accountability must apply to all workers, including migrants whose work carries them far from home and even from land. It is a reminder that even at sea, rights should never be out of reach. 

Bangkok (Thailand), 19 February 2026 - Sirima Panyarpisit was under a lot of pressure.In her former role as a Port Control Officer in Laem Chabang, Thailand, she and her team had uncovered what seemed to be a large shipment of heroin, divided into hundreds of large ‘bricks’, inside a container.Brick by brick, she and her colleagues weighed and inspected the drugs after an initial test confirmed the presence of heroin. All of this information – which would be crucial for any future investigation or prosecution - then had to be carefully logged and analyzed to improve the port’s risk management.“This is the boring, hard work of port officials that no one ever hears about,” says Sirima.Tedious though it may be, port and customs workers like Sirima are on the front lines of efforts to prevent drugs, weapons, waste and other illicit materials from either entering or leaving countries. Their work to detect, identify and analyze suspicious shipments helps keep the harm from all kinds of criminal actors – from individuals to transnational organized crime groups – in check. The importance of border management in Southeast AsiaSirima, now the Chief of the Customs Service Unit in the Chiang Dao Customs House, says that Thailand plays a particular role in efforts to stop trafficking of illicit goods. “We’re a logistical hub in Southeast Asia,” she explains. In the case of synthetic drug trafficking, for example, “this means that criminal actors are importing precursor chemicals into Thailand or our neighboring countries. Then, they manufacture the drugs and try to distribute them to the rest of the world.”Thailand – together with Laos and Myanmar – also forms part of the Golden Triangle, a tri-border area known for its production and distribution of drugs like opium, ketamine and methamphetamine. “Some areas of the Golden Triangle are controlled by armed groups, making it hard to police,” she adds.As noted by the 2024 World Drug Report, these drug traffickers also engage in other crimes like wildlife trafficking, financial fraud and illegal resource extraction, with communities and the environment suffering the consequences.In addition to trafficked drugs, Sirima says she and her team often come across illegal waste shipments, primarily from Europe, North America and Asia. “Sometimes, the shipments are labelled as being cardboard or other kinds of paper – things that can be recycled in Thailand. Then, you open up the container, and it could be for example old computers, e-waste, or plastic and municipal waste, which is not so easy to recycle.”Such waste is illegal under Thailand’s national legislation and violates the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.Much of trafficked waste around the world ends up in illegal landfills or the ocean, or it is burnt in the open – endangering human health, ecosystems, and livelihoods.The challenges of being a port control officerSirima also serves as a member of the local profiling committee at the Port Control Unit (PCU), where she analyses data and manages risk to increase the PCU’s detection of smuggled or illicit goods.“There are more than 10,000 shipments coming into the port every day,” Sirima says. “We can only inspect a percentage of these, meaning we have to be careful and accurate in our assessments and analyses.”This means, Sirima notes, knowing both Thai and global regulations on the environment, drugs, intellectual property, dual-use chemicals (which can be used for legitimate commercial applications but also to produce weapons or drugs) and more. They then must apply this knowledge during shifts that can last up to 12 hours on alternating days and nights.But this deep knowledge and careful assessments can really pay off – like when Sirima helped to identify a 130-tonne illegal waste seizure in 2022.Improving detection and analysis of trafficked goods with UNODC supportFor the past two decades, UNODC has supported Member States to establish, train and equip PCUs and works with port control officers like Sirima to enhance their ability to disrupt the illicit flows of containers, cargo and mail. Sirima herself has received UNODC training on how to target, detect and inspect suspicious shipments.“It’s been very useful,” she enthuses. Of particular importance to her was the UNODC’s donation of drug and precursor identification kits, which allow officers to rapidly identify the most commonly encountered drugs and prescursors in illicit traffic.After receiving training on  the kits, Sirima began to use them in her normal duties, noting they’ve helped lead to important seizures. “We used the drug kit to test a suspicious substance on its way to Australia from Thailand. The test was positive, we alerted Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board and managed to seize hundreds of kilograms of heroin.”Cases like these, Sirima says, ultimately make all of the pressure and long hours worth it. “I’m proud of myself – even if nobody else knows.”Originally published by UNODC