Resident Coordinator's remarks at the Meeting between UN and Thai Civil Society on Thailand’s Draft Law on Non-Profit Organizations

My fellow co-hosts,

Saowalak Thongkuay, Advisor, with Disabilities Thailand

Akanut Boonyong, Chair of the Community Organization Council

Somboon Khamhaeng, Board Committee Member of NGO Coordinating Committee on Development

Civil society partners and friends, Heads of United Nations Agencies, and colleagues, both here in person and joining us remotely,

Welcome to the UN Conference Centre and this important discussion on the draft NPO Bill. We are delighted to co-host such a diversity of civil society coalitions and networks.

For those attending online, we really need to hear from you as well, so please do raise your hand and contribute to the discussion. We have our colleague Khun Marisa who is online to coordinate and make this happen. Your insights and experiences are essential for the meeting today.

Let me begin by thanking you, the NGO Coordinating Committee on Development, Disabilities Thailand, and the Community Organization Council for joining as co-hosts, and to everyone participating today.

Clearly, this is a crucial time for Thailand’s civil society. We want to make the most of this discussion today to gain a better understanding of the NPO Bill and how we can constructively engage on this issue together.

While there needs to be more clarity on the revised Bill, there are major implications for civil society and community based organizations and your ability to operate freely and effectively.

Thailand is not alone in this regard, as we see a regional trend with similar legislation on NGOs recently enacted in India, Viet Nam and Cambodia.

For the draft NPO Bill, the UN shares concerns about sections that are overbroad or lack clarity, difficult financing and reporting obligations, and excessive potential punishments. We look forward to discussing these aspects in more detail and hearing your thoughts.

In the coming years, partnerships with civil society will be even more central to the UN’s strategy in Thailand as we work collectively on the localization of the SDGs and achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

In consultations with government and civil society, the UN Country Team recently completed the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, which will guide the work of all UN agencies in Thailand over the next five years.

The key priorities are focused on 1) the green and resilient economy; 2) improving human capital by strengthening institutions and empowering people; and 3) ensuring that everyone in Thailand benefits from development without discrimination and no one is left behind.

The Cooperation Framework also strengthens institutionalized dialogue with civil society and the communities whom you represent.

Today is a good example of this open dialogue, which I hope lays the groundwork for many more discussions and stronger partnerships.

This year, UN Thailand will expand platforms to engage with civil society at all levels, in areas including social innovation and enterprise, human rights, young people’s and women’s empowerment, and climate change.

We can build on models such the Youth SDG Panel formed last year, in which young civil society representatives consult regularly with the Resident Coordinator’s Office and Heads of Agencies to inform our work.

Many of you are already longstanding friends and partners who have helped to shape the UN’s engagement in Thailand in many different forms.

Civil society groups sit on UN agency advisory boards, contributing to the policy dialogue. The UN Working Group on business and human rights has recognized that Thailand has a very active civil society that has led the way in promoting respect for human rights in the private sector, which we need to continue to support.

At the operational level, UN agencies work hand in hand with local partners and NGOs to reach communities, including leave-no-one-behind groups, raise awareness and create spaces for civil society to advocate and inform policy.

In the COVID response, CBOs have led innovation in areas such as home-based isolation and community care, which the UN has helped to scale up in partnership with the BMA and Public Health Ministry.

Civil society groups have also been vocal in advocacy related to air, plastic, and chemical pollution as well as sustainable agriculture, bringing the UN on board for technical advice and to convene whole-of-society solutions.

The Heads of Agencies will go into more details about these diverse partnerships, but the consistent thread is that the UN’s international expertise and convening role is only activated when working with civil society. 

Led by the Secretary-General, the entire UN system in 2020 committed to the Protection and Promotion of Civic Space at the global and country levels.

Freedom of expression, association and assembly, the right to participate, and the security of those who speak out are fundamental to the United Nations, which supports Thailand in meeting its commitments to international standards and norms.

Open and vibrant civic spaces are also fundamental to achieving the national development strategy and results based on inclusivity, and stronger social cohesion and resilience.

UN Thailand stands firmly with civil society and all of our partners, as we continue to engage with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security based on a principled approach.

In today’s discussion, we need to hear directly from you about the impact of the proposed legislation on your work, and clearly address both the challenges before us and meaningful action and advocacy that we can take together

Let me thank everyone for your commitment and insights, as well as for joining us here today. We as the UN look forward to hearing your concerns and strategies as we work together to ensure a free and vibrant civil society for the benefit of all in Thailand.

Thank you.