On Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, Thai activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom died in jail, detained for voicing her opinions and demanding change of Thai’s justice system and the monarchy’s lese majeste law which punishes anyone who openly criticizes or challenges the royal family. Immediately after being thrown in jail, Ms Sanesangkhom began her hunger strike, which is not her first time doing so. Since her detainment on January 26, her commitment in the hunger strike demonstrates the urgency of reform to protect its citizens from the monarchy’s “dictatorship” and highlights the human rights abuses committed.

According to the BBC, Ms Sanesangkhom is not the only one who feels this way about Thailand’s monarchy. A Thai MP (member of parliament) Rukchanok Srinork who is on bail for a six-year sentence of lese majeste herself, voiced “How many times will the courts allow deaths like these to happen until they’re satisfied?” A MP who works closely with the monarchy having clashing opinions about them, conveys the message that a member of parliament can only be loyal for so long before they can no longer abide by them. Additionally, according to the Associated Press, the Thailand branch of the human rights group Amnesty International stated that “this is a grim day for Thai society, highlighting the severe judicial harassment and the justice system’s failure to recognize basic human rights…speaking out should not lead to death; it should inspire change”. Furthermore, this tragic death has been reached globally with German ambassador Ernest Reichel stating “My wish would be that political disagreements are not taken to such bitter and extreme consequences”.

Like thousands of others, Ms Sanesangkhom’s death is due to the failure of the government to protect basic human rights. When one wants to advocate for change, it should not be dealt with violence or death. Thailand legitimizes their power with laws like lese majeste, claiming that it upholds nationalism, but it only leaves the monarchy’s power left unchecked if their citizens go to jail for misspeaking. As voicing our opinions have become increasingly dangerous and our right to protest is not guaranteed, governments will continue to be challenged and protests will continue to demand for the safeguarding of our rights.

According to the BBC, Thailand’s lese majeste law has always been instated to protect the monarchy, its enforcement strengthened by the military coup in 2014. “Offenders” are given 3–15-year jail sentences when they are excused of insulting the monarchy and trials are manipulated in favor of the monarchy. Thailand has repeatedly been told by the United Nations to fix this law but the monarchy appears insistent in protecting itself and preventing free speech of its people.

Thailand’s monarchy is abusing its power which other monarchies around the world will see that it is appropriate to follow suit and enact laws protecting their monarchies while eliminating their citizens’ rights. Restricting human rights will only lead to more protests and riots, threatening peace around the world as governments globally become motivated by Thailand’s actions to abuse their power.