The Department of Rights and Liberties Protection will ask the United Nations to remove six cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand from its database after Thai authorities determined the victims' fate and whereabouts.
Department chief, Pitikan Sithidej, said the agency has looked into 80 cases of enforced disappearance recorded by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and has initially resolved six cases.
Without giving details of the six cases in question, she said the authorities have determined their fate: some are dead and some are still alive. However, these cases will be thoroughly examined before a request is sent to the UN, she said.
Among the 80 cases the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has recorded are those of Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit in March 2004 and the ethnic Karen activist Porlajee "Billy" Rakchongcharoen in April 2014.
To address such concerns, she said the government set up a national committee chaired by the justice minister to investigate complaints following the ratification of two international agreements against enforced disappearances and torture.
The department chief raised the issue while discussing the agency's work on proposed amendments to the law against enforced disappearances and torture.
According to Ms Pitikan, there are five key elements to be addressed in the draft including a proposal seeking to have suspects in enforced disappearance and torture cases stand trial in the Corruption Court. She said the proposal is based on findings that several cases looked at were committed by state officials.
Another key element in the draft amendment involves witness protection after several witnesses in these and organised crime related cases such as human trafficking complained about being intimidated.
The amendments will be put up for public hearings before being put to the cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly.
