Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit has requested police protection following a series of death threats and online harassment linked to her comments on the Thai-Cambodian border conflict.
The threats, which also allegedly targeted senior Human Rights Watch researcher Sunai Phasuk, have prompted calls from 19 human rights organisations for urgent safeguards and respect for freedom of expression.
Ms Angkhana and Mr Sunai on Saturday submitted a letter to the national police chief, Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch, urging the enforcement of legal protections for human rights defenders and their families. The request follows escalating threats via social media, including vulgar phone calls and accusations of disloyalty to the nation.
“I merely exercised my right to question government policy,” said Ms Angkhana. “Yet I’ve been branded unpatriotic. We must be able to disagree without fear. The situation has gone beyond free speech — I now fear for my safety.”
Police have since deployed uniformed and plainclothes officers to guard her residence. She called on the government to educate the public on the importance of rights and dignity in shaping Thailand’s global image.
Mr Sunai reported similar threats after scrutinising government actions. “My criticism is based on evidence, not emotion,” he said.
The threats intensified after the pair criticised a nationalist influencer’s stunt in which he deployed loudspeakers to blare helicopter and fighter jet sounds near Cambodian refugee settlements in Sa Kaeo. The pair argued the act undermined diplomatic efforts and risked inflaming tensions.
Their remarks triggered a wave of online attacks, including references to the 2004 enforced disappearance of Ms Angkhana’s husband, lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit.