Thai rights groups petitioned parliament on Thursday, demanding action against hate crimes and accountability from the Chinese embassy regarding the recent murder of a transgender sex worker in Pattaya by a Chinese national.
The petition calls on the government to take legal measures to combat hate crimes and urges the Chinese embassy to take responsibility for last month’s killing.
It was presented by the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand (RSAT), the People’s Movement to Eliminate Discrimination (MovED) and allied organisations, and supported by 54 civil society groups and 151 individuals.
The key demands in the petition are:
- a clear definition of “hate crime” and “hate speech” in Thai law to distinguish bias-motivated crimes from general offences;
- increasing penalties by at least one-third for hate crimes resulting in death, injury or property damage;
- establishing a systematic data collection process on hate crimes to inform policy-making;
- enhancement of training for law enforcement to identify and prosecute hate crimes effectively; and
- the urgent drafting and enforcement of modern legal protections for sex workers.
The petition also demands the embassy’s accountability, noting the impact of the case on public sentiment, particularly among marginalised communities. The embassy is urged to improve mechanisms for respecting international human rights standards.
Caesar Rittiwong, the deputy director of human rights and sustainability with RSAT, emphasised that hate crimes are not isolated acts of personal animosity but are rooted in bias against a victim’s identity.
“Even when a hate crime affects only one victim, the broader community feels threatened,” she said. “Thailand lacks a legal definition of hate crimes and has no adequate mechanisms to address such incidents, which are often misclassified as ordinary crimes.”
She called on lawmakers to recognise hate crimes as a public threat and respond with targeted, effective legal tools, including precise definitions, increased penalties, and proper training for law enforcement.
“No one should have to live in fear simply for being themselves,” she said.
Nachale Boonyapisomparn, president of the Sister Foundation and vice-president of the Thai Transgender Alliance for Human Rights, cited a World Bank report titled “Equality of Opportunity for Sexual and Gender Minorities”.
The report highlights ongoing legal protection gaps for LGBTQ+ people globally, including in Thailand, and stresses the need for better tracking, training and victim support systems.
“Thailand and much of Asia still have a long way to go,” she said. “We lack legal frameworks, data systems, and rights-based processes.
“If we aim to build a society that leaves no one behind, we must protect every life from hate and embrace diversity as a strength.”
Rights groups petition parliament on Thursday, demanding action against hate crimes. (Photo: MovED - People’s Movement to Eliminate Discrimination Facebook page)