The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the junta to negotiate with anti-coal protesters after seven hunger strikers were admitted to hospital.

 

On 15 February 2018, the NHRC expressed support for the rally at the UN building, Bangkok. The rally urged the junta to withdraw its plans to build coal-fired power plants in the southern provinces of Songkhla and Krabi. The rally started on 12 February and over 60 protesters are now on hunger strike. 

 

The NHRC support came a day after seven of the strikers fainted and were transferred to hospital.

 

National Human Rights Commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit called on the junta to negotiate with the protesters since it had previously promised to postpone building the power plants.

 

Another Commissioner, Tuenjai Deetes, said that the power plant project is being investigated by the NHRC and various academics concerned that the environmental and health impacts of the project were not properly evaluated. The Commission will submit a full report, with comments from environmental experts, to the government for consideration. 

 

Tuenjai demanded that the junta provide healthcare services to the protesters and urged the government to develop renewable energy sources.