Thai PM’s aide seeks to expel rights group Amnesty International

An aide to Thailand’s prime minister said he would seek the expulsion of human rights group Amnesty International from the country, after it was accused by ultra royalists of undermining national security.

Seksakol Atthawong, a vice-minister in Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s office, said on Friday that a petition opposing Amnesty’s presence in Thailand had garnered 1.2 million signatures and would be submitted to the National Security Council and Interior Ministry next week.

Ultra royalists have accused the London-based group of stoking unrest by calling for a halt on the filing of criminal charges against people who urge reforms to the monarchy, an institution revered by many Thais.

“This organisation destroys the security of the country, it supports groups that want to topple the monarchy, it lacks impartiality and sided with an anti-government movement that is anti-constitutional monarchy,” Seksakol told Reuters.

Prayuth in November ordered an investigation into Amnesty. He has not commented publicly on the petition. Amnesty in a statement on Friday urged the government to honour its human rights obligations.

“While we recognise that the Royal Thai Government has a duty to protect public order and national security, we continue to highlight that authorities must do so in a manner that is in accordance with international human rights law,” it said.