[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 789 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 789

  Urging the Government of Thailand to protect and uphold democracy, 
   human rights, the rule of law, and rights to freedom of peaceful 
      assembly and freedom of expression, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 3, 2020

Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Cardin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
    Coons, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Murphy) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Urging the Government of Thailand to protect and uphold democracy, 
   human rights, the rule of law, and rights to freedom of peaceful 
      assembly and freedom of expression, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Kingdom of Thailand and the United States of America first 
        established relations in 1818 and entered into the Treaty of Amity and 
        Commerce in 1833, formalizing diplomatic relations;
Whereas Thailand was the first treaty ally of the United States in the Asia-
        Pacific region and remains a steadfast friend of the United States with 
        shared values of democracy, rule of law, universal human rights, and a 
        free market;
Whereas the United States and Thailand in 1954 signed the Southeast Asia 
        Collective Defense Treaty (Manila Pact), pledging to ``strengthen the 
        fabric of peace and freedom and to uphold the principles of democracy, 
        individual liberty and the rule of law'';
Whereas, through the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations of 1966, along with 
        a diverse and growing trading relationship, the United States and 
        Thailand have developed strong economic ties;
Whereas the United States recognizes Thailand as a founding member of the 
        Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and host of the 35th 
        ASEAN Summit in 2019, which reaffirmed that body's commitment to ``a 
        region of lasting peace, security and stability, sustained economic 
        growth, shared prosperity and social progress'';
Whereas Thailand was designated a major non-NATO ally in 2003, and is one of the 
        strongest security partners of the United States, a relationship that 
        was recognized and expanded upon in the United States-Thailand Joint 
        Vision Statement for the Thai-United States Defense Alliance in 2012;
Whereas the Governments of Thailand and the United States hold numerous joint 
        military exercises, including Cobra Gold, the largest annual 
        multinational military exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, which is 
        hosted by Thailand;
Whereas the Government of Thailand continues to be a partner on humanitarian and 
        refugee assistance, including support from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Air 
        Field for multinational relief efforts following the 2004 Indian Ocean 
        tsunami and 2015 Nepal earthquake;
Whereas Thailand ended absolute monarchy and transitioned to a constitutional 
        monarchy in 1932, and since then has revised its constitution seventeen 
        times, including a 1997 constitution that enshrined democratically 
        elected representatives in a bicameral national assembly and the prime 
        minister as head of government, and a 2007 constitution that largely 
        retained that structure;
Whereas cycles of coups and military rule have been a recurring feature of 
        governance in Thailand for almost a century;
Whereas the Royal Thai military conducted a coup in 2014, abolished the 2007 
        constitution, declared martial law, and replaced the civilian government 
        with a junta under the leadership of Army Commander Prayuth Chan-ocha;
Whereas the junta's National Council for Peace and Order drafted a new 
        constitution which was promulgated in 2017, and served to erode 
        Thailand's democracy and constitutional protection of rights;
Whereas, in March 2019, Thailand held elections that several independent 
        monitoring groups declared as deeply flawed and heavily tilted to favor 
        the military junta, whose party, headed by Prayuth, formed a new 
        government with the support of the military-appointed and unelected 
        Senate;
Whereas, in January 2020, the opposition political party Future Forward was 
        dissolved and banned on order of the Constitutional Court following a 
        flawed legal process premised on spurious charges;
Whereas the Government of Thailand has failed to properly investigate issues 
        with respect to violent assaults against democracy activists and 
        government critics within Thailand, as well as enforced disappearances 
        and killings of exiled Thai political dissidents across Asia;
Whereas, since February 2020, tens of thousands of protesters across Thailand, 
        largely students and youth, have peacefully called for democratically 
        elected government, constitutional reform, and respect for human rights;
Whereas the Government of Thailand has responded to these peaceful protests with 
        repressive measures, including intimidation tactics, surveillance, 
        harassment, arrests, violence and imprisonment;
Whereas Prayuth declared a state of emergency on October 15, 2020, and 
        characterized the growing pro-democracy protests as threats to national 
        security and public safety;
Whereas more than 170 peaceful protesters have been arrested since February 
        2020, many of them charged with serious crimes, including sedition, that 
        carry potentially long prison sentences; and
Whereas UNICEF has expressed concern about the potential harm that children face 
        amidst the ongoing protests in Thailand and called on all parties to 
        uphold children and young people's right to freedom of expression and 
        peaceful assembly, and to protect them from all forms of violence and 
        intimidation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) reaffirms the strong relationship between the United 
        States and Thailand based on shared democratic values and 
        strategic interests;
            (2) stands in solidarity with the people of Thailand in 
        their quest for a democratically elected government, political 
        reforms, long-term peace, and respect for established 
        international human rights standards;
            (3) urges the Government of Thailand to protect and uphold 
        democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and rights to freedom 
        of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as well as 
        immediately and unconditionally release political activists and 
        refrain from harassing, intimidating, or persecuting those 
        engaged in peaceful protests, with particular care for the 
        rights and well-being of children and students;
            (4) calls on the United States Government to support the 
        right of the people of Thailand to peacefully and 
        democratically determine their future; and
            (5) unequivocally states that a military coup to resolve 
        the current political crisis would be counterproductive and 
        risk further undermining bilateral relations between the United 
        States and Thailand.
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