III 

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; 


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•SRES 789 IS 

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; 


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•SRES 789 IS 

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 ThaiVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:25 Dec 04, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR789.IS SR789

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•SRES 789 IS 

land, 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reaffirms the strong relationship between 

3 the United States and Thailand based on shared 

4 democratic values and strategic interests; 

5 (2) stands in solidarity with the people of Thai6 land in their quest for a democratically elected govVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:25 Dec 04, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR789.IS SR789

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•SRES 789 IS 

1 ernment, political reforms, long-term peace, and re2 spect for established international human rights 

3 standards; 

4 (3) urges the Government of Thailand to pro5 tect and uphold democracy, human rights, the rule 

6 of law, and rights to freedom of peaceful assembly 

7 and freedom of expression, as well as immediately 

8 and unconditionally release political activists and re9 frain from harassing, intimidating, or persecuting 

10 those engaged in peaceful protests, with particular 

11 care for the rights and well-being of children and 

12 students; 

13 (4) calls on the United States Government to 

14 support the right of the people of Thailand to peace15 fully and democratically determine their future; and 

16 (5) unequivocally states that a military coup to 

17 resolve the current political crisis would be counter18 productive and risk further undermining bilateral re19 lations between the United States and Thailand. 

Æ 


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