PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MODEL IN THE PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION OF TORTURE AND ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE OF VICTIMS, BANG MUN NAK DISTRICT, PHICHIT PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) study the problems in enforcing the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act B.E. 2565, Bang Mun Nak District, Phichit Province; 2) study public participation in the prevention and suppression of torture and enforced disappearance of victims, Bang Mun Nak District, Phichit Province; and 3) present a model for participation in the prevention and suppression of torture and enforced disappearance of victims using the 6 Saraniyadham principles, Bang Mun Nak District, Phichit Province. The research method was qualitative research, using in-depth interviews with key informants who were appropriately selected according to specified criteria, totaling 20 people, and group discussions with 7 experts.

The research results found that 1) The prevailing legal system and institutional framework remain insufficient to effectively prevent and address the problem of enforced disappearance. This inadequacy is primarily attributable to the absence of a precise legal definition of enforced disappearance under domestic law, coupled with the lack of statutory provisions prescribing penalties that are both appropriate and proportionate to the gravity of such violations. 2) With regard to public participation in the prevention and suppression of torture and enforced disappearance, it is evident that the general public continues to exhibit a limited awareness of their fundamental rights and an incomplete understanding of their roles within the justice process. Opportunities for meaningful engagement—through social activities, knowledge-sharing platforms, and public advocacy campaigns that empower victims to articulate their voices and influence systemic transformation—remain considerably underdeveloped. 3) A participatory model grounded in the principle of the Six Saraniya-dhammas offers the potential to reframe victims from being passive subjects of violation into active agents of social transformation with dignity. Achieving this, however, necessitates the establishment of enabling structures across legal, policy, and socio-cultural dimensions, underpinned by a practical ethos of compassion. Such a foundation is indispensable for the sustainable prevention of human rights violations. Moreover, the cultivation of an inclusive culture of dialogue and receptivity to divergent viewpoints is equally vital, as individual perspectives may not invariably be accurate or optimal.