Military and human rights must be balanced - one takeaway as Bangkok hosts OSCE talks

During an interview with The Nation, Zannier said that it was essential to keep citizens safe from security challenges while promoting the rule of law, justice and non-discrimination agendas. Security practices should also not deprive people of their rights, and their freedom of expression must be guaranteed, he said.

The Italian veteran diplomat said that Thailand having a military-installed government had not negatively affected Thai-OSCE relations. However, he insisted that democracy should be recognised, especially in terms of conflict prevention.

“The use of security forces doesn’t mean that it should lead to [rights] suppression,” he said. “It should result in empowering civic society to have open debates, as well as [the implementation of] the rule of law.”

Zannier said that the need to focus on radicalisation and cyber security should not result in unduly limitating people’s access to the Internet.

He did not directly mention the Kingdom, reasoning that Thailand is an OSCE partner and not an OSCE member that it could take action against. 

“We only provide a platform for Thailand and welcome it for dialogue on issues,” he said. “We are not asking anything in particular from Thailand.”

Zannier, however, believes that issues could be raised during the OSCE Asian Conference on Strengthening Comprehensive Security that began in Bangkok yesterday and finishes today. 

Since joining the organisation in 2000, this is Thailand’s fourth time hosting the conference, which has attracted representatives from the 57 participating states and 11 partners.

Apart from dealing with the threat of radicalisation, the annual conference also aims to focus on the 2030 agenda tackling sustainable development, trafficking in humans, irregular migration and cyber security.

Among the other high-ranking diplomats at the event’s launch was Asean Secretary-General Le Loung Minh.

The presence of the key Asean figure signifies OSCE’s attention on the region as it believes in the efficiency of integrated platforms to address security issues. 

Thailand, the sole Asean nation linked to OSCE, is facilitating action between the two organisations to put security challenges firmly on agendas. 

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha last Friday urged Asean countries to adhere to a “strategic new equilibrium” and address regional security challenges such as terrorism and extremism, cyber security, irregular migration, climate changes, South China Sea disputes and tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The Prayut government, however, has been challenged by the domestic and international communities over security practices deemed infringing on the rights of people, such as the potential the country could use a single Internet gateway and expand the policing power of the military.