Long read.
Thailand’s proposed NGO law will devastate civil society
When Cambodia passed its infamous LANGO bill in 2015, it helped bring about a new era of single-party rule. Now, Thailand seems to be following suit, with the Cabinet tabling a draft law on NGOs in February which Mark S. Cogan argues would devastate civil society
Opinion; Written By: Mark S. Cogan
May 4, 2021

In 2015, two years before the state-driven collapse of Cambodia’s political opposition, the national government dominated by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) approved the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations (LANGO).

When the law was first put forward in 2011, it was met with significant opposition, and for a time, it was shelved. Opponents said the law requiring official registration of all non-governmental organisations would stifle civil society while creating a chilling effect for local groups, grassroots associations, and community organisations across Cambodia. Under LANGO, failure to register with the state would automatically criminalise those groups.

The CPP claimed the law was intended to prevent international terrorist groups from using Cambodia as a base of operations. But rather than an improved state of security, the years that followed the passage of LANGO ushered in a new era of single-party rule paired with a steady unraveling of civil society perhaps even beyond what activists had feared.

Now, Thailand’s own community of non-governmental organisations is on alert as the country’s military-backed government takes steps to follow suit with its Cambodian counterpart. The Thai Cabinet in February approved a draft law that would bring to heel the country’s non-governmental organisations by requiring them to register under a new set of guidelines established by the Interior Ministry. The law has received backing from Thailand’s National Intelligence Agency, the Office of Public Sector Development Commission, as well as advocacy from Social Development and Human Security Minister Chuti Krairiksh. With that momentum, the Draft Act on the Operations of Not-for-Profit Organizations is soon headed to the Parliament for consideration there.

Already, Thailand’s Draft Act has been openly criticised by human rights groups that claim the proposal would give the regime excessive control over essential civil society functions, including the monitoring of human rights abuses, democratisation initiatives, environmental advocacy and more.

The Thai regime claims the law is necessary to create transparency for the many non-governmental organisations in Thailand, many of which the government claims do not work for the public interest. If the Draft Act becomes law, these groups would have to register with the Interior Ministry’s Department of Provincial Administration and disclose the sources of their actions and income through audit reports that would be published for the public.

The push for transparency has ulterior motives, with the bill having suspicious timing.

Since early last year, student-led groups have organised demonstrations and protests calling for democratic reforms in Thailand, namely the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and a more democratic constitution, while others have gone a step farther, calling for reforms to Thailand’s powerful monarchy.

Some have claimed that the protests are backed by foreign funds or accused liberal groups of acting under the influence of outside powers. The ultra-royalist group Thai Pakdee claimed earlier this year that the human rights group iLaw, was out to overthrow the Thai monarchy, backed by the US government and the Open Society Foundation, which is an initiative of billionaire George Soros, a common target of unfounded conspiracy theories. More recently, American academic David Streckfuss, who lost his academic position at Khon Kaen University, was accused without evidence of being linked to the CIA, the main intelligence agency of the US.

To supposedly address these claims of shadowy influence, Section 6 of the Draft Act would place restrictions on organisations that receive foreign funding while giving authorities broad discretion to determine which activities may be implemented using funds from international sources.
Full article: https://southeastasiaglobe.com/thailands-ngo-law/

"The CPP claimed the law was intended to prevent international terrorist groups from using Cambodia as a base of operations. But rather than an improved state of security, the years that followed the passage of LANGO ushered in a new era of single-party rule paired with a steady unraveling of civil society perhaps even beyond whatactivists had feared. "

Civil society is a code phrase used by the left to signal rule by its values. It is used by Hillary of the Clinton crime family. It does not mean a fair society, only one doing what the left wants.

"The Thai regime claims the law is necessary to create transparency for the many non-governmental organisations in Thailand, many of which the government claims do not work for the public interest. If the Draft Act becomes law, these groups would have to register with the Interior Ministry’s Department of Provincial Administration and disclose the sources of their actions and income through audit reports that would be published for the public."

Funding of left-wing ngo's in the USA by George Soros and Mark Zuckerberg just helped destroy the American republic.

But the author of this article, socialist hack Mark S. Cogan, claims the Open Society Foundation "which is an initiative of billionaire George Soros, [is] a common target of unfounded conspiracy theories"

whenever you see the words, unfounded conspiracy theories, you know you are reading more socialist propaganda.