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Somchai Neelapaijit Memorial Fund

Prize for Outstanding Human Rights Defenders

(6 July 2012) On 11 July, Somchai Neelapaijit Memorial Fund will give out Somchai

Neelapaijit Award to honor and support outstanding human rights defenders. Dr Charnvit

Kasetsiri, the Rector of Thammasat University, will be the President of the Ceremony.

This award started with an open nomination of the general public. There were more than

20 individuals and organizations that were nominated for the award. The Committee member of

Somchai Neelapaijit Fund shortlisted five individuals out of which one will be given this award.

The rest will be giving certificates in recognition of their works. The five names include

individuals and organization that is known publicly as well as those who work behind the scene.

They all have recognizable record in the fight for rights in the judicial system, labor rights,

community rights, and others.

The winner of the award will be granted 50,000 Thai Baht, while those four other

shortlisted individuals will receive 10,000 Thai Baht.

The award giving ceremony will happen on 11 July 2012 at 9.30am 12.00pm at

Conference Room, Fourth Floor, Thai Volunteer Service, Huay Kwang District, Bangkok.

Somchai Neelapaijit Fund will declare the names of the award winner and those who are

shortlisted at our website at http://somchaiaward.org on Monday 9 July 2012.

Please register your attendance at: http://bit.ly/PcbXyQ

For more information, please contact Ms Taweeporn at 0898291167

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Somchai Neelapajit Memorial Fund reveals Five Human Rights Defenders Shortlisted for

its Award

(9 July 2012) The five shortlisted individuals for the 2012 Somchai Neelapajit Award

are: 1. Ms Jittra Kotchadej Labour rights and political rights activist 2. Mr Rasada

Manurasada Human rights lawyer for victims of violence in Southern Thailand and in other

parts of the country 3. Mr Somyot PrueksakasemsukLabor rights activist and political activist

(currently detained in prison) 4. Mr Adisorn Kerdmongkol Expert on the rights of migrant

workers 5. Udon Thani Environment Group Grassroots network of villagers that are defending

the community rights from Potash Industry.

Out of these names, there will be one person/ group which will receive the 2012 Somchai

Neelaphajit Award together with 50,000 Thai Baht. The other four will receive Outstanding

Human Rights Defender Award with prize money of 10,000 Thai Baht.

Jon Ungpakorn, a Committee member and Founder of Somchai Neelapaijit Memorial

Fund, said that Thailand has been suffering from problems concerning human rights violations

from both state agencies as well as from state mechanisms. The five names that are shortlisted

for this award are those that have fought to protect human rights bravely, vigorously, and at times


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they have put themselves in danger in order to defend human rights just like the disappeared

human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit. Somchai had fought on behalf of human rights

principles until he was a victim of enforced disappearance. This award aims to honor and support

human rights defenders who have dedicated their lives in working to protect human rights. It also

aims to communicate to Thai society to recognize the important roles that these

individuals/group play as well as to shed light on the human rights problems in Thailand.

The award giving ceremony will take place from 9.30am to 12.00pm on 11 July 2012

at Conference Room, 4th

Floor, Thai Volunteer Service, Soi Rohitkul, Pracharat Bampen

Road (Huay Kwang station MRT stop). Apart from the ceremony, there will be a panel

discussion on the topic of The road of struggle and experiences of Thai human rights defenders

by all five shortlisted individuals as well as a closing remark by Dr Charnvit Kasetsiri.

Somchai Neelapaijit Fund had opened up the public nomination for individuals and

organizations to nominate people and organizations from February to April 2012. There are 20

individuals and organizations that have been nominated. They represented broad and diversegroups of human right defenders ranging from those working on community development,

volunteering, and combating injustice. Five names have been shortlisted while one out of the five

will be given the award. There are four criteria for the selection namely: 1) The recipient(s) of

the award works to promote and protect the human rights on issues that are related to the public

interest; 2) The recipient(s) has outstanding record; 3) The recipient(s) has not been given an

award on human rights before; 4) The recipient(s) works on issue of human rights that is

contemporary and are still discussed in the society and he/she has risk from being attacked or

violated for his/her /their human rights work.

Somchai Neelapaijit Memorial Fund starts to give out Somchai Neelapaijit Award with

the intention to honor and give support to those who play important roles and has dedicated them

to promote and protect human rights in Thailand. The Fund also aims to provoke Thai society to

see the importance and recognize the roles that human rights defenders play. The award is an

open process whereby anyone can make nomination. This is the first year that the award is given

out.

How to get to the Venue: If you travel by MRT, get off at Huay Kwang MRT Stop. Get of exitto Pracharat Bampen Road. Take a motorcycle taxi to Summer Mansion. Thai Volunteer Service

Building is at the far end of the Soi.

Please register your attendance at: http://bit.ly/PcbXyQ

For more information, please contact Ms Thaweeporn at 0898291167

Agenda of Somchai Neelaphaijit Awarding Ceremony 2012

11 July 2012, 9.30am 12.00pm

Conference Room, Fourth Floor, Thai Volunteer Service

Huay Kwang, Bangkok

9.30 10.00am


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Registration

10.00-10.30am

Introduction by Master of Ceremony

Opening session by Ms Angkhana Neelaphaijit, Committee member of Somchai Neelaphaijit

Memorial Fund

History of Somchai Neelaphaijit's fund and the Award by Jon Ungpakorn, Committee member

of Somchai Neelaphaijit Memorial Fund

10.30 10.45am

Announcment and presentation of Somchai Neelapaijit Award and Certificates for Outstanding

Human Rights Defenders

Award presentation by Dr Charnvit Kasetsiri, historian professor and former Rector of

Thammasat University

10.45am 12.00pm

A panel discussion entiteld "On the Trail of Struggle: Lessons Learned from Human Rights

Defenders" featuring:

Awardee of Somchai Neelapaijit Award 2012

4 Awardee of Outstanding Human Rights Defenders 2012

Moderated by Ruj Komonbut, assistant professor at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass

Communication, Thammasat University and Committee member of Somchai Neelaphaijit

Memorial Fund

12.00pm

Closing speech by Dr Charnvit Kasetsiri

second pr somchai 2012 eng

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