Hunger striking royal reform activist dies in custody in Thailand

Netiporn Sanesangkhom had been in jail since her arrest in January under Thailand’s strict royal defamation laws.

Bangkok, Thailand – Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom was known by her friends and family as courageous, outspoken, and fierce. At just 28 years old, she was a formidable force within the Thai democracy movement, defiant in the face of the legal and physical risks as she and her friends called for royal reform.

Dressed in her signature all-black at street demonstrations, Netiporn was not afraid of the authorities: often challenging their almost constant surveillance, and staring down the police at protests and other public events. Always willing to speak her mind, she had a strong voice that carried far, electrifying the crowds at rallies.

“Let there be reform of the justice process,” Netiporn said at an event last year. “No one should be jailed for having political differences.”

But on April 14, Netiporn died from cardiac arrest while in custody awaiting trial. She had been imprisoned since January 26 and charged with royal defamation, also known as lese-majeste, for conducting public opinion polls about Thai royal motorcades, among a slew of other charges.

Even from detention, she continued to protest. She had been on a hunger strike for more than 110 days in protest against the bail conditions faced by democracy protesters.