Rights Beautiful Collection of Professor Saneh Chamarik The 1997 Thai Constitution, somehow, is more or less a reflection of attempt to rectify such an untoward state of affairs. It is for this very reason that the idea and practice of community rights is being put forward and stipulated into law, again under both Chapters 3 and 5 on “Rights and Liberties of the Thai People” and on “Directive Principles of Fundamental State Policies respectively, as follow. Section 46: Persons so assembling as to be a traditional community shall have the right to conserve or restore their customs, local knowledge, arts or good culture of their community and of the nation and participate in the management, maintenance, preservation and utilization of natural resources and the environment in a balanced and sustainable fashion, as provided by law. Section 56: The right of a person to participate with the State and communities in the preservation and utilization of natural resources and biological diversity and in the protection, promotion and preservation of the quality of the environment for normal and consistent livelihood in the environment which is not hazardous to his or her health or sanitary condition, welfare or quality of life, shall be protected, as provided by law. Any project or activity which may seriously affect the quality of environment shall not be permitted, unless its impacts on the quality of the environment have been studied and evaluated and opinions of an independent organization, consisting of representatives from private environmental organizations and from higher education institutions providing studies in the environment field, have been obtained prior to the operation of such project or activity, as provided by law. OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THAILAND 77