Thailand Of the international human rights treaties of particular concern to this Reference to the Advisory Council, Thailand is a party to the ICCPR,273CRC274and CERD.275 Thailand is not a party to CAT, the First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR or the Refugee Convention. Thailand has not ratified the following Conventions on Terrorism: • Internationally Protected Persons Convention; • Hostages Convention; • Terrorist Bombings Convention; • Nuclear Material Convention; • Maritime Navigation Convention; • Protocol to the Maritime Navigation Convention; and • Plastic Explosives Convention. Thailand has signed but not ratified the Financing of Terrorism Convention. The Constitution of Thailand 1997 provides for various rights and freedoms and procedural safeguards. Even before amendments to the Criminal Code in 2003, the Criminal Code and other national security related laws could be used against acts of terrorism. Despite objections from members of civil society, the Thai Government passed a Decree to amend the Criminal Code in August 2003 to broaden the scope of the law against terrorism. Under the Decree, the following are listed as criminal offences: • an act of violence or any act to cause death or serious injury to the life and freedom of an individual; • an act causing serious damage to a public transportation system, a telecommunications system or an infrastructure facility of public use; and 273 Thailand ratified the ICCPR on 29 October 1996. 274 Thailand ratified the CRC on 27 March 1992. 275 Thailand ratified CERD on 27 February 2003. 124