Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 17 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As a result, this issue remains one of the most important to be addressed regarding the promotion and protection of human rights in Thailand, Ms. Chairos adds. The process to remedy these situations is lengthy and costly, she explains. Remedies do exist, but often the budgets allocated are insufficient and the environmental impacts require too much time to be addressed. The government must take this issue seriously, with quick action, including the amendment or creation of new legislation to ensure the protection of the relevant rights set forth in the Constitution. In addition, the Public Hearing Law, which has been drafted by civic groups and peoples’ organizations, should be taken into consideration for adoption as soon as possible, she says. Communities are calling on the government to ensure the respect of their community rights, including ownership 78 Dignity and Justice for All of Us and enjoyment of natural resources, as well as proper management of the impact on their livelihood and environment. This cannot be dissociated from the enjoyment of other fundamental human rights such as access to information, the right to participate in decision-making, the right to expression of opinions and the right to receive compensation, she says. Furthermore, Ms. Chairos suggests that “the United Nations should foster close relations with civil society to strengthen the application of international rules and regulations. This will help to accelerate changes in policy with regard to human rights and community rights.” A positive development is that the government has now placed more importance on the recognition of community rights. But rapid progress is necessary because day by day, the situation is getting worse, she adds.