A significant focus of the Commission’s work has been to monitor and investigate human rights impacts, particularly those being made by corporations whose business operations impact on communities in different regions of Thailand. In particular, the NHRCT has sought to strengthen respect for ‘rights to the environment and natural resources, to access environmental information, to participate in environmental matters and to have access to effective remedies, as set out in the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2560 (2017). The adoption of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment by the UN General Assembly in July 2022 has provided fresh impetus to the NHRCT’s efforts to engage with communities and corporations to promote respect for human rights and the environment. It has also deepened deliberations among members of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) on the possibility of establishing an ASEAN Environmental Rights Framework, which could address issues related the right to access environmental information, the right to participate in decision making on environmental matters, the right to seek remedies for environmental damage, and the protection of environmental human rights defenders, As part of its strategic efforts to strengthen respect for human rights and the environment, with a focus on business and human rights, the Commission has established a cooperative relationship with Thailand’s Representative to AICHR. This includes sharing information and insights from the Commission’s national activity to support AICHR’s deliberations on the establishment and content of a possible regional framework on the environment. National activities As part of its promotion mandate, the Commission developed two integrated initiatives to engage communities and promote dialogue on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment: developing information resources to strengthen community understanding on human rights and the environment in other global regions; and convening workshops for community representatives and government agencies to raise issues and identify priorities for reforming law, policy and practices on human rights and the environment. Goals Through its activities, the NHRCT has sought to: ● ● ● Strengthen the local community movement by preparing information resources on the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement Create space for community voices on realising the right to a healthy environment, as well as engage key government agencies in discussion on their roles and priorities Propose recommendations to Thailand’s Representative to AICHR and the South-East Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) on the development of a proposed ASEAN Environmental Rights Framework. Increasing community knowledge A priority for NHRCT is to provide communities and civil society organisations across Thailand with information and resources to support their advocacy for the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Central to the Commission’s current initiative is sharing developments in this area from other global regions. The Escazú Agreement (for Latin America and the Caribbean) and the Aarhus Convention (for Europe) set out principles to ensure that people have access to environmental information, are consulted in environmental decision-making processes, and can take legal action in cases of - 31 -