Jailed activist Netiporn “Boong” Sanesangkhom, 28, was pronounced dead at Thammasat University Hospital late Tuesday morning, over three months after she had started a dry hunger strike.
Netiporn, a core leader of the Thalu Wang protest group, had been imprisoned at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Chatuchak district since Jan 26 in connection with a charge of lese-majeste.
She had been sentenced to one month behind bars in connection with a protest that turned into a scuffle with guards outside the Bangkok South Criminal Court on Oct 19, 2023. She and others had gone there to show support for another activist sentenced to jail for royal defamation.
The lese-majeste charge the former tutor was facing came from her participation in an opinion survey on royal motorcades in February 2022.
The day after she was sent to prison, Netiporn began a hunger strike to demand reform of the justice system and an end to the imprisonment of people for political cases.
As she refused food and water, as well as most medication and medical intervention, her condition gradually deteriorated.
According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), Netiporn was taken to the prison hospital in early April.
Netiporn had a heart attack at the Central Correctional Hospital just after 6am on Tuesday, the department said. She was pronounced dead at 11.22am.
Nattawut Saikuar, a former co-leader of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, called for the release of other detained youth activists.
“No one should die because they think differently,” he said.
“Deaths like this wouldn’t have happened if the government had tried to do more and be more sincere,” said Lisa Nunarnan, a Move Forward MP and deputy spokesperson.
Two colleagues of Netiporn are also continuing with their hunger strikes.
They face a charge of sedition arising from an incident on Feb 4 during a royal motorcade.
