Human Rights as Govt-Given Rights? A Theoretical Analysis of Thailand’s National Human Rights Action Plan

Since the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action in 1993, national human rights plans have become a widely used tool for countries to assess and address their human rights situations. Despite the proliferation of these policy instruments, research on their drafting processes and their impact on the meaning of human rights remains limited. This study provides a theoretical analysis of Thailand's National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP), focusing on its latest drafting experience through the lens of the deliberative school of thought. By comparing the NHRAP’s outcome with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations and international reports, the study evaluates the extent to which Thailand's human rights protections respond to global concerns. The findings highlight shortcomings in the deliberative process of the NHRAP’s drafting. We argue that because the concept of “agreed rights” is central to the deliberative school, human rights in practice will continue to face limited protection in the absence of meaningful structural reforms.