The latest report from Freedom House, a US-based organization, has revealed a concerning trend in global freedom. The 2025 Freedom in the World index shows that Thailand’s status has taken a turn for the worse, slipping from a “partly free” country to a “not free” one once again. This downgrade comes after the country had briefly improved its status to “partly free” just a year ago. Thailand’s overall score this year stands at 34 out of 100, a decline from 36 last year, but still higher than the 30 points it scored in 2023.
According to Freedom House, the primary factor contributing to Thailand’s decline is the Constitutional Court’s decision to dissolve an opposition party. In contrast, the country’s status had improved last year due to the holding of elections in 2023. The organization evaluates countries based on two main categories: “political rights,” which encompasses elections and political participation, and “civil liberties,” which covers freedom of expression and belief.
Globally, the freedom index has declined for the 19th consecutive year in 2024, with 60 countries experiencing a decline in political rights and civil liberties, while only 34 countries showed improvement. The countries with the largest declines in scores this year include El Salvador, Haiti, Kuwait, and Tunisia, whereas Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Syria saw the most significant improvements.
Freedom House notes that the year 2024 was marked by an unprecedented number of elections, many of which were marred by violence and attempts by authoritarian governments to limit voter choice. In over 40% of countries and territories that held national elections, candidates were assassinated or attacked, polling stations were targeted, or post-election protests were suppressed with excessive force. Furthermore, elections in authoritarian regimes were often rigged to prevent genuine opposition candidates from participating.
These conflicts have created instability and hindered democratic progress worldwide. Civil wars, inter-state conflicts, and violence perpetrated by armed groups, mercenaries, and criminal organizations have undermined security and obstructed the exercise of basic rights, making the world not only less safe but also less free in 2024.
Source: Freedom House
