Sirin Mungcharoen

© 2020 Sirin Mungcharoen

About Me

สวัสดีค่ะ Hi! I'm Sirin/Fleur

I'm a Thai queer feminist, Washington DC-based freelance writer and translator, originally from Bangkok, Thailand

I'm graduating from Georgetown University's Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program in May 2026 and I'm open for a full-time career in journalism, research, NGOs, or other related fields

My current interests as a former student activist are queerness, feminism, intersectionality, comparative literature, interdisciplinary studies, cultural studies, and media studies

Please email me for work or media inquiry: sirin.mungcharoen@gmail.com

Writings

Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung •

The Future of Thai Women’s and LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand | Heinrich Böll Stiftung

Since the rise of feminist and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and others) protests in Thailand in 2020, the current state of Thai women’s and LGBTQ+ rights are being questioned more heavily than ever. In addition, a history-making bill which would make same-sex marriage legal in Thailand is being considered in the parliament. The policies of the main Thai political parties regarding gender issues – or for some, the absence of them – with focus on different aspect
La Vanguardia •

Fumar o no fumar: confusión tras la despenalización del cannabis en Tailandia

Bangkok, jun 13 (EFE).- La despenalización del cultivo de marihuana para uso médico en Tailandia ha provocado que hasta hoy 712.666 personas hayan solicitado licencias para tener sus plantas en casa, pero la confusa legislación no deja claro si se puede fumar o en qué condiciones.

La despenalización parcial el pasado jueves se enmarca dentro de la política para promover el uso médico del cannabis, lo que ya fue legalizado en 2018, aunque los productos derivados no pueden contener más de un 0,2

From ghosts to govt neglect: why Thai roads are among world’s deadliest

Bangkok Desk, Feb 17 (EFE).- Poor social values, governmental neglect and superstition are among the reasons Thailand consistently has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records, which recently prompted a renewed campaign to improve the country’s road culture, according to an expert.

Thailand currently suffers Asia’s highest traffic-related fatalities, according to the World Health Organization, culminating in last month’s death of a doctor, whose killing at a zebra crossing by a speeding

From ghosts to govt neglect: why Thai roads are among world’s deadliest

Bangkok Desk, Feb 17 (EFE).- Poor social values, governmental neglect and superstition are among the reasons Thailand consistently has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records, which recently prompted a renewed campaign to improve the country’s road culture, according to an expert.

Thailand currently suffers Asia’s highest traffic-related fatalities, according to the World Health Organization, culminating in last month’s death of a doctor, whose killing at a zebra crossing by a speeding
La Vanguardia •

De espíritus a dejadez del Gobierno: las peligrosas carreteras de Tailandia

Bangkok, 17 feb (EFE).- La conducción temeraria, la dejadez del Gobierno y la superstición son algunos de los motivos por los que Tailandia ostenta uno de los mayores niveles de mortandad del mundo en sus carreteras, lo que ha motivado una nueva campaña para endurecer las penas a quienes pongan en peligro la seguridad vial.

La muerte el mes pasado de una joven médica atropellada por un policía en una moto sin matrícula en un paso de cebra ha generado una gran controversia en Tailandia, que es e

De espíritus a dejadez del Gobierno: las peligrosas carreteras de Tailandia - Mundo

La muerte el mes pasado de una joven médica atropellada por un policía en una moto sin matrícula en un paso de cebra ha generado una gran controversia en Tailandia, que es el país asiático con mayor tasa de mortalidad en accidentes de tráfico, según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS).

"Creo que la seguridad vial está relacionada con asuntos como la planificación urbana y el transporte público. Cuando las autoridades no dan importancia a sus ciudadanos, dejan de cuidar la seguridad en las
The 101 World •

เมื่อชีวิตไม่ใช่แค่สถิติ: การจดจำผู้ถูกบังคับให้สูญหายผ่านผืนผ้าของหญิงชาวชิลีในช่วงเผด็จการทหาร

การไปถึงจุดสิ้นสุดของความเศร้าโศกนั้นส่วนใหญ่แล้วเรามองว่าคือการ ‘ลืม’ หรือการก้าวผ่านความสูญเสียไป แต่หลายครั้งการไปถึงจุดสิ้นสุดของความเศร้าโศกกลับเป็นการ ‘จำ’ เช่น การจารึกชื่อผู้เสียชีวิตจากเหตุการณ์ความรุนแรงเหมือนเหตุการณ์ 9/11 ที่กล่าวไป หนังสือ ‘Closure: The Rush to End Grief and What it Costs Us’ โดย Nancy Berns บอกว่า ผู้ที่พยายามไปถึงจุดสิ้นสุดของความโศกเศร้าด้วยการ ‘จำ’ นั้นพยายามหยุดความกลัวของการ ‘ลืม’ หรือความกลัวว่าคนอื่นๆ จะลืม จึงต้องหาวิธีการ ‘จำ’ เช่น จดจำร่วมกับผู้อื่นในที่ส
The 101 World •

‘เมียน้อย’ ที่ไม่ใช่ตัวร้ายในละคร

สิรินทร์ มุ่งเจริญ เขียนถึงภาพของ 'เมียน้อย' ที่ปรากฏในละครโทรทัศน์ พร้อมคุยกับเมียน้อยในชีวิตจริงว่าเหมือนหรือต่างกันอย่างไร และความคิดแบบไหนที่อยู่เบื้องหลังความชิงชังเมียน้อยในสังคมไทย
Thai Enquirer •

Grace Kanklao, cultural appropriation and Thailand's lack of empathy - The Culture Blog Main

Before debuting her latest cover, “พักก่อน COVID 19”, Grace Kanklao announced her new ‘look’ on Instagram to her two million followers: a sparkly red Bulls jersey, layers of bronze-gold chains and, unfortunately, cornrows.

Cornrows have long roots in black culture. They are practical for black hair, but also symbolic. As maps of freedom in the slave-owning South. As a way of connecting with a proud African heritage. “Carved into the scalp like a rite, energy rushing about the head. They speak,
Thai Enquirer •

The struggle for democracy and the struggle for women's rights are one and the same - Main News

In 2014, two tourists were murdered in Koh Tao – one of them, a woman, was raped and bludgeoned to death. In response, Prayudh Chan O-Cha blamed female tourists for wearing bikinis, saying:

“If [tourists] wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Only if they are not beautiful.”

It’s not sexism, people in the junta said, it’s just how he speaks. It was a joke.

Prayudh again took to the stage in 2016, to refer to women as “mothers” and “birth-givers.” If men and women had the same rights,
Thai Enquirer •

Sirin 'Fleur' Mungcharoen tells us about the infamous 'black flag' incident in her own words - Current Affairs

On Monday, March 2, a week after the “CU Assemble” protest at Chulalongkorn University, a video of students attempting to raise a black flag was released in a Facebook post.

The video and the news around it circulated quickly on social media and with it came the hate comments. In the released video, which made its way to many Thai media outlets, a particular student stood out. She was seen screaming, trying to raise the black flag.

That student was me.

The incident on the video came on the da

Translations

New Bloom Magazine •

Muay, The Conscience of Laotian Society

LAOS IS USUALLY portrayed in the global media as a peaceful and simple land of Buddhism. One also notes that Laos is also a place that has not been well-researched by international academia. Among the ASEAN countries, compared with studies on Thailand. Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, there are relatively few academic books published about Laos.

The government of Laos claims that the country is a Communist one, a system that was officially adopted in the country since 1975. This may seem contradic
New Bloom Magazine •

Taiwan’s Failure Under the New Southbound Policy Regarding Chinese Influence in Thailand

AFTER THANATHORN Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party, attended the Economist Forum in Hong Kong along with Joshua Wong, Wong posted a picture of himself with Thanathorn on Facebook. A few days later, the Chinese Embassy responded on Facebook, arguing that some Thai politicians were conspiring with separatists. The next day, General Apirat Kongsompomg, a senator and the Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army, made a public statement. General Apirat showed a picture of Wong w

Activism

The New York Times •

Young Women Take a Frontline Role in Thailand’s Protests (Published 2020)

Thousands of protesters gathered in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok on Saturday.

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Women, many of them students, are speaking out against a patriarchy that controls the military, the monarchy and the Buddhist monkhood, Thailand’s most powerful institutions.

BANGKOK — As tens of thousands of people have gathered for a series of pro-democracy protests in Thailand in recent weeks, their ranks have b
Bangkok Rising •

9 THAI FEMINIST ACTIVISTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

Sirin ‘Fleur’ Mungcharoen is a 21-year-old junior at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Arts, where she’s Vice President of the Student Council. She’s a human rights enthusiast, an intersectional feminist, and an activist. Her current work includes writing about social issues surrounding students on Nisit Review, translating feminist books to Thai for Nisit Samyan publishing, and ranting about patriarchy on any available platform. She recently translated Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit and her next project is to tackle Mary Beard’s Women & Power: A Manifesto. She spoke on a panel discussion at UN Women’s HeForShe University Tour at Chula about how to combat gender equality and gender-based violence on her campus.
Coconuts •

Making campuses equal places for women up to all: panel (Photos)

Gender inequality exists at all levels on school campuses, and speaking out to change it is up to everyone.

That was the consensus of panelists Monday at an event aiming to raise awareness about persistent gender disparities at tradition-bound schools, from the glass ceiling faced by female administrators to the lack of support for students who experience sexual harassment or violence.

“At the end of the day, it comes back to generations of our kids being told that men have more power and are
Prachatai English •

CSOs call for an end to online sexual harassment against women activists

A network of civil society organizations issued a statement on 29 April calling for an end to online sexual harassment against activists after student activist Sirin Mungcharoen faced a storm of social media attacks, the majority of which can be considered sexual harassment.

Sirin was one of the organizers of the “CU Assemble” student protest at Chulalongkorn University in late February. She has been outspoken about issues of gender equality and has posted content about feminism and gender equa
Prachatai English •

Victims of enforced disappearance remembered at student group’s exhibition

On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the student activist group Spring Movement and Amnesty International Thailand organized the “Separation/(Silence)” exhibition at the 14 October Memorial in memory of victims of enforced disappearances in Thailand.

Student activist Sirin Mungcharoen, a member of the Spring Movement, said that the people who came to take part in the event are the friends and family of victims of enforced disappearance, and that they would like th
Prachatai English •

Student group gathers in front of Chinese Embassy in memory of Tiananmen massacre

A group of students, along with two Chinese refugees, held a gathering in front of the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok on Tuesday (4 June) in memory of the 4 June 1989 massacre at Tiananmen Square.

The printout of a tank with a sign saying "a tank crushing those who think differently" (Source: Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal)

The student group, calling themselves “Humanity Without Borders”, was led by Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal and Sirin Mungcharoen, both students at Chulalongkorn University. The group plac
the Guardian •

The student, the Penguin and the king: elite Thai university roiled by dissent

Just a few years ago, student activism and protests were a rarity at Chulalongkorn University – considered Thailand’s most elite and staunchly conservative campus. Yet Thailand’s oldest university, named after King Chulalongkorn, has since become yet another battleground for debate over the role of Thailand’s monarchy and political system.

On Saturday, the head of the student union, Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, said he had been removed from his post by the university, which accused him of activiti
Extra •

What Everyone Else Does As It Pertains To Thai Girls And What You Should Do Different

As the rallies this summer time grew greater, girls took to protest phases to criticize a persistent wage hole and denounce what they call rape culture. They decried the government’s classification of feminine hygiene merchandise as cosmetics, which could make them answerable for greater taxes. Many of them are sure by school rules on hairstyles, uniforms and even underwear that they contemplate invasive. The involvement of social-media-savvy young girls has shifted the tenor of the current prot
Freedom House •

Thailand: Freedom on the Net 2020 Country Report

Internet access is considered affordable. While penetration has been steadily increasing, there remains a significant urban-rural divide. The government has worked to install free Wi-Fi access points in underserved areas, but their reach remains limited. The political leadership has continued efforts to tighten control over technical infrastructure as well as telecommunications regulatory bodies. A handful of large providers dominate the telecommunications and internet service markets, and all a

Thailand’s Youth Are Protesting Against the Government in a Fight for Their Future

BANGKOK, Thailand—Tensions have been running high in Thailand since Saturday, July 18, when thousands of anti-government protesters massed at the capital’s iconic Democracy Monument. The structure was raised to commemorate the Siamese Revolution in 1932 but has since become a symbol of freedom for generations of Thai activists. The bloodless uprising from nearly a century ago helped bring down a system of absolute monarchy in the country and usher in an era of increased democracy. Now, a new pro
Thai Enquirer •

Seminar to launch ‘Men Explain Things to Me’ on Saturday, June 6

A online seminar to launch the Thai translation of the book ‘Men Explain Things to Me’ will take place this Saturday, June 6.

The panel will be chaired by Petch Pongsuratham and feature former Future Forward MP Panika Wanich, lecturer Chalidaporn Songsampan and student leader (and sometime Thai Enquirer contributor) Sirin ‘Fleur’ Mungcharoen.

The panel will discuss what it means to be a woman in Thailand the challenges that women face in a highly patriarchal society.

Those interested can join
https://www.bangkokpost.com •

#BehindTheHashtags

Many student protests that were partly set off by the dissolution of Future Forward Party over the past two weeks has also ushered in new hashtags into the lexicon of Thai social media. At the time of writing, it has been reported that there are 28 hashtags associated with campus protests. Some are humourous while others carry strong political stances and sharp gibes. Whether you agree with these students who've chosen to make their voices heard, it's better to get used to their protest hashtags
Southeast Asia Globe •

In Thailand, a new generation of anti-junta activists are on the rise

Editor’s note: Future Forward Party was dissolved by the Thai Constitutional Court in a Feb. 21 decision. The court ruled Mr. Thanathorn had broken political finance laws by providing 191.2 million baht ($6.1 million) to fund his party’s election campaign last year. Mr. Thanathorn has contested this money was loaned, not given, to the party, but the court rejected this classification.

Thailand’s 2019 general election gave citizens their first taste of the democratic process after years of milit
UN Women – Asia-Pacific •

HeForShe University Tour: Bringing Gender Equality to Your Campus!

The HeForShe University Tour aims to bring awareness regarding gender inequality and its impacts to university campuses across Bangkok. The Tour provides a forum for critical discussion, opportunities to listen and learn from guest speakers and students, and a chance for students to brainstorm actions and initiatives they can implement to end gender inequality in their communities. The HeForShe University Tour seeks to engage youth from all genders to actively participate in the fight for gender
Khaosod English •

18 Pro-Hong Kong Protest Students Gather in Downtown Bangkok

BANGKOK — A handful of university students gathered to show their support for the Hong Kong protests Wednesday evening in front of a downtown arts space.

A group of 18 students calling themselves the CU Free Space student group gathered in front of the Bangkok Arts and Culture Center, holding umbrellas in order to show solidarity with the Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests.

“I’m here to express my support for the democratic and peaceful protest in HK, something we don’t see much in our c

Art

In my spare time, I also loves engaging with the local art scene.

With a background in Thai political, feminism, and lqbtq+ rights activism and education in languages, literature, and wide-range interests in liberal arts, I believe in the power of expressing one’s identity through the arts in all forms.

Often experiencing intense emotions due to my mental health, I channel my emotional intensity into my art, done in my cozy bedroom in NW Washington, DC.

Prachatai English •

Victims of enforced disappearance remembered at student group’s exhibition

On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the student activist group Spring Movement and Amnesty International Thailand organized the “Separation/(Silence)” exhibition at the 14 October Memorial in memory of victims of enforced disappearances in Thailand.

Student activist Sirin Mungcharoen, a member of the Spring Movement, said that the people who came to take part in the event are the friends and family of victims of enforced disappearance, and that they would like th

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