At Say NO-UNiTE, actions from Thailand consistently top the charts in sheer numbers. So far, over 622,000 actions on the platform have come from that one country. Momentum began with the global online petition drive that kicked off Say No in 2007— Thailand contributed more than 3.1 million out of 5 million signatures.

Some of the latest activities include setting up a network of male leaders and advocates, mobilizing youth and making justice more accessible to survivors of violence. A programme in schools, “Youth Say NO to Violence Against Women,” helps to challenge and change harmful attitudes, and promotes greater gender sensitivity, including through student-led campaigns.

So how is it that one country has become so galvanized to act on ending violence against women? Political commitment, prominent spokespeople, youth activism, wide outreach and creativity have been among the ingredients for success.

UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Princess Bajrakitiyabha in 2008 became an early Say NO signatory. Widely respected in Thailand, she drew the attention of the nation. She also brought her own knowledge of the toll that violence takes and the difficulty women have in getting justice. Not simply a royal figurehead, she’s a public prosecutor in a northeastern province of Thailand who knows well the workings of the justice system.

Under her influence, the Ministry of Justice came on board and began advocating for Say NO across other branches of government. Early on, the ministry picked up an online system for signature collection pioneered in China and adopted it for Thailand. The princess herself led bicycle caravans, organized role model contests to inspire activism and appeared frequently in the media to urge people to get involved.

And they did. Young people took to the streets to tell people about the urgency of ending violence and to collect signatures from new supporters. Civil society groups organized a multimedia strategy for the princess and reached out to people in rural areas who might not otherwise hear about the campaign. Thai Airways supported a fundraising drive by collecting unused currency from passengers on its flights. The Central Group of Companies, a major retail chain in Thailand, displayed specially painted T-shirts and set up donation boxes in its stores.

In the first two years of the Thai campaign, many activities focused on raising awareness. Thailand is a country, like most others, where people still don’t openly acknowledge the extent of the problem of violence against women. When women report violence to the police, Thai authorities can be reluctant to press charges, opting instead to negotiate a solution with the abuser, even in cases where that will almost certainly return a woman to a situation of continued harm.

With more people aware and engaged, by 2010 the Princess began asking people to take action. “I would like to encourage all to not only make your voice heard, but to ‘Make Your Voice Real,’ to turn our voice and the awareness that it has generated to engendering tangible safety and respect for women through enhanced crime prevention and criminal justice policy,” she said on the 2010 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Thailand enacted its Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act in 2007, and has laws in its penal code covering violations such as marital rape. Key national ministries have a formal agreement to coordinate different services for survivors of violence so that these are more readily available and easy to access. But more can be done to develop new laws and strengthen enforcement.

The campaigning around Say No has helped propel the development of judicial guidelines to aid judicial personnel and police in fully upholding the domestic violence law. A model courtroom was designed so women do not need to face perpetrators during court proceedings. One Stop Crisis Centres, where survivors of violence can find combined medical, legal and psychological support services, have spread to 750 provincial and district hospitals, up from 6 provincial hospitals in 1999.

In mid-2010, over 73,000 people took part in training programmes organized by provincial public prosecutors across Thailand. Teachers, students, civil servants and local residents learned about laws that govern their lives, including the one on domestic violence.

“I think to be successful in stopping violence, you have to both raise awareness and do concrete projects,” says Santanee Ditsayabut, a Public Prosecutor who supports actions to end violence through Thailand’s Office of the Attorney General. “So we are asking people to commit themselves. If you see an act of violence, then report it to the police. Try to educate your neighbours, maybe make a network that people can turn to for support.”

The princess already has other plans in motion, such as more focused legislation to protect women in criminal procedures, including through comprehensive witness and victim protection plans. Integrating gender equality considerations across criminal justice reform would update all national laws and the criminal code accordingly.

At the highest level of Thai society, there is growing recognition that the country’s future prosperity and stability depends on reducing the social and economic costs of violence against women. “Neither gender equality nor development can be fully realized if violence against women and girls is allowed to take place, unabated and unresolved,” said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The Princess agrees. “By working towards ending poverty and striving for development for women, we can help influence the realignment of power relations between men and women. To a great extent, this can be an effective means to prevent women from being subjected to violence.”

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