Nakhon Chomphuchat, lawyer

Nakhon is vice president of the Law Society of Thailand's Human Rights Committee. A student activist in 1976, he graduated from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Law and has been working on human-rights cases since 1989, including a defence of the Santi Asoke sect's right to practise non-conventional Buddhist ordinations.

Nakhon become known to the public in 2001 when he defended 21 former iTV reporters over their rights to establish a labour union. He won the case after convincing the Labour Court that the 21 had been unfairly dismissed because they wanted to set up the union.

In 2002, Nakhon defended Nation Multimedia Group editors and non-governmental organisation workers in a case against the Anti-Money Laundering Office, which had ordered banks to reveal financial details of the editors and NGO workers.

More recently, he won a case for "freedom of expression" when he defended media reform activist Supinya Klangnarong, who had been sued by Shin Corp over her interview with Thai Post.

And yesterday, he claimed another victory for the rights of consumers, after a court ruled in favour of cancelling two Royal Decrees enacted in 2005, concerning the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat).

Nitithron Lam-lhuea, lawyer

With his MA in law from Ramkhamhaeng University, Nitithron began defending human-rights cases in 1988. He has represented the poor and victims in many cases, including the right of members of an ethnic minority group in Chiang Mai's Mae Ai district to be granted Thai nationality, and those affected by Cobalt radiation contamination.

Sairung Thongplon

A journalist-turned-consumer rights activist, Sairung started work at the Confederation of Consumer Organisations in December 2000. She launched her first public campaign against Egat's FT rate in February 2001.

"I have followed public policy, especially on Egat, since I was reporter at Thai Post newspaper. The court's verdict today is great. I feel that the court cared about all the details that were in the public's interest," she said.

Saree Aong-somwang

Saree is a former nurse who went to work for an NGO. She founded the Foundation for Consumers in 1989 and played a vital role in the fight for people's rights to access medicine and medical treatment. She has worked for almost two decades to protect the rights of consumers and patients.

Rosana Tositrakul

A founder of the Thai Health Foundation and a key leader of a network of 30 NGOs established to campaign against corruption in the procurement of medicine and medical equipment at the Public Health Ministry.

Rosana led the group in exercising its right under section 340 of the Constitution to collect 50,000 signatures seeking the removal of former public health minister Rakkiat Sukthana from office. Rakkiat was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The National Human Rights Commission praised Rosana on International Women's Day this year [March 8] as a Women Human Rights Defender in recognition of her work.