The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) has dubbed 2002 the "year of media co-optation" – a year in which government attacks against the press became more subtle and sophisticated.

Releasing its annual survey of press freedom on 2 January, the press freedom watchdog said although physical attacks on journalists and harassment of broadcast media declined last year, government intimidation remained well entrenched.

In the most serious case of the year, in March, the government ordered the Anti-Money Laundering Organisation (AMLO) to probe the financial assets of journalists whose reports had been critical of its policies, TJA said.

In the same month, the Thai Army ordered a ban on its radio station's broadcast of a program produced by the Thai daily newspaper, "The Nation," saying it was too critical of the government.

TJA also documented five cases of harassment and intimidation against the media in 2002, including an incident in which an aide to the prime minister threatened to assault a "Thai Post" reporter because of the newspaper's reporting on the AMLO probe.

Read the full report here: www.seapabkk.org">http://www.seapabkk.org/alerts/2003/20030108.html">www.seapabkk.org

Visit these links:

- TJA: www.tja.or.th">http://www.tja.or.th/English_Content/english_content.html">www.tja.or.th

- ARTICLE 19: www.article19.org">http://www.article19.org/docimages/1278.doc">www.article19.org

- Committee to Protect Journalists: www.cpj.org">http://www.cpj.org/attacks01/asia01/thailand.html">www.cpj.org

- Reporters sans frontières: www.rsf.fr">http://www.rsf.fr/article.php3?id_article=1430%26amp;Valider=OK">www.rsf.fr