Thailand

PEN International is deeply concerned by reports that renowned writer and activist Sulak Sivaraksa is facing trial for violating article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code (lèse majesté) in a connection with a speech he gave at Thammasat University in 2014.

The police have informed Thai columnist Pravit Rojanaphruk that his Facebook posts criticising the military regime are seditious.

Human rights lawyer Prawet Praphanukul, activist Danai Tibsuya, and four unidentified others were arrested and charged under the repressive lèse majesté provisions of the Thailand Criminal Code, and for offences under the Criminal Code and Computer Crimes Act.

The misnamed media rights and freedom law is the junta’s latest attempt to increase government interference and control of any independent news reporting in Thailand.

SEAPA condemned the 27 March 2017 National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) order suspending VOICE TV’s license to operate for seven days.

Thai authorities are urged to drop their prosecution of British journalist Jonathan Head, a BBC correspondent who is facing a possible five-year jail sentence over a September 2015 story about real estate fraud on the island of Phuket.

The Thai Supreme Court reduced the penalty of editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk from 10 to six years in prison in a lèse majesté case; Somyot has been in jail since April 2011.

Thailand’s broadcasting regulatory authority suspended the “Daily Voice” programme because in one episode it presented news analysis which “led to disunity in Thai Society by not airing complete facts.”

SEAPA expressed fears that Thailand is moving toward greater control of the media, with the government’s latest attempt to enact a new law to control the press.

In a recent media interview, Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha stressed the need for Thai authorities to have a tool to act against online content considered to be critical and offensive to the monarchy.

In these critical times, which is fraught with anxiety, less regulation on the Thai media would allow it to perform a better role as information channels and provide spaces for civic discussion.

“If Thailand’s decision [to deny activist Joshua Wong entry] was based on pressure from the Chinese government, Thai authorities are responsible for helping the Chinese Communist Party expand its repression abroad,” said Freedom house.

“If Thailand’s decision [to deny activist Joshua Wong entry] was based on pressure from the Chinese government, Thai authorities are responsible for helping the Chinese Communist Party expand its repression abroad,” said Freedom house.

An independent online media organisation is suing the army for details on a controversial project to test access to information laws in Thailand.

An independent online media organisation is suing the army for details on a controversial project to test access to information laws in Thailand.

A Thai court’s conviction of the British researcher Andy Hall for his work on labour abuses will have a serious chilling effect on workers’ rights monitoring in Thailand.