(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Council for Democratic Reform (CDR), which assumed control of Thailand following a recent military coup, has shut down a popular political website several hours after meeting with journalists and assuring them that the Thai media will be respected and protected by the interim charter. Set up by academics, the website, Midnight University […]
(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Council for Democratic Reform (CDR), which assumed control of Thailand following a recent military coup, has shut down a popular political website several hours after meeting with journalists and assuring them that the Thai media will be respected and protected by the interim charter.
Set up by academics, the website, Midnight University ( http://www.midnightuniv.org ), had been providing an important and popular forum for Thais to discuss the virtues and risks they saw in the 19 September 2006 coup that ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The website was shut down on the night of 29 September after the site’s organisers staged “a high-profile protest against the draft interim constitution,” reports an English-language daily newspaper, “The Nation”.
Earlier the same day, CDR Chairman Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin had met with some 20 representatives of major local media professional groups and newspapers who had sought assurance regarding the degree of protection of free expression afforded by the interim charter.
Webmaster Somkiat Tangnamo said the shutdown of Midnight University meant the loss of 1,500 scholarly articles provided for free public education. “This particular action is a threat against academic freedom, a threat against press freedom, and a threat against an important public sphere. It in effect removed the public sphere from society, which is unacceptable and cannot be justified,” “The Nation” quoted him as saying.
The Information and Communications Technology Ministry is authorised by the CDR to “control, block and destroy” information that may be detrimental to the present administration.
The CDR has banned activities of local politicians and shut down more than 300 of some 3,000 community radio stations, to prevent Thaksin supporters from voicing their thoughts and mobilising.
It appointed former army chief Surayud Chulanont as Thailand’s interim prime minister on 1 October.
