Thai police order media probes over protest coverage

Bangkok, October 19

Thai police stated on Monday they’d ordered an investigation of 4 information shops below emergency measures imposed final week to attempt to cease three months of protests in opposition to the federal government and monarchy.

The announcement prompted anger from media teams and accusations of an assault on press freedom by the federal government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the previous junta chief the protesters are searching for to drive from workplace.

According to a police doc dated October 16, investigations have been ordered into content material from 4 media shops in addition to the Facebook web page of a protest group.

“We received information from intelligence units concerned that parts of the content and distorted information have been used and disseminated to cause confusion and instigate causing unrest to society,” police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen advised a information convention.

He stated it was for Thailand’s broadcast regulator and digital ministry to research and take acceptable motion, including that there was no plan to curb press freedom.

Putchapong Nodthaisong, a spokesman for the digital ministry, stated it had requested court docket orders to take down content material by the 4 media shops and a protest web page, amongst greater than 300,000 items of content material it stated violated Thai legal guidelines.

Prachatai, an unbiased outlet amongst these being investigated, described it as a censorship order.

“Honored to report accurate info about human rights and political development in Thailand, we’ll try our best in continuing to do so,” Prachathai English stated on Twitter.

The Manushya Foundation, an unbiased group which campaigns for on-line freedom, known as the measures an try to silence free media.

“Since the ban on protests did not work, the military-backed government hopes to create fear of telling the truth,” its director Emilie Palamy Pradichit stated.

“We urge free media to resist.”

The authorities ordered a ban on information and on-line data that would have an effect on nationwide safety final Thursday because it additionally banned political gatherings of greater than 5 individuals within the face of the rising problem.

Protests have taken place day-after-day since then, the newest drawing tens of hundreds of individuals in Bangkok and throughout the nation. Police gave a determine of 20,000 protesters within the capital.

“We will prosecute everyone,” deputy Bangkok police chief Piya Tawichai stated, including that 74 protesters had been arrested since October 13.

Protesters search the removing of Prime Minister Prayuth, accusing him of engineering final 12 months’s election to maintain maintain of energy he first seized in a 2014 coup. He says the election was truthful.

The protesters have additionally grown extra vocal in demanding reforms to the monarchy to cut back the powers of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The Royal Palace has made no touch upon the protests or protesters’ calls for.

Protesters have stated they are going to display day-after-day, however had but to set out a plan for protests on Monday.

Prayuth has stated he is not going to stop. Speaking at Government House on Monday, Prayuth stated he supported a proposal for a particular parliament session to debate the state of affairs. His supporters have a majority in parliament.

“We are just asking people not to do wrong and destroy the government and people’s property,” he stated. “What the government needs to do is to protect the monarchy.” Reuters