Thai Government Tightens Sweeping Pandemic News Criticism Ban

[PeterRS]

From The Guardian newspaper

"The Thai government has outlawed sharing news that “causes public fear”, even if such reports are true, as officials face mounting criticism over their handling of the pandemic. On Thursday, the government tightened an emergency decree imposed more than a year ago that initially targeted false news. 

"The latest restrictions forbid people from distributing “information causing public fear”, or from sharing “distorted information causing misunderstanding which affects national stability”. The measures have been widely condemned by media groups and rights experts as attempts to shut down negative news reports and silence debate.

Sunai Phasuk, senior researcher on Thailand in Human Rights Watch’s Asia division, described it as a “serious blow” to press freedom in the country. “I think the government realises it is now facing a credibility crisis because of this disastrous response to the Covid situation, but instead of trying to find better solutions, more efficient solutions, it chooses to gag anyone from speaking about its failures,” he said. “This provision doesn’t care about accuracy or whether it is true or false.”

"Under the regulations, if false content is spread online, the country’s broadcasting regulator will contact internet service providers to identify the individual’s IP address and block their internet access.

"Internet providers who fail to comply will be deemed to have breached the requirements of their operating licences, and action will be taken against them."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/30/thailand-bans-sharing-of-news-that-causes-public-fear-amid-pandemic-criticism

[TotallyOz]

Insanity! But, I expect nothing less.

[Guest]

The government is chipping away at one more essential component of democracy.    The press and Thai nationals need to resist this.   It's not a matter for farang.

[Londoner]

This is how military juntas behave. It is just that- a junta- not a government.  In fact, in some ways it has benefitted from Covid in so far as it put a lid on the street protests. And we all know that if, through an act of God, Covid disappeared tomorrow, the restrictions on dissent would remain. I sometimes wonder if the junta (like Bolsonaro and Duterte) may not be bothered too much about the epidemic. It's a perverted version of Rome's "blood and circuses"....it keeps the populations' collective mind off such minor issues as poverty.

 

[reader]

I agree that foreigners in the country should avoid protests and demonstrations. However, foreigners--wherever they might be--who believe that this poses a threat to the people of Thailand should not be inhibited from expressing those about fears the actions the government is taking.

If people and nations don't do so about atrocities in Myanmar, that nation's junta will feel even more free to kill its citizens than it already does. If more foreigners had done so in the 30's, it's not impossible that the Holocaust might have been prevented.

Excerpt from Thai Enquirer Opinion column

This government has the temerity to think that they can keep passing decrees and laws that infringe on our freedom without consequences.

They are wrong.

So we are letting you know at Thai Enquirer that nothing will change, that we will continue to hold power to account. Though this new law was designed to target us and our colleagues who do a thankless job everyday, we will not be scared into biting our tongue or holding in our critiques.

We believe that in a just society, the first line of defense against the encroachment of totality and despotism is a free and fair press. We will work and act accordingly.

[thaiophilus]

Don't imagine it's only happening in Thailand... Reichsleiter Patel has plans for England too:

Fury at plans that could jail reporters for up to 14 years for stories that embarrass the government

How a proposed secrecy law would recast journalism as spying

When even the Daily Wail thinks it's a bad idea, something is seriously wrong.

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Civil Court blocks PM's gag on free speech

The Civil Court on Friday ruled in favour of the media by issuing an injunction suspending Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s regulation restricting freedom of speech and threatening internet censorship.

The court said it went against the law.

The court also issued an English-language announcement of its decision.

“Considering that Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (2005) (No. 29) provides Prime Minister no authorization to suspend internet services provision, Article 2 of the Regulation authorizing the suspension of internet services provision against the Internet Protocol address (IP address) of which the user has disseminated the information not compatible with the Regulation is in contrary to the law,’’ the announcement said. 

“It is in the view of the Court that, considering the existence of several legal instruments establishing the measures concerning illegal dissemination of information and the government’s capability to educate people, develop a public better understanding and examine false information, the suspension of the enforcement of such Regulation does not pose any obstacle to public administration in emergency situations and public interest,’’ the the statement said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2161247/civil-court-blocks-pms-gag-on-free-speech

[anddy]

On 8/6/2021 at 2:02 PM, reader said:

The court said it went against the law.

 

sometimes there are flickers of hope even in Thailand

[Londoner]

There is of course the Trumpian approach; if judges provide unwelcome decisions, appoint different ones.

[Ruthrieston]

BoJo the Bumbling Buffoon would love to be able to do that!

[reader]

From Thai Enquirer

Police seeking spyware that will help it monitor chat applications

Thai police are seeking software that would help it monitor chat applications and social media private messages, a police source told Thai Enquirer on Tuesday.

The Royal Thai Police have reached out to several companies selling software similar to the Pegasus software developed by an Israeli defense company. Police have approached vendors looking for technology that could be used to monitor messages sent between popular chat applications like LINE, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

Police will use the application to monitor and prevent political protest as well as go after members of organized crime and drug smugglers, the source told Thai Enquirer on the condition of anonymity.

The news will worry rights groups and dissidents especially after a “watchlist” of protest leaders and opposition politicians was revealed on Monday. (Read more here)

https://www.thaienquirer.com/31061/thai-police-seeking-spyware-that-will-help-it-monitor-chat-applications/