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Thai Journalists, Activists Said to Face Increased Scrutiny

Steve Sandford

   BANGKOK - Across Thailand's media landscape, new cybercrime and
   sedition laws created by the former junta-led government have
   effectively stifled criticism of that period. With a new civilian
   government in place, but led by a former military coup leader, Prayuth
   Chan-ocha, questions remain as to whether an ongoing clampdown on the
   media will continue.

   Thailand ranks 136th in a recent World Press Freedom index issued by
   Reporters Without Borders and is classified as being in a "difficult
   situation." Free speech and news reporting have been increasingly
   targeted since a 2014 coup.
   Outspoken journalists from news organizations such as the daily
   newspaper, Khaosod, have been summoned and interrogated by the army for
   what has been described as an "attitude adjustment," a disturbing move
   that some worry is the new norm.

   Journalist Teeranai Charuvastra, who works for Khaosod English, says,
   "There are multiple agencies and task forces dealing with and
   patrolling and policing what the media is saying, what people are
   saying online and this could have consequences on what you say or what
   you write."
   The paper's senior staff reporter, Pravit Rojanaphruk, has been
   summoned several times by the army and charged with sedition and
   violation of the country's Computer Crime Act for Facebook postings
   critical of the government.

   In May 2014, Pravit was summoned and detained incommunicado for a week
   soon after military coup-makers seized power. In September 2015, he was
   summoned to a military base, where he was blindfolded, driven for over
   an hour to a house with closed windows, and held incommunicado in a
   four-by-four-meter room by plainclothes military officials. Pravit said
   he thought he could "disappear" permanently during that time. In 2017,
   he received an International Press Freedom award from the Committee to
   Protect Journalists.

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