Thailand: Internet censorship to be followed by censorship of radio and TV

Internet censorship to be followed by censorship of radio and TV
<http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=31388>

Reporters Without Borders is alarmed by a government announcement on 14 May
that it will introduce new regulations for community radio stations and cable
and satellite TV stations aimed at controlling programme content. Broadcasters
would be required to seek permission for each programme being aired, the
government said.

"The adoption of these regulations would deal a fatal blow to free expression
in Thailand, which is already heavily restricted on the Internet," Reporters
Without Borders said. "The government will have the power to ban programmes
that question their policies and legitimacy. We urge the authorities to scrap
this plan."

Sathit Wongnongtoey, the minister in charge of the prime minister's office,
said the regulations would enable the authorities to take action against any
broadcaster airing content deemed to undermine democracy. They would be
enforced even-handedly with both "red-shirt" (anti-government) and "yellow
shirt" (pro-government) broadcasters, Sathit said.

"Once the regulations take effect, any broadcast station airing content deemed
to be politically incendiary will not be allowed to operate," he added.

The communication ministry has been censoring the Internet strictly since
January, ridding it of all content that is deemed to be "politically
incendiary" or to "attack the king." Suwicha Thakor, for example, was
sentenced to 10 years in prison on 3 April on a lese majeste charge for
posting content critical of the monarchy online.