The State Emergency Management Headquarters in Bangkok have issued an order on Monday to investigate the "subversive" coverage of the recent mass protests in pro-democracy media outlets, which could face a ban if found guilty
BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2020) The State Emergency Management Headquarters in Bangkok have issued an order on Monday to investigate the "subversive" coverage of the recent mass protests in pro-democracy media outlets, which could face a ban if found guilty.
Some Thai mass media outlets organized live streams of the protests, published statements and appeals of protest leaders, and released confidential documents, concerning the control of online broadcasting.�Such actions are considered by Thailand's authorities as a threat to the nation's security.
"In accordance with the respective provisions of the emergency law of Thailand and the decree that has declared the state of emergency in Bangkok on October 15, [Thai security forces] shall thoroughly probe the following mass media, which broadcast on the air and via the internet, and ascertain whether they have presented subversive content that poses a threat to national security, calm and morale of the citizens," the document said.
The decree lists Voice tv, a digital television channel and its social network accounts, Prahcathai.com, a web-portal, The Reporters and The Standard social networks, and Free Youth as has the major driving force behind the protests.
"Depending on the results of each investigation, upon confirmation of the presence of subversive content, particular mass media shall be banned partially or completely", the document added.
The decree, which was signed on October 16, was published on Monday and it stopped short of stopping the activities of the mentioned outlets during the investigation. All the media listed in the document continue to operate normally on Monday.
The decree has been widely condemned on social networks. Several non-governmental organizations, including the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, have published special declarations that condemned the control of the media.
The demonstrations were ignited back in February when the constitutional court banned opposition party Future Forward, which was popular among students. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed the Thai authorities to hamper the protest movement by implementing restrictions on public gatherings. However, the pandemic has also affected the economic situation in the country and deepened public resentment with the authorities. The protesters have been demanding that the powers of the king be curbed and have called on prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who came to power after a coup in 2014, to resign.
