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<div>Thai military on Friday 'asked for cooperation' from Thammasat University, Bangkok, to stop an academic seminar on the interim charter, held by student activists; however, the university and the event organizers defied the military. </div>
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<div>A letter, signed by Col Noppadon Tawrit, Commander of the Kings Guard’s 1st Field Artillery Regiment, to the university rector, states “the seminar may affect the attempts to solve national conflict”, so the university should stop the event in order “to prevent the resurgence of differences in political at
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<div>Thailand’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has blocked access to two Prachatai English news stories on the alleged torture of red-shirt activist Kritsuda Khunasen, without giving any explanation to the online news outlet.
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<div><a href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Banned-game-found-offensive-to-monarchy-30240339.html">The Nation</a> : The Cultural Ministry explained that the simulation game Tropico 5, which allows players to build their own forms of government on a remote island, was banned because it contained content that appeared to be offensive to the monarchy.</div>
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<div>Cultural Promotion Department chief Chai Nakhonchai said a subcommittee of the Video and Film Office had examined the game and voted 5-1 to ban it, with two abstentions.</div>
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<div>The Thai authorities have banned the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_simulation_game">government simulation game</a> “Tropico 5,” reasoning that the game is sensitive to public order, according to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thainetizen/photos/a.10150109699603130.289409.116319678129/10152618951563130/?type=1">Thai Netizen Network</a>. </div>
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<div>Tropico 5 simulates the colonial era to modern times. In the colonial era, players take the role of a president who has a mission to explore new lands and colonize them.
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<div>ASTV-Manager Weekly Magazine publishes black cover on its latest issue and it will temporarily stop publishing for three weeks as a response to the junta’s intimidation. </div>
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<div>According to Thai PBS, the black cover is to protest against media intimidation by the junta. The magazine will stop publishing for three weeks to “ease pressure” during the investigation by the Press Council of Thailand. </div>
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<div>The junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) last week issued Order No.
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<div>The junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Saturday reprimanded ASTV-Manager Weekly magazine for discrediting the junta. </div>
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<div>NCPO Order No. 108 stated that issue 253 of the magazine, published on July 23, contained “several issues” based on “false information with dishonest intention” and that the magazine intended to “destroy the credibility of the NCPO.” </div>
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<div>This is a violation of NCPO Order No.
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<div>After the junta last Friday issued Order No. 97, prohibiting media from criticizing the junta and that any media outlet dare to criticize the junta would be shut down, on Monday night the junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) withdrew its order. </div>
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<div>The latest announcement, issued Monday night, amended the Order No.
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<div>Thai authorities have released the woman protester who held “Long Live USA Day” placard on 4 July at the US Embassy after detaining her for five days. </div>
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<div>On the US Independence Day on 4 July, Chaowanat Musikabhumi, aka “Nong,”, 52, gathered with other protesters at the Embassy to show support for the US. During the gathering, she was detained twice by plain-clothes officers, but was then released. On 6 July, about ten military and police officers later arrested her at her house in eastern Bangkok.
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By Reporters Without Borders |
<div>Thanapol Eawsakul, editor in chief magazine Fah Diew Gan (Same Sky), a political magazine, was arrested after posting a message on Facebook that displeased the ruling junta. Eawsakul was released on 9 July after four days in jail. The arrest took place after Eawsakul responded to an invitation to meet military officers at a cafe.
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<div>The BBC will re-open its Thai-language service for three months to provide alternative news after local media have been censored by the junta, according to <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/10955996/BBC-takes-on-Thailand-dictatorship-with-a-pop-up-Thai-service.html">the Telegraph</a>. </div>
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<div>The Telegraph reported on Wednesday that the operation will start this Thursday and will available only on a digital platform.</div>
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<div>“The BBC Thai initiative is a three-month experiment in how to respon
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<div>The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) on Friday punished a TV operator for airing<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexter_(TV_series)"> Dexter</a>, an American drama series about a serial killer, because of its “inappropriate” content. </div>
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<div>Natee Sukonrat, Chair of the NBTC, said the drama violates Article 37 of the 2008 Broadcasting Act which prohibits the TV operators from airing content deemed a threat to security, a breach of public morality or public order, or obscenity.
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<p>Thailand’s military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), announced on 25 June that it is creating panels to control media content and to prevent the media from being use to spread false information that could incite hatred and violence against the monarchy.</p>
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