<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. </div>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concernedto have learned that Thanapol Eawsakul, writer, human rights defender, and editor of Fa Diew Kan (Same Sky) journal and publishing house, has been re-arrested and is being held by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). The conditions of his re-arrest and detention are arbitrary and a clear derogation of the Government of Thailand's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). </div>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <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.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <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. </div></div>

<p><em>Note:</em> One of the words at the center of this article in Thai is “มนุษย์ป้า,” which literally translated would be “the aunty human,” or “the aunty creature,” but which is here translated simply as “aunty.” The collective plural of “aunty” is “gang of aunties,” or in Thai, “แก๊งค์ป้า.” A longstanding force in public as well as private life, women who fall into the category of aunties have emerged as a critical category of political figures.</p>

<div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The National Peace and Order Maintenance Council (NPOMC), a special security body led by coup maker Army Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, announced several orders early on Friday morning which aim at limiting the freedom of expression and information of Thai citizens.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>These measures were added after many TV channels and radio stations were forced to stop broadcasting their own programmes and only relay signals from the army’s TV and radio stations. </div></div>

<p>On 12 February 2014, assailants fired repeated gunshots and threw homemade bombs at the home and car of Professor Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a history professor at Thammasat University and outspoken political and cultural critic. The attack took place during the day and Professor Somsak was at home when it occurred. Although he did not sustain any physical injuries, the damage to his car and house indicate that the violence was intended to be deadly.</p>

<div>On 19 August 2013, New Mandala published an article titled <a href="http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/08/19/the-role-of-public-interest-litigation-in-the-quest-for-democracy-in-malaysia/">“The role of public interest litigation in the quest for democracy in Malaysia.”</a> You are now invited to read this one, slightly different title, and significant differences between countries and cultures vis-à-vis Malaysia.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> </div>

<div> <p>Reporters Without Borders regards a new law on blogs and social networks – announced on July 31st and due to take effect in september – as a gross violation of the right to inform and be informed.</p> <p>Known as <a href="http://www.chinhphu.vn/portal/page/portal/chinhphu/hethongvanban?class_id=1&amp;mode=detail&amp;document_id=168699" target="_blank">Decree 72</a>, the law restricts the use of blogs and social networks to “providing or exchanging personal information” and bans using them to share information from news sources.</p> <p></p></div>

<div>At present, Thailand’s right to freedom of expression is subjected to numerous regulations. It should be noted that all of the applicable laws to regulate freedom of expression in Thailand have been drafted and enacted by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) installed after the 19 September 2006 military coup.</div> <p></p>

<p>On World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders is releasing an updated list of 39 Predators of Freedom of Information ­– presidents, politicians, religious leaders, militias and criminal organizations that censor, imprison, kidnap, torture and kill journalists and other news providers. Powerful, dangerous and violent, these predators consider themselves above the law.</p> <p></p>

<p>A group of activists wearing identical masks and t-shirts portraying themselves as prisoners held placards calling for the freedom to read, write and publish, amidst the bustling annual National Book Fair at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre on Sunday.&nbsp;</p> <p></p>

<p dir="ltr" id="internal-source-marker_0.4555932275107084">In his introduction to his wonderful Age of Reason Thomas Paine implores that the reader give his work the same accordance he has given “every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine.” It was undoubtedly important to Thomas Paine considering he was writing about religion in a time where apostasy was still considered a grave offense. While the writing was published at the tail end of the European Enlightenment and at the height of the French Revolution, he still felt the need to highlight the necessity of liberty and differences of opinion.</p>