<p>The Asian Human Rights Commission thus calls upon the government of Thailand to see that all criminal acts, not only those that it picks and chooses, be subject to proper criminal investigation, prosecution and punishment through the courts, not ad hoc committees, tribunals and internal inquiries.</p>

<p>A prominent Malaysian blogger detained under the Official Secrets Act for comments on his blog accusing a minister of corruption is the latest victim of an emerging clampdown on online expression in the country and region, reports the Southeast Asia Press Alliance (SEAPA). </p>

<p>ARTICLE 19 today released its analysis of the draft Thai Public Service Broadcasting Agency Act, which seeks to transform TITV, a former commercial channel, into a public service broadcaster. If the draft Act is adopted, Thailand will become the first Southeast Asian country to put in place a legal framework for independent public service broadcasting. </p>

<p>ASEAN-based activists have condemned the Burmese regime&#39;s<br />constitution-drafting process as &quot;part of the problem and not the solution<br />to Burma&#39;s troubles&quot;.</p>

<p>On July 17 the government of Thailand renewed a state of emergency over the southern border provinces for the ninth time since it was introduced two years ago. That the bloodshed in the south has only worsened in these years should not be a surprise to anybody. </p>

<p>The Burmese junta has imposed restrictions on media coverage of the National Convention on the drafting of the constitution, to be held on 18 July 2007. </p>

<p>On May 11th, Oiwan Lam, Global Voices <a href="http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/author/oiwan/">Northeast Asia Editor</a>, committed what she says was a deliberate act of civil disobedience.</p>

<p>The ICJ&#39;s comments were sent in response to H.E. Prime Minister Gen. Surayud Chulanont&#39;s (Ret.) public invitation for comments on the Bill and are available in full on the ICJ website (www.icj.org). </p>

<p>The Burmese government has suppressed humanitarian organisations operating inside Burma for the past two years. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), whose offices were ordered to be closed in 2006, released a press statement on this issue for the first time, 29 June 2007. </p>

<p>Coming close to the 10 month anniversary of the 19 September 2006 coup, the Thai military government is tightening its grip on anti-coup activists. Despite being an illegitimate and unelected government, the regime needs to abide by international human rights obligations. </p>

<p>Thailand&#39;s military leaders are contemplating a law that will clamp down on organised opposition to a controversial draft of a new constitution.</p>

<p>On 18 July 2007, a law to prevent cyber crime is expected to come into force in Thailand. It will be the first law in the country to govern the Internet. This capsule report outlines developments relating to the Internet since the 19 September 2006 coup that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.</p>