<div>(BANGKOK, March 19, 2018)—Thailand’s Appeal Court should uphold a lower court’s ruling tomorrow to dismiss a criminal-defamation complaint against the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) and four Thai journalists, Fortify Rights said today.</div> <div> </div> <div><img alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4795/40208414564_990c0542ca_o.jpg" /></div> <div> </div> <div>Thai mining firm Tungkum Limited filed complaints against Thai PBS and four journalists in November 2015 in response to a news report that inclu </div>

<div> <div>The Administrative Court has nullified an order that fined Thai PBS for broadcasting political talks about the Thai monarchy.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 15 February 2018, the Administrative Court ruled to invalidate a fine of 50,000 baht imposed by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on Thai PBS for broadcasting political discussions about the Thai monarchy.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The court ruled that bias on the part of Lt Gen Peerapong Manakit, one of the NBTC members who proposed the punishment, led to an unfair trial. </div></div>

<div> <div>Despite an earlier court ruling, the Thai Army has filed a defamation lawsuit against a torture victim in the Deep South, who exposed his experience on TV in support of an anti-torture bill.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 14 February 2018, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 filed defamation charges against Isma-ae Tae, a founder of the Patani Human Rights Organisation. </div></div>

<div> <div>Under the junta, where a free media is crucial for voicing people’s concerns, all people can hear from the Thailand’s so-called public television is “the sound of silence,” says an academic.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>In The Creative Forum on 5 July 2017, Pokpong Chanwit, who conducted research in the 2009 performance evaluation project of Thai Public Broadcasting Service (ThaiPBS), delivered a speech calling on ThaiPBS to improve its internal management system and raise its voice for the people.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Pokpong said that after 10 years of operations, he, like many </div></div>

<div><a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1191509/media-control-bill-suspended">Two weeks ago</a>, the whip committee of the junta’s National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) temporarily rejected the <a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/6947">Protection of Media Rights and Freedom, Ethics and Professional Standards Bill</a>, following strong opposition from the 30 media organisations. </div>

<p dir="ltr">In a landmark case for media, a Thai court has dismissed a criminal defamation case filed against the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) and four media workers for airing a program on environment impacts of the gold mining industry.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 16 November 2016, the Bangkok Criminal Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Tungkam Co. Ltd against Thai PBS and four of its current and previous employees. Tungkam is a gold mining company operating in Wang Saphung District of the northeastern Loei Province.</p>

<h2>Thailand: Drop Criminal Complaint Against Thai PBS</h2> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Government should protect press freedoms, decriminalize defamation laws</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><img alt="" src="https://i.vimeocdn.com/portrait/8001105_640x640" /></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>(Bangkok, October 3, 2016)—Thai gold-mining company Tungkum </div>

<p>With three candidates for the post, Thai PBS has chosen a high ranking military officer as a new director.</p> <p>On Friday, 29 July 2016, the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) announced that the organisation has selected Lt Col Naravit Pao-in as the new Director of Administration and Finance.</p> <p>Lt Col Narawit formerly served as Deputy Director of Administration of the Market Organization under the Ministry of Interior, Director of the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and officer in the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).</p>

<p>Workers at the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) have asked the court to revoke the appointment of a new director by its Policy Board, saying the appointment is unlawful. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Staff of Thai PBS led by Kowit Phothisan on Monday morning, 18 April 2016, filed a lawsuit at the Administrative Court of Bangkok against the Thai PBS Policy Board over its decision to appoint of Krissada Ruangareerat as director.</p>

<div>Thai Police said nine people including two of Thailand’s leading scholars, Sulak Sivaraksa and Somsak Jeamteerasakul, are likely to face lèse majesté charges over a televised academic discussion on the lèse majesté law.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><a href="https://web.facebook.com/BBCThai/photos/a.1527194487501586.1073741828.1526071940947174/1747208862166813/?type=3&amp;theater">BBC Thai</a> reported that Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul, Deputy Police Chief, on Wednesday, 9 March 2016, said that nine people and two corporations involved in airing a talk show in 2013 called Tob Jod (The An </div>

<p>Child rights organisations have urged a gold mine operator in Thailand’s northeast to drop a criminal defamation lawsuit against a 10^th grade student for allegations that the company polluted her village. &nbsp;</p> <p>On Wednesday, 16 December 2015, 22 civil society organisations on child rights and protection issued a joint statement, urging Tungkam Co. Ltd., a gold mining company operating in Wang Saphung District of northeastern Loei Province, to drop a lawsuit against Wanphen Khunna, a grade 10 student from Si Songkhram School in the district.</p>

<p>A gold mine company is threatening to sue a high school student who reported the environmental effects of mining activities in Isan, Thailand’s northeast.</p> <p>On 4 September 2015, Suphab Phrommanee, the village chief of Ban Phuthapfa Phattana, Khao Luang Subdistrict, Wang Saphung District, Loei Province, summoned Wanphen Khunna, a grade 10 student from Si Songkhram School and her family for a talk at his house on 6 September 2015.</p>