BANGKOK -- Thailand's Interior Minister is under fire for moving to
pull a private television channel off of cable networks nationwide.
Cable operators, opposition senators, and free expression advocates
are calling a directive by Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung -
which media reports says threaten cable operators with imprisonment
unless they pull the plug on cable channel ASTV - illegal and
unconstitutional.

Chalerm on 13 June 2008 moved to ban ASTV, in an apparent attempt
to stifle its live coverage of anti-government protests organized
in Bangkok by the People's Alliance for Democracy.
Chalerm gave his directives at a monthly ministerial meeting which
was broadcast live via video conference to 76 governors nationwide.

The English-language daily The Nation quoted the interior minister
as telling the governors: "Write this down. The broadcasting of
ASTV through cable TV is a crime according to the Criminal Law
Article 85 and the [cable network] owners could be jailed for at
least six months." Chalerm added: "You, as governors, have to ask
cable TV operators to stop such broadcasting. If they fail to do
so, you should file a lawsuit against them. Don't worry. I have
studied the legal issues carefully before announcing this policy.
Call the ministry if you have any questions."

Cable TV operators were quick to question the legality of the
directive.
Senator and lawyer Warin Thiamcharas said Chalerm's order violates
Article 45 of the Thai Constitution as it would go against
guarantees for free expression and access to information.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Sunday himself acknowledged that
Thailand's Central Administrative Court provides protection for
ASTV's broadcasts, even in its critical coverage of his government.

Chalerm has tried to qualify his directive, saying he is not out to
completely ban ASTV, but rather just to stifle supposedly
inflammatory statement by protesters. All the same, opposition
Democrats in Bangkok say the interior minister is ultimately still
moving to tamper with a free press.