Thai prime minister sues two journalists
Bangkok, October 4, 2005 — The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned today the filing of criminal and civil lawsuits by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra against two Thai journalists who allegedly accused him of disloyalty to the King. . “Prime Minister Shinawatra’s resort to criminal defamation suits against journalists represents a clear and present danger…
THAILAND
SEPTEMBER 30, 2005 Posted October 11, 2005 Sondhi Limthongkul, Sarocha Porn-udomsak, Channel 9 LEGAL ACTION Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra filed two lawsuits over a September 9 commentary by political talk show hosts Sondhi Limthongkul and Sarocha Porn-udomsak on state-owned Channel 9. The commentary cited an article that implied that Thaksin was disloyal to King…
CPJ concerned about delay in witness testimony in Thai trial
New York, August 19, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about a delay in the testimony of three international expert witnesses who were scheduled to appear in court in Bangkok this week in defense of media activist Supinya Klangnarong, who is on trial with the Thai-language daily Thai Post on criminal defamation charges. Shin…
CPJ condemns criminal defamation charges
New York, August 16, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the criminal defamation charges filed by two state-owned firms against the editor of the English-language daily Bangkok Post, Kowit Sanandang, and the newspaper’s parent company, Post Publishing Plc. The charges, announced today, carry penalties of up to two years in prison and a fine of…
THAILAND
AUGUST 15, 2005 Posted: August 18, 2005 Kowit Sanandang, Bangkok Post Post Publishing LEGAL ACTION Two state-owned firms filed criminal defamation complaints against the editor of the English-language daily Bangkok Post, Kowit Sanandang, and the newspaper’s parent company, Post Publishing Plc. The charges carry penalties of up to two years in prison and a fine…
Thai officials raid, close a critical Bangkok radio station
Bangkok, Thailand, August 11, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about the Thai government’s escalating harassment and intimidation of the media. Police on Tuesday raided and shut down FM 92.25, a Bangkok community radio station known for its critical reporting of the prime minister, and threatened to arrest its journalists if they continued…
Company seeks massive damages in defamation cases
Bangkok, Thailand, July 28, 2005—A Thai company with ties to a former government official has filed criminal defamation complaints seeking massive damages from two daily newspapers owned by the Matichon media company. The Committee to Protect Journalists said today it is deeply concerned about the cases, part of a troubling trend toward litigation against the…
CPJ condemns threats to media freedom in Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand, July 19, 2005—Thailand’s cabinet today imposed emergency rule empowering the prime minister to censor the media in the country’s three Muslim-dominated, insurgency-hit southern provinces. The measure also gives the government power to detain suspects without trial, tap telephones, monitor e-mail exchanges, and confiscate suspects’ property in Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani provinces.