Today in Short: Thailand‘s crackdown on the pro-democracy movement

Thailand was one of the 18 countries that introduced measures to
control so-called ‘fake news’ last year during the peak of the
Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the country has seen massive
pro-democracy protests, which have challenged the role of the
country’s monarchy – previously a taboo topic. Authorities have
resorted to violence to end the protests and journalists and news
outlets have also also caught up in the crackdown. The government
also recently revived its harsh lese majeste laws, which punish
criticism of the royal family.


 


What’s the status of press freedom in Thailand as of September
2021? My name is Javier Luque, and Today in Short, IPI Helsingin
Sanomat Fellow Ronja Koskinen interviews Pravit Rojanaphruk, an
award-winning columnist and senior staff writer at Bangkok-based
Khaosod English online news. The interview was recorded at IPI
World Congress, last Sept. 17.