Thai junta to media: Criticize us

and we will shut you down

By Bangkok Pundit Jul 20, 2014
The Junta Issued A New Edict on Friday. Below is summarized
translation (full Thai in parenthesis and mostly complete translation, ut
!ust too lon" in parts for #$$% complete and full translation&'.
Announcement of the National Council for Peace and Order No.
97/2557 (Notification No. maintain national No. 97/2557).
Subject Coo!eratin" to"ether in the underta#in" of $or# b% the
National Council for Peace and Order and the di&tributin" of ne$& to
the !ublic (&ubject to coo!eration on the !erformance of the 'oard to
#ee! the !eace and national di&&emination of information to the
!ublic).
(n order to en&ure that the $or# underta#en b% the National Council
for Peace and Order i& orderl% and that the di&tributin" of ne$& to the
!ublic i& correct $ithout di&tortion& and mi&under&tandin"& $hich
$ill affect the !eace and "ood order of &ociet%) the National Council
for Peace and. Order announce& a& follo$& (to ma#e the $or# of the
National Committee to maintain an orderl% and to the di&&emination
of information to the !ublic i& accurate. *ree of di&tortion and
mi&under&tandin". +hi& $ill affect the treatment of the &ocial
order. ,aintain the National 'oard ha& announced the follo$in").
-. .e&cind the follo$in" announcement& of the National Council for
Peace and Order ((tem - Notification maintain national follo$in").
(-) National Council for Peace and Order Announcement No. -//2557)
Subject Prohibitin" the creatin" of conflict or o!!o&in" the $or# of
the National Council for Peace and Order i&&ued on ,a% 22) 20-/ ((-)
Notification of #ee!in" the !eace. national No. -//2557 1o not create
a conflict) or a"ain&t the 'oard of the National Peace 2ee!in" dated
,a% 22) A1 2557).
(2) National Council for Peace and Order Announcement No. -3/2557)
Subject 1i&tributin" ne$& to the !ublic i&&ued on ,a% 22) 20-/ ((2)
Notification maintain national No. -3/2557 re"ardin" the
di&&emination of information. to the !ublic on ,a% 22) A1 2557).
2. (t i& Prohibited for an% !er&on includin" 4ditor&) !re&enter&)
5ournali&t& and o$ner& of Print) .adio) +6 to (N6(+4 !er&on& or
"rou!& that are academic& or *ormer ci7il Ser7ant& includin" *ormer
4m!lo%ee& of Court&) 5udicial Office& and inde!endent
Or"ani8ation&. Who could Give opinions in A Manner The
Conflict that Can inflict or worsen, distort information,
create or Lead to Confusion in The Society The Use of
Violence (Article 2 !rohibit& an% !er&on) includin" editor&)
!re&enter&) journali&t& and media o$ner&. +ele7i&ionAnd radio
broadca&tin" Or in7ite 9rou! that $a& the academic Or $ho had been
a ci7il &er7ant (ncludin" tho&e $ho $or# in the court& and the ju&tice
&%&tem a& $ell a& inde!endent or"ani8ation&. An inter7ie$ or
comment on the $a% that could cau&e or am!lif%) di&tort and confu&e
o!!o&ition to &ociet%. (t ma% al&o lead to 7iolence).
B( ' )ell, this is so Broad. This is not !ust information deemed false, ut
anythin" that worsens that creates confusion or worsens conflict *.
Announcement continues'
:. O!erator& and !ro7ider& in the media of all t%!e& $hether &tate or
!ri7ate and $hether broadca&t / terre&trial tele7i&ion) local tele7i&ion)
&atellite tele7i&ion) cable tele7i&ion) di"ital tele7i&ion) (nternet
tele7i&ion) ne$&!a!er&) ma"a8ine&) or other !rinted media includin"
all t%!e& of electronic. Online Ser7ice Pro7ider& includin" Social
,edia have A !uty to !istri"ute information that they have
"een informed A"out The #ational Council for $eace and
%rder (Article : o!erator& and &er7ice !ro7ider& of all t%!e& of
media) both !ublic and !ri7ate.;hether it i& a tele7i&ion &tation
broadca&tin". +erre&trial tele7i&ion +ele7i&ion broadca&tin") cable
tele7i&ion and di"ital tele7i&ion) internet) ne$&!a!er&) journal& or
!ublication&. (ncludin" the &er7ice& of all t%!e& of electronic media)
includin" &ocial communication ,edia. Are obli"ed to !ubli&h
information a& !rom!ted b% the !re&er7ation of !eace and national).
B( ' Translation' If The Junta says anythin" then it must e Broadcast.
Announcement continues'
(n thi& re"ard) the&e !er&on& &hould cea&e !re&entin" ne$& a& follo$&
(A !er&on a& $ell a& an% other !er&on to refrain !re&entin"
information in the follo$in").
(-) *al&e information or i& in +he direction of bein" defamator%. or
create& hatred to$ard& +he ,onarch%) +he heir). and all .o%al& ((-) a
fal&e &tatement. Or im!lied to the defamation. Or create hate a"ain&t
monarch% and ro%alt% heir to <i&).
B( ' E+en roader than ##, *.
Announcement continues'
(2) $hich i& A +hreat to +he Ne$& of +he Nation includin" defamation
&afet% of other&. ((2) information that $ould harm national
&ecurit%. (ncludin" libel other&)
B( ' Anythin" Aout A ne"ati+e person is defamatory and this could e
considered as A Threat to The safety of The Nation. )e already ha+e the
royal family co+ered ao+e so who will e the persons here-
Announcement continues'
(:) Critici&m of the $or# of the National Council for Peace and Order)
official& of the National Council for Peace and Order) and related
!er&on& ((:) a critici&m of the $or# of the National Committee to #ee!
the !eace. Official& of the National Peace 2ee!in". And indi7idual&
in7ol7ed)
B( ' A"ain, so Broad * Announcement .ontinues'.
(/) 6oice) ima"e) and 7ideo $hich are the &ecret& of the $or# of
7ariou& "o7ernment a"encie& ((/) &ecret data) 7oice) !icture 7ideota!e
of the !erformance of 7ariou& "o7ernment a"encie&).
B(' )orried Aout lea/s-
Announcement continues'
(5) Ne$& that create& confu&ion) incite&) in&ti"ate&) or cau&e& conflict
or create& di7i&ion in the 2in"dom ((5) (nformation that cau&e
confu&ion) !ro7ocation) incitement to conflict. Or create a rift in the
ro%al criminal c%cle).
B( ' News that .auses .onfusion is Ille"al. Announcement continues'
(=) Per&uadin" or !lottin" that there be a&&emblin" of !er&on& $ho
are o!!o&ed to official& or !er&on& that are related to the National
Council for Peace and Order ((=) &olicitin" "an" to be union militant&
!o&ed a"ain&t official& and indi7idual&. related to the !re&er7ation of
!eace and national).
(7) +hreatenin" or a&&aultin" !er&on& $hich cau&e& fear amon"&t the
!eo!le ((7) and threatened to harm or injure a !er&on. >eadin" to
!anic. +error to the !eo!le)
/. Pro7incial "o7ernor& ci7il &er7ant& under the ,ini&tr% of (nterior
includin" the Police Chief in each !ro7ince &hall &u&!end / &to! all
!rote&t& or acti7itie& that o!!o&e the $or# of the National Council for
Peace and Order. (f thi& i& be%ond their ca!abilit% the% &hould
re!orted &o action. can be ta#en (Article / of the 9o7ernor and the
Commi&&ioner of the ,ini&tr% of (nterior. +he ,etro!olitan Police
Commi&&ioner And !ro7incial !olice commander <old a rall% or
!rote&t a"ain&t the dut% of the 'oard to #ee! the !eace in the fir&t
innin"& of the ca&e be%ond the ca!abilit% to re!ort to the enforcement
a"encie& in the nei"hborhood #no$ to !erform the ne?t &te!).
5. (f there i& a ca&e $here a !er&on breache& or doe& not act in
accordance $ith 2 or : then the% &hould be &u&!ended from
di&tributin" and broadca&tin" includin" the airin" of &ho$&
immediatel% and le"al action &hould be ta#en (Article 5 (n the e7ent
the. An% !er&on $ho 7iolate& or fail& to com!l% $ith Article 2 or
Article : &hall &u&!end the di&tribution or broadca&t media. (ncludin"
the broadca&t of &uch item& immediatel%. And !ro7ide com!etent le"al
limit i& "uilt% of !roceedin"&).
B( ' This is The Bi" 0tic/ The Junta has that. It is asically we will shut you
down and prosecute you *.
Announcement continues'
=. Action& contrar% or not in accordance $ith Announcement No
-//2557) Subject Prohibitin" the creatin" of conflict or o!!o&in" the
$or# of the National Council for Peace and Order i&&ued on ,a% 22)
20-/ or National Council for Peace and Order Announcement No.
-3/2557) Subject 1i&tributin" ne$& to the !ublic i&&ued on ,a% 22)
20-/ $hich $ere underta#en before thi& Announcement came into
effect &hall face le"al action under tho&e Announcement& (Article =
act& in 7iolation of or noncom!liance !ur&uant to #ee! the !eace.
national No. -//2557 i& not in conflict or o!!o&e the !erformance of
the 'oard maintain national dated 22 ,a% '4 2557 and No. maintain
national No. -3/2557 re"ardin" the di&&emination of information on.
Public) dated ,a% 22) A1 2557) $hich $a& done !rior to thi&
notification and are &till in the !roce&& of le"al action on me a& thi&
notification. +o remain an offen&e and le"al action an%$a%).
+hi& &hall ta#e effect immediatel% (from no$ on$ard).
Announced on 5ul% -3) 20-/ (announced on -3 5ul% A1 2 557).
9en. Pra%uth Chan@ocha (9en. Pra%uth. +hanthi$ara$on")
<ead of +he National Council for Peace and Order (National 'oard of
Su!er7i&or& to #ee! the !eace).
A( '
+hai 5ournali&t& A&&ociation chairman Pradit .uan"dit &aid the
juntaA& order could affect the !eo!leA& ri"ht& to acce&& ne$& and
information and ma% allo$ authoritie& to abu&e their !o$er in
&u&!endin" the broadca&t or !ublication 7iolatin" the order.
(t i& Not Clear if there ;ill be an% ;arnin"&) an% Ste!& or an%
a!!roache& in determinin" +he offen&e)B Pradit &aid in A
Statement. &'f there is an a"use of $ower and there is no
Chec( and )alance $rocess, it is more Li(ely A )ad 'mpact
Will this create that . C
<e &aid the +hai 5ournali&t& A&&ociation $ould call a meetin" ne?t
$ee# $ith media e?ecuti7e& and !rofe&&ional& to di&cu&& and find a
&olution to the !roblem.
*rida%A& order $a& an amended) more com!rehen&i7e 7er&ion of t$o
!re7iou& edict& infrin"in" on media freedom i&&ued b% the junta after
the ,a% 22 militar% cou!. Shortl% before that) the militar%) e?erci&in"
!ro7i&ion& under martial la$) ordered a clo&edo$n of -/ !arti&an
tele7i&ion net$or#& D both !ro@and anti@"o7ernment &tation& D and
nearl% :)000 unlicen&ed communit% radio &tation& acro&& +hailand.
Critic& &aid the order to cen&or all form& of media $a& e?!an&i7e and
contradicted the me&&a"e the cou! leader) 9en. Pra%uth Chan@ocha)
ha& attem!ted to &end to the +hai !eo!le.
Gen $rayuth said on his televised $ro*ram, repeatedly
since The Coup, to Ur*e those Who disa*reed with his Views
to %pen up their Mind and tal(, "ut this announcement says
The %pposite ) C&aid Phan&a&iri 2ularb) A journali&m lecturer at
Chulalon"#orn Eni7er&it% in. 'an"#o#. &+ The %rder is very
)road and every comment is su",ect e-clusively to The
#C$%.s 'nterpretation whether they violate The %rder or
#ot/
Online media freedom ad7ocate Sarinee Acha7anunta#ul &aid
ordinar% citi8en& $ho e?!re&& their 7ie$& on &ocial media al&o $ould
&uffer from the juntaA& "ri!.
This is "asically A Ga* %rder, and it.s #ot 0ust A Ga* %rder
to The $ress, "ut it.s e-tendin* to anyone in Thailand,
especially now that A Lot of Thai $eople Use Social Media to
1-press opinions ) C&aid Sarinee) ;ho Co.@founded. +hai Neti8en
Net$or#) +hailandA& fir&t (nternet freedom ci7il &ociet% "rou!. C( thin#
it i& 7er% dan"erou& and) to me) it &i"nal& that the cou! ma#er& ma%
not ha7e a clear idea of $ho the enemie& are.B.
B( ' 1oes pointin" out contradictions etween what an Announcement 20
(rayuth said on Friday ni"ht si"ned y him on Friday create .onfusion or
.onflict- If it is deemed so, it is ille"al *.