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.