• News & article

  A little taste of freedom

  News, Editorial, Published on 20/07/2015

  » Two tiny steps last week showed that the hopes for freedom of expression will not be easily extinguished. Each took place in a courtroom. In Bangkok, the Administrative Court allowed Peace TV back on air, and agreed to study the claim by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) that it has the right to censor the content of media broadcasts. In Phuket, prosecutors failed to show up for two of the three days of the navy's defamation lawsuit against local journalists. Apparently they share the public's distaste for this trial.

• News & article

  Digital bill problematic

  News, Editorial, Published on 24/07/2015

  » After cabinet approval this week, the proposed Digital Economy and Society Development Bill will soon be forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly for deliberations. Here are the key questions it needs to ask.  

• News & article

  Get them registered

  News, Editorial, Published on 04/08/2015

  » The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), formed to ensure "the people's airwaves" were properly used, has created an unnecessary delay over SIM card registration. After last Friday's delayed but absolutely final deadline, the NBTC is seeking yet another three-month extension. It is really time to bring this business to a conclusion.

• News & article

  Gateway plan erodes trust

  News, Editorial, Published on 06/10/2015

  » The reason why the government has such a huge credibility problem over its plans to establish a one-gateway internet system is its refusal to come clean. From the moment the new internet plan became public, authorities have tried to spin the plan instead of portray it honestly. This is despite the fact that cabinet directives have made it clear it is a security proposal.

• News & article

  Live-wire response to a power struggle

  News, Editorial, Published on 03/07/2016

  » If Bill Gates had really wanted to embarrass Thailand, he could have done a lot better.

• News & article

  Media gag needs rethink

  News, Editorial, Published on 18/07/2016

  » When Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha returns to work after the long holiday, he should put the question of censorship at the top of his "to-do" list. One of his last orders before the long weekend was to appoint the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission as national censor for everything that is broadcast. He used his wide powers under Section 44 to make the appointment, and he should now consider taking it back. Even if one accepts that media censorship is necessary, the broadcasting regulators are the wrong choice.

• News & article

  Keep media ethics alive

  News, Editorial, Published on 23/07/2016

  » The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission's (NBTC) order for red shirt-affiliated Peace TV to stop broadcasting and the decision by Naewna newspaper to withdraw from the National Press Council of Thailand have highlighted an increasingly testing time for journalism in Thailand.

• News & article

  SIM tracking needs rethink

  News, Editorial, Published on 13/08/2016

  » The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) seems to have caused undue panic among foreign visitors to the country with its seemingly half-baked plan to track them with special SIM cards.

• News & article

  Tourism Pokemon No

  News, Editorial, Published on 18/08/2016

  » It is no surprise that Thai tourism officials moved quickly to try to contain the negative impact of the multiple attacks in seven provinces last week. Since the bomb attacks occurred at the start of the long holiday weekend, tourists -- local and international -- were well on their way to their holiday destinations. The initial impact could be described as minimal.

• News & article

  Banking plan needs rethink

  News, Editorial, Published on 30/11/2016

  » The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is back to strongly pushing for what seems an ill-considered plan to boost mobile banking. The NBTC now is ordering mobile phone companies to instal equipment to store customers' fingerprints. As the commission cannot order mobile customers to give their fingerprints, which is good news, Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the commission "urges all mobile users to participate".

1 2 3 4 5 6 Next Last