Ubc Censorship - Whats New?

[balnacoil]

Acording to the Bangkok Post today...

UBC bows to military pressure, agrees to censorship

Bangkok Post reporters

The Thaksin Shinawatra interview with CNN on its weekly Saturday evening Talk Asia show will not be seen in Thailand.

Thailand's main pay-TV provider said yesterday it would block an interview with deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that CNN plans to run this evening. UBC spokeswoman Kantima Kunjara told the AFP news agency that they will not air it because of a request by the Council for National Security (CNS).

"Since the CNS has asked for cooperation from the broadcasting media not to broadcast statements from former prime minister Thaksin, UBC will cooperate and will not broadcast his interview," she said.

The Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) plans to replay the interview at the clubhouse on Monday.

In a letter sent to members yesterday, the FCCT expressed "deep disappointment" with UBC's decision to block excerpts of the interview, made in Singapore on Jan 15.

The FCCT decided to send a letter of concern to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Jan 16 because it considered UBC's action "regardless of on whose direction it was taken," to be "unnecessary and improper interference".

In the letter to Gen Surayud, FCCT president Ian Williams noted that the prime minister "made much of the importance of an open and responsible press" during an address to the FCCT on Nov 7.

"We hope that you will take steps to uphold this position, and also do everything in your power to promote a balanced debate in all the media about Thailand and its present situation," he added.

The FCCT president said the "attempt at censorship casts the Thai authorities in a poor light, and is in many ways pointless" as the interview had been reproduced in a number of publications and on several websites, and was available on YouTube.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said: "Censoring or blocking news or information carried by any media does not prevent the information's existence, and those who want to have access to it usually succeed."