RTP Chief cracks down on obscenity in printed material

The Interim Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police has instructed strict measures to be taken against obscene content in print publications.

Royal Thai Police Commissioner General Pol Gen Seripisuth Themeyawes (เสรีพิศุทธ์ เตมียาเวส) said that the Ministry of Culture has assigned the Royal Thai Police the duty of monitoring for obscene content in print publications. Pol Gen Seripisuth said that an investigation unit has been established to address this assignment, and to suppress other types of obscene and pornographic material.

The Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Cultue, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Department of Special Investigations will be cooperating closely in handling the matter.

Pol Gen Seripisuth added that complaints of print publications featuring inappropriately dressed celebrities and celebrities in lewd postures would be handled accordingly.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 May 2007

Pol Gen Seripisuth added that complaints of print publications featuring inappropriately dressed celebrities and celebrities in lewd postures would be handled accordingly.

so off to the awards we go , in our revealing frock ...............................

nope , no problems here .

look out if anyone prints any pictures though ............................

I think this is a back-handed response by the "Culture" patrol to that recent issue of Fame which featured semi-nudes of various celebrities for charity and it wasn't even that good, the pictures are tiny and the magazine is 2/3 advertisements!!!

And has there been a definition of what is considered as "obscene" or are we just again at the mercy of some self-proclaimed moralist?

The US Supreme Court has defined the word "obscenity" as usually limited to content that directly refers to explicit sexual acts that are publically accessible. I guess Seripisuth has a somewhat narrower definition in mind, because this kind of obscenity is unknown in Thai print media anyway.

Is the naked body or some parts of the naked body considered as obscene? Or is it the photo of a guy just shot dead, hanging out of his car, blood all over (as we see in the front page of Thai newspapers), or what? Can someone enlighten me?

And has there been a definition of what is considered as "obscene" or are we just again at the mercy of some self-proclaimed moralist?

The US Supreme Court has defined the word "obscenity" as usually limited to content that directly refers to explicit sexual acts that are publically accessible. I guess Seripisuth has a somewhat narrower definition in mind, because this kind of obscenity is unknown in Thai print media anyway.

Is the naked body or some parts of the naked body considered as obscene? Or is it the photo of a guy just shot dead, hanging out of his car, blood all over (as we see in the front page of Thai newspapers), or what? Can someone enlighten me?

Pictures of my naked body would be considered obscene considering the beer belly i have now. But not as obscene as the bloody scenes referred to above.

And has there been a definition of what is considered as "obscene" or are we just again at the mercy of some self-proclaimed moralist?

The US Supreme Court has defined the word "obscenity" as usually limited to content that directly refers to explicit sexual acts that are publically accessible. I guess Seripisuth has a somewhat narrower definition in mind, because this kind of obscenity is unknown in Thai print media anyway.

Is the naked body or some parts of the naked body considered as obscene? Or is it the photo of a guy just shot dead, hanging out of his car, blood all over (as we see in the front page of Thai newspapers), or what? Can someone enlighten me?

Reminds me of the famous Janet Jackson nipple incident! Kuhn Seripisuth would be called a hero in the USA!

Is the naked body or some parts of the naked body considered as obscene? Or is it the photo of a guy just shot dead, hanging out of his car, blood all over (as we see in the front page of Thai newspapers), or what? Can someone enlighten me?

Theres something that always bothered me too.

You notice one of the divisions of the MOC is called the branch for promoting warmth and happiness within the family.

I am sure, between semi-naked bodies and semi pulverised brains,I know which one will promote more warmth and happiness for me!

Obscenity? What obscenities? Even the VCDs are censored for boobs,cigs and drinking alcohol...come on! what else is there left to censor?!

The top of pornography in the old USSR, a picture of Lenin without his cap.

People are being beheaded and burnt, mayhem on the roads, incompetence and corruption everywhere, floods and landslides commonplace, the air in most cities isn't fit to breathe, the economy is in a mess and now, shock, horror, too much flesh is being seen. :D

This is indeed Thailand.