As TV screens go blank, social media works overtime

[Lite Beer]

AFTERMATH
As TV screens go blank, social media works overtime
Asina Pornwasin,
Kornchanok Raksaseri
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Once the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council (NPOMC) was formed after the seizure of power by Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha on Thursday, normal broadcasting on all TV channels was stopped, and everyone stayed tuned to social media for minute-by-minute updates. Social-media timelines were flooded with new messages every second.

Not only people, but mainstream media, both TV and newspaper operators, also monitored social media both to gather and deliver news and updates to their audiences.

The online channel was the last one available for news updates as all other media were suspended under the orders of the NPOMC. Some TV channels, including ThaiPBS, broadcast live on YouTube for two hours on Thursday evening after the coup. It rapidly gained almost 160,000 viewers before it was ordered to stop.

Free analog TV channels except ThaiPBS reportedly were to resume yesterday.

The NPOMC did not miss using social media as a tool, either. It used Twitter, @ArmyPR_news and a NPOMC Facebook page to send out messages and stop rumours about its announcements. As a two-way communication channel, many critics posted comments as well.

On the consumers' end, many social-media users posted that their lives were proceeding as normal. Some posted messages in a hilarious way.

Although the NPOMC later issued an announcement prohibiting mainstream media and social-media users from disseminating any provocative messages, otherwise their services would be cut and they would be punished, there seemed to be little change in users' content.

Discussions among people with different opinions continued, some with harsh words.

Initially many said they had expected the coup. Many posted comments on the coup situation, some stayed in tune for news updates, and some re-posted useful information, including the NPOMC's announcements and those concerning public transport. The latter related to the BTS Skytrain, MRT, bus services, Airports of Thailand, and road closures by the traffic police. Announcements by department stores were also passed on.

Over time, many complained about the NPOMC's shutdown of regular television shows and that the agency was getting on their nerves by playing its patriotic march songs again and again on every channel.

On Facebook, Tully Piyakiat wrote: What number should I call to request some song? I want to listen to "Phi Bird" and "Phi Bee".

@chaochao_peep: Now is the time when Thai TV channels are presenting the sharpness as well as the colours of the pictures to demonstrate their quality of digital TV broadcasting.

Thanis Sudto: (With NPOMC name on the TV screen)

Daughter: What [does this say]? (And many questions)

Father reads for her and answers her questions.

Daughter: I want to see cartoons, cartoons only.

Father: OK, OK.

Uraiwan Norma: To go backward, forward or going down, I don't know. I follow the order strictly: to live life normally. I have sticky rice, fried pork, fried chicken and wonton soup as dinner.

@poundhydra: Revolution declared. Should I go to work?

@patinyar: It's called coup d'etat, to be correct.

@momoko_queen: If the military took over the power to reform, can it be called a revolution?

@nuuneoi: In situations like this, it is best to create a crowd-sourcing application which can identify the locations of military tanks, so people can take selfies.

@namnoon: I would like to propose "Love Thailand Fantasia", [with] leaders of the conflicting sides staying together under the same roof. How to make them love each other? Broadcast live 24 hours a day. I bet lots of advertising will come.

@Atinont_Ch: The power was already overtaken. Both sides should be eradicated. We should eradicate all bad politicians and go back to square one.

Some Facebook users protested against the coup by changing their profile pictures into a black screen. They also set up new Facebook pages to counter the coup.

-- The Nation 2014-05-24

[ding]

Is TV broadcasting now?

[yabbra]

True Visions is still blocked

[ubonjoe]

True visions nothing at all but the NPOMC message.

[Somtamnication]

Wife is driving me nuts with boredom!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want another child. Oh God!

[retell]

The ones that are agitated with the marching songs ... PUSH THE POWER BUTTON

[Pattaya46]

Foreign TV channels on Sophon cable

have been cut only yesterday from noon to 6pm.

Not a big deal

[dhrobertson]

The actions taken by the military fill me with optimism.

However, shutting diwn ALL TV stations is way over the top. What possible purpose will it achieve?

Social media and the internet still operate so why can my kids not watch cartoons, my wife can not watch soaps and i can not watch the Monte Carlo grand prix?

Come on guys, you're doing so well, don't spoil it by being illogical (Thai?) about TV entertainment.....

[laurentbkk]

I just wonder how a few movies on HBO or Fox TV would harm the Army.....

[laurentbkk]

I just wonder how a few movies on HBO or Fox TV would harm the Army.....

[BSJ]

Are you people talking in the past tense? I have normal TV programmes this morning.

[dhrobertson]

Are you people talking in the past tense? I have normal TV programmes this morning.

No, it's True Visions that's still off.

Astra and many local cables are working

How illogical is that?

Is there a connection between True and the previous regime?

Or is it just Thainess..........

[Piichai]

True resumed broadcasting last night, but it's off again this morning.

[OJAS]

"The NPOMC did not miss using social media as a tool, either. It used Twitter, @ArmyPR_news and a NPOMC Facebook page to send out messages and stop rumours about its announcements. As a two-way communication channel, many critics posted comments as well."

Hmm, no doubt they'll soon be rounded up for "reporting" purposes if they haven't been already.

Edited May 24, 2014 by OJAS

[happynthailand]

No tv in mukdahan this morning

[OJAS]

Are you people talking in the past tense? I have normal TV programmes this morning.

No, it's True Visions that's still off.

Astra and many local cables are working

How illogical is that?

Is there a connection between True and the previous regime?

Or is it just Thainess..........

CTH (on satellite at any rate) are still off as at 5 minutes ago - even for the supposedly "free" channels.

So much though it pains me to say this, I doubt whether we are talking about any Truevisions conspiracy.

[CharlesHH]

If on the air, "they" could sneak in a political message prior to Army seeing it and stopping it. So, just shut them all. Grow a brain and read a book.

I just wonder how a few movies on HBO or Fox TV would harm the Army.....

[belg]

people can still access websites, bbc, cnn, but cartoons for kids (bored to hell with a free day and now weekend) and movies & series can hurt the army ?

not very confident, are they ?

[crazykopite]

Now Saturday and still no TV for the life of me I cannot understand why the Army chief has come to this decision if he really wants to show the world of his good intentions to restore civil unrest I cannot see justification for closing all the TV networks down.

Thank goodness for the internet , skype, FB and all the other media that allow us to keep in contact with the outside world I only hope that they do not go in and close all forms of communication down as that would really be a concern. thankfully I have a HD full of movies that will keep me occupied for weeks if the need arise but the thought of Missing tonight's CL final as well as the F1 race in Monaco over the weekend is very annoying and frustrating

[crazykopite]

Are you people talking in the past tense? I have normal TV programmes this morning.

No, it's True Visions that's still off.

Astra and many local cables are working

How illogical is that?

Is there a connection between True and the previous regime?

Or is it just Thainess..........

CTH (on satellite at any rate) are still off as at 5 minutes ago - even for the supposedly "free" channels.

So much though it pains me to say this, I doubt whether we are talking about any Truevisions conspiracy.

Astra I believe is Malay TV where as true and cth are Thai owned someone told me once that Astra was illegal in Thailand although there are companies that sell it !

[IBoldnewguy]

True resumed broadcasting last night, but it's off again this morning.

Could it have been something they said?

[humph]

CTH on now, most channels.

[dhrobertson]

All back now....

Just in time for the Monaco Grand Prix practise today

[DrTuner]

I remember the times before social media. Oh bliss. At least block facebook and line, I'm tired of seeing people thumbing their phones when they could talk to each other.

[wabothai]

i would like to reply, but i am speechless.

[OJAS]

I remember the times before social media. Oh bliss. At least block facebook and line, I'm tired of seeing people thumbing their phones when they could talk to each other.

I also remember with longing fondness the times before television - in my family at any rate. Our parents didn't buy their first TV set until I was 10.

[oztaurus]

If TV is the opiate of the masses (Television - not ), then I cannot see why the General switched off the TV. Without the usual run of soaps, cartoon, reality singing contests etc the general populace might sit down and talk about current events ... that could be dangerous! Far better to keep them inside glued to a meaningless screen.

The only justification I can see would be to restrict access to content about hi-so guys married to hi-so girls, yet raping the hired help, denying paternity of the ensuing baby - etc, etc, etc not to mention the violence of Cupcake Wars, Baggage Battles, Crime and Investigation channel etc

Having said all of that, in my experience, the last 4 or 5 coups I have carried out - I always left the TV channels running