Troops, police raid Peace TV to disrupt Chavalit's interview

[jamesjohnsonthird]

The difference is - The government is trying to improve people's lives and these agitators are trying to (indirectly) destroy them!!

Somebody didn't do their homework.

Try reading up on Thai history....and not the stuff they "let you read".

I think I'm pretty well up on what Prayut has done and achieved (why do I need a history lesson for that)? I gave up doing homework nearly 40 years ago BTW.

It is also vivid in my mind about the red shirts maiming and killing children and then celebrating this fact with raucous cheers!! How could you forget something as obscene and disgusting as that kind of behaviour?

I was allowed to read all that went on then and I am fully up to speed with what is going on now - I know which kind of existence I prefer (if you were to offer me a 'then' or 'now' choice)!!

So you have only read the stuff they allow you to read.

I can tell by your postings you have no interest in history or the stuff that they block.

Your happy just reading fairy tales.

Sad, because they banned material is so interesting.

[Gandtee]

typical red shirt thinking, we can do as we please and no one can stop us.

And you don't think the same applies to the junta ... Only difference is that they currently have the power to force their views on everyone

" Power corrupts! Absolute power corrupts absolutely"!

[djlest]

Its easy to criticize the junta from a Western prospective, because everything they are doing is often by force and to silent the opposition. However for those of us who lived through the last 2 protests, infact i had a grenade go off over my head, had a business station just 25 meters from the red shirt camp, and have witnessed first hand both the miltia whom guarded my shop against the looters and many other first hand experiences during those bloody days. Whilst what the Junta do is no doubt one sided and wrong to most Western thinkers. This is just not the same. Keeping the peace is paramount now, and the Reds are far from a peaceful group. Democracy in Thailand is just a word, there has never been one here and probably never will be, its a farce. So comparing it to the West is a waste of time.
The only thing that matters is that protests, burning of buildings, black shirts, brown shirts, and fake floods are prevented so that the economy can recover and the divide between the north can heal. So far its much better now than it was before, and i am certainly not a yellow, nor a red, they both make me cringe. But its the lesser of evils that counts.

[tbthailand]

The army really is terrified and losing the plot it seems.

Not really. It just shows the stupidity and ignorance of "Peace TV" who have already been shut down at least once.

Thay are so arrogant that they STILL don't believe that the law applies to them also.

yeah, arrogant...

free speech is not for everyone.

[Fat Haggis]

No danger of the army or police raiding a TV station in the US - we have our freedom of speech. There are media who hate Obama, and others who praise him, yet both can co-exist

Hence I'm confused why some TVF posters applaud this action here. Perhaps they have gone native (Bangkok style) and forgotten their civics training.

Don't compare the 'freedoms' in the United States to what's happening here.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding and armed rebels(oh sorry, peaceful protestors. Hah!) trying to overthrow the government? This with the aid of 'neutral' 'Peace' TV stations egging on the crowd? Or idiots going on stage calling for the burning of Bangkok and cheering when bombs blow up kids?

Things have been pretty peaceful since the Army took over. That's good enough for most people.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding in areas excluding the South and Bangkok during political protests?

Bombs exploding? A hand grenade or an M79 wouldn't be classed as bombs either, so when is the last time bomb(IEDs) like Syria and Iraq see day in and day out have exploded all over the country?

Things have been pretty peaceful ......unless you lived in the South.

Things have been pretty peaceful for many places all over Thailand even during the 2014 protests.

Sensationalism much? ?

I'm sorry we're not all ex or claim to be ex military 'experts' who know the difference between a 'bomb', an 'IED' or a grenade. All I know is stuff blew up prior to the Army taking over and people died. Anyone blown up and die since they took over? To make it clear, I meant anywhere else but the South. Since when has it been peaceful there whoever is in charge?

It's not sensationalism, unless the violence that took place before the coup was nothing to you? I mean I can understand that sort of skirmish would be nothing if you served in Iraq or Afghanistan. But most of us here lead a relatively peaceful and sheltered life.

Gerry I'd get into serious trouble if I told the truth about the deaths, from an ex military point of view and from seeing it day in day out in Iraq.

Every single one of them was a tragedy, but the greater cause, trying to remove Yingluck and the Shin power base, was a greater cause, and the deaths were acceptable for the greater good... Why do I say that because any leader who started seeing his supporters killed and maimed if he truly felt anything for them would have stepped away from the confrontation and opted for different ways to bring the opposition down.

30 deaths in 8 months through acts of terrorist violence is very very low percentage wise given the amount of protestors on the streets too, sounds very very cold, but they were used, their deaths were also galvanising the others in solidarity, and defiance.

Is this a bad thing? It all depends on what way you wish to look at it.

I agree with you though, if you are not used to violence and death it's very difficult to see understand why the rhings happen. I might sound very insensitive but after a while, 11 years here, you really do become desensitised.

A single death is a tragedy, a hundred is simply a statistic.

Having seen violence of this nature and dished it back out, I hate it, I hate the senseless killings of people unable to defend themselves, I hate the senseless killing of people with different points of view. In the end it's always the innocent who suffer more.

[lucky11]

The difference is - The government is trying to improve people's lives and these agitators are trying to (indirectly) destroy them!!

Somebody didn't do their homework.

Try reading up on Thai history....and not the stuff they "let you read".

I think I'm pretty well up on what Prayut has done and achieved (why do I need a history lesson for that)? I gave up doing homework nearly 40 years ago BTW.

It is also vivid in my mind about the red shirts maiming and killing children and then celebrating this fact with raucous cheers!! How could you forget something as obscene and disgusting as that kind of behaviour?

I was allowed to read all that went on then and I am fully up to speed with what is going on now - I know which kind of existence I prefer (if you were to offer me a 'then' or 'now' choice)!!

So you have only read the stuff they allow you to read.

I can tell by your postings you have no interest in history or the stuff that they block.

Your happy just reading fairy tales.

Sad, because they banned material is so interesting.

No!! I read the 'stuff' that I am interested in and want to read.

I have an interest in history - but I fail to see what history has got to do with now. History is what has happened, I am interested in what is happening and what is going to happen in the future - I'm immensely impressed with all that's going on now, the future looks very rosy indeed thanks to Prayut's intervention.

I am not happy reading fairy tales as I don't 'do' fiction, I don't see the point in it TBH.

Yes. I must admit, The King and I was a good film - especially with Yul Bryner in it.

[tbthailand]

In Germany every denying of the holocaust is punished.

Now the denying of the red shirts part of violence instigated by Jatuporn , Nattawut and others is banned.

Freedom of speaking, for every criminel?

Yes, some posters fight for this freedom, I agree, it's only ignorance.

Ignorance?

some posters should become familiar with this:

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

[djlest]

Seriously you cannot compare Thailand to the US - Infact yes the JUNTA from any Western prospective is wrong. But for those of us that have been here 10 years or so, and actually witnessed first hand the red shirt movement in bangkok (My office was just 25 meters from Camp) Seen building burning, grenades going off above your head, and watching how the reds got used like Sheep and herded and brainwashed into an angry frenzied mob. Then you realize, Thailand will never get the word democracy, never has been and probably never will be.

Both sides are bad, but choosing the lesser of evils seems to be the choice Thailand is taking right now. Preventing any more uprisings, divides between the North East, Military coups, Drops in Tourism, Burning buildings, and probably fake floods too. The country needs to stabilize now if its ever to move forwards. Unfortunately the forcful tactics of the Junta whilst unheard of in the West, are necessary in a country where the education is so underdeveloped and corruption is the religion. its sad but you cant compares apples and durian!

[Fat Haggis]

No danger of the army or police raiding a TV station in the US - we have our freedom of speech. There are media who hate Obama, and others who praise him, yet both can co-exist

Hence I'm confused why some TVF posters applaud this action here. Perhaps they have gone native (Bangkok style) and forgotten their civics training.

Don't compare the 'freedoms' in the United States to what's happening here.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding and armed rebels(oh sorry, peaceful protestors. Hah!) trying to overthrow the government? This with the aid of 'neutral' 'Peace' TV stations egging on the crowd? Or idiots going on stage calling for the burning of Bangkok and cheering when bombs blow up kids?

Things have been pretty peaceful since the Army took over. That's good enough for most people.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding in areas excluding the South and Bangkok during political protests?

Bombs exploding? A hand grenade or an M79 wouldn't be classed as bombs either, so when is the last time bomb(IEDs) like Syria and Iraq see day in and day out have exploded all over the country?

Things have been pretty peaceful ......unless you lived in the South.

Things have been pretty peaceful for many places all over Thailand even during the 2014 protests.

Sensationalism much? ?

Pedantic much?

If you are blown apart by an M-79 Grenade Launcher, does it really matter if it meets your classification of what constitutes a "bomb"?

Yeah I will be pedantic again just for you, the launcher won't blow you apart, the 40mm grenade fired from the launcher might just ruin your day ?

[tbthailand]

Lucky, Thai history didn't start in 2010 and that's not ten past eight at night either.

Try going all the way back to the 1930's and that's not half past Severn either, you might think you're too old to do homework but if you claim to know what's going on, then you needed to have gone back to before World War 2.

Why do you think there has been 19 coups since then?

I fail to see where history comes into it. I am talking about nothing other than how much better it is under THIS government than it was under Yingluck's and we don't want agitators that lost out in this coup from disrupting their (the government's) valuable work. I couldn't care less about things that happened nearly a century ago - it has absolutely no relevance to today!! This coup is different - probably the best and most needed coup to have happened in world history.

I couldn't care less about things that happened nearly a century ago - it has absolutely no relevance to today!! This coup is different - probably the best and most needed coup to have happened in world history.

The first sentence explains your second sentence.

Anyone trying to understand the current conflict today has to go back at least to the 1930s. If they don't, then they will make comments like the ones above...

[Bangkok Barry]

No danger of the army or police raiding a TV station in the US - we have our freedom of speech. There are media who hate Obama, and others who praise him, yet both can co-exist

Hence I'm confused why some TVF posters applaud this action here. Perhaps they have gone native (Bangkok style) and forgotten their civics training.

In case you haven't noticed, Thailand is not the US. Different rules apply to different countries and different circumstances. Why is that so difficult to understand. Before the coup this TV station spewed messages of hate 24 hours a day, inciting unrest. (The Yellows had their own station doing the same). Peace TV was allowed back on air if they acted more responsibly. They didn't.

But if you want to talk US, then how about if, for example, a black radio station was inciting people to come out on the street to fight the authorities, blockade Broadway, burn down buildings etc, how long do you think it would be before the station leaders were arrested? Free speech only goes so far. Incite people to civil disobedience and see how far that gets you in ANY country.

[bornz]

"...Troops and police raided the Peace TV satellite TV station at 11 pm Wednesday to end the broadcast of an interview of former prime minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh..."

The current government at its worst. Let's face it, they are not stamping our insurrection, they are stamping out the opposition party before the next elections. They are systematically grinding them into the ground and it's so patently obvious.

speaking of worst...

Chavalit is 82 and has not held a position in a party (opposition or otherwise) since he resigned as PM Somchai's Deputy PM on October 7, 2008, admitting partial responsibility for violence due to police use of tear gas at a Parliament blockade, injuring 116 protesters.

but hey, sorry to interrupt a good rant.

[bornz]

Don't compare the 'freedoms' in the United States to what's happening here.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding and armed rebels(oh sorry, peaceful protestors. Hah!) trying to overthrow the government? This with the aid of 'neutral' 'Peace' TV stations egging on the crowd? Or idiots going on stage calling for the burning of Bangkok and cheering when bombs blow up kids?

Things have been pretty peaceful since the Army took over. That's good enough for most people.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding in areas excluding the South and Bangkok during political protests?

Bombs exploding? A hand grenade or an M79 wouldn't be classed as bombs either, so when is the last time bomb(IEDs) like Syria and Iraq see day in and day out have exploded all over the country?

Things have been pretty peaceful ......unless you lived in the South.

Things have been pretty peaceful for many places all over Thailand even during the 2014 protests.

Sensationalism much? ?

Pedantic much?

If you are blown apart by an M-79 Grenade Launcher, does it really matter if it meets your classification of what constitutes a "bomb"?

Yeah I will be pedantic again just for you, the launcher won't blow you apart, the 40mm grenade fired from the launcher might just ruin your day ?

A distinction that will be inconsequential when your body parts are flying.

[scorecard]

MIKT:

Exactly , similar to The French Resistance and the Russian Partisans. They were so arrogant they wouldn't let the Germans do what they wanted without "Interfering". But the Germans followed the law and shot them all

You need to take the "ex" out from the beginning of your name.

Comparing Thailand now to wartime Europe 70 years ago is pitiful at best.

PeaceTV (or as it's know locally, "The Thaksin Channel") is constantly encouraging armed, violent unrest against the "Bangkok Elite", cos they care about "the people" so much and want everyone to be "equal" (just so long as their red leaders are more equal than everyone else)."... and you need to take the sujin out of your name - Tat tastless rubbish well describes your pathetic attempt to compare things you know nothing about and to try to smear Peace TV with your downright lies."

What downright lies?

Are you saying that Peace TV never tells lies, never twist the truth, never broadcasts hate speeches, never encourages violence?

[Fat Haggis]

No danger of the army or police raiding a TV station in the US - we have our freedom of speech. There are media who hate Obama, and others who praise him, yet both can co-exist

Hence I'm confused why some TVF posters applaud this action here. Perhaps they have gone native (Bangkok style) and forgotten their civics training.

Don't compare the 'freedoms' in the United States to what's happening here.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding and armed rebels(oh sorry, peaceful protestors. Hah!) trying to overthrow the government? This with the aid of 'neutral' 'Peace' TV stations egging on the crowd? Or idiots going on stage calling for the burning of Bangkok and cheering when bombs blow up kids?

Things have been pretty peaceful since the Army took over. That's good enough for most people.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding in areas excluding the South and Bangkok during political protests?

Bombs exploding? A hand grenade or an M79 wouldn't be classed as bombs either, so when is the last time bomb(IEDs) like Syria and Iraq see day in and day out have exploded all over the country?

Things have been pretty peaceful ......unless you lived in the South.

Things have been pretty peaceful for many places all over Thailand even during the 2014 protests.

Sensationalism much? ?

Pedantic much?

If you are blown apart by an M-79 Grenade Launcher, does it really matter if it meets your classification of what constitutes a "bomb"?

Seeing as I'm on a roll I will be even more pedantic than the last post, the chances of being "blown apart" by a hand grenade or even a 40mm grenade are pretty slim, as they are fragmentation grenades they may blow a limb off but to be blown into pieces or apart the chances are remote,

The closer you are to the blast the more chance of a limb being taken off, just like the copper last year who tried to kick it away.

The further away you are but still inside the lethal zone, and depending on the surface it lands on, depends on the distance the steel jacket fragments, I had a mate who dropped a live grenade during training at his feet, that contained 1lb of RDX/TNT and all that he sustained was perforated ear drums and some shrapnel in his arsse!! He lived but got slagged to bits for the rest of his career.

It's only Hollywood grenades that blow people apart ?

[LannaGuy]

Lucky, Thai history didn't start in 2010 and that's not ten past eight at night either.

Try going all the way back to the 1930's and that's not half past Severn either, you might think you're too old to do homework but if you claim to know what's going on, then you needed to have gone back to before World War 2.

Why do you think there has been 19 coups since then?

I fail to see where history comes into it. I am talking about nothing other than how much better it is under THIS government than it was under Yingluck's and we don't want agitators that lost out in this coup from disrupting their (the government's) valuable work. I couldn't care less about things that happened nearly a century ago - it has absolutely no relevance to today!! This coup is different - probably the best and most needed coup to have happened in world history.

"I fail to see where history comes into it"

and that, dear poster, defines you

[seedy]

One Troll / Flaming post removed

[SoiSauce]

If you are going to take away a fundamental human right- which speech is- you need to have a compelling interest. That's why dishonestly yelling fire in a theatre can be barred.

What was Chavalit saying that justified muzzling him? What was he saying in that interview that was so outrageous, that rose to the level of shouting fire in a theatre?

Because, according to the original report on page 1, Peace TV was raided to stop the interview with him. Not because Peace TV was broadcasting without a license. Not because Peace TV had "incited violence" in the past. Chavalit's speech, at the time he was making it.

So far, nothing about the speech's content. Just more "trust us, we know what's best for you." That's comforting. I'm sure they know what's best.

[MiKT]

typical red shirt thinking, we can do as we please and no one can stop us. How long before they start killing and blowing things up again because they dont get their way, ptp just gave them a carte blanche to do as they please and they still think it applies. They should dismantle the broadcasting equipment and hit them with massive fines and jail time, the law is there to be followed not toyed with

Especially if the law is arbitrarily imposed by a self appointed military junta, and is being used to silence criticism and stifle the opposition, you old champion of freedom of speech and democracy you!

It is not criticism, it is one super rich criminal who want to appoint himself as premier again. If you buy parties, MPs and elections than you aren't much better than the junta. But Prayuth, if you agree or disagree with this politics, isn't a criminal on the run, isn't running from and endless amount of court cases and didn't kill 3000 people like Thaksin in the war against drugs...

Somebody here keeps rabbiting on about Thaksin and "the war on drugs" if you had been here long enough to understand anything you would know that the so called "war on drugs" was simply a more publicised extension of the "war on drugs" that had been going on in Thailand for many years before Thaksin was ELECTED - where the army simply went into the houses of thousands of suspected Note Well "SUSPECTED" drug dealers and shot them in front of their kids. Frequently they shot totally innocent people.

If you had half a brain, you would also know that the "Endless court cases" against Thaksin were trumped up politically based charges simply designed to do a Lee Kuan Yew and remove your political opponents with pseudo legality.

[MiKT]

typical red shirt thinking, we can do as we please and no one can stop us. How long before they start killing and blowing things up again because they dont get their way, ptp just gave them a carte blanche to do as they please and they still think it applies. They should dismantle the broadcasting equipment and hit them with massive fines and jail time, the law is there to be followed not toyed with

Especially if the law is arbitrarily imposed by a self appointed military junta, and is being used to silence criticism and stifle the opposition, you old champion of freedom of speech and democracy you!

It is not criticism, it is one super rich criminal who want to appoint himself as premier again. If you buy parties, MPs and elections than you aren't much better than the junta. But Prayuth, if you agree or disagree with this politics, isn't a criminal on the run, isn't running from and endless amount of court cases and didn't kill 3000 people like Thaksin in the war against drugs...

Somebody here keeps rabbiting on about Thaksin and "the war on drugs" if you had been here long enough to understand anything you would know that the so called "war on drugs" was simply a more publicised extension of the "war on drugs" that had been going on in Thailand for many years before Thaksin was ELECTED - where the army simply went into the houses of thousands of suspected Note Well "SUSPECTED" drug dealers and shot them in front of their kids. Frequently they shot totally innocent people.

If you had half a brain, you would also know that the "Endless court cases" against Thaksin were trumped up politically based charges simply designed to do a Lee Kuan Yew and remove your political opponents with pseudo legality.

[scorecard]

@Latphrao

Yes, sure, deny anything intelligent to say here and act like the ongoing repression is acceptable. The opposition to the Bangkok Elite is there because they want them off their back, to be able to defend themselves and a return of basic human rights. Which any one with a lick of common sense would fight for.

You and your ilk's deluded thinking never ends and never ceases to amaze. Lay on your backs and smirk in the warm glow of the military's oppression.

Sure there is some truth the country folks and other have been downtrodden for a long time and that's not OK and it needs fixing.

But if you think this is the real cause that drives jatupon, natawut etc., then your seriously mistaken.

Suggest you do your homework again and gather quite a lot more information.

[a99az]

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The army really is terrified and losing the plot it seems.

When you say army I think you mean El General Dictator. And yes, has lost the plot and delusional it won't be long before you will see his patriotic rants being shouted from a lofty place to the ever thankful masses.

[bornz]

Its easy to criticize the junta from a Western prospective, because everything they are doing is often by force and to silent the opposition.

However for those of us who lived through the last 2 protests, infact i had a grenade go off over my head, had a business station just 25 meters from the red shirt camp, and have witnessed first hand both the miltia whom guarded my shop against the looters and many other first hand experiences during those bloody days.

Keeping the peace is paramount now, and the Reds are far from a peaceful group.

The only thing that matters is that protests, burning of buildings, black shirts, brown shirts, and fake floods are prevented so that the economy can recover and the divide between the north can heal. So far its much better now than it was before, and i am certainly not a yellow, nor a red, they both make me cringe. But its the lesser of evils that counts.

Thank you for sharing your first hand experiences.

It negates a dozen pontificators who weren't even here at the time and feebly attempt to rewrite Thai history from elsewhere.

Edited April 30, 2015 by bornz

[bornz]

Not really. It just shows the stupidity and ignorance of "Peace TV" who have already been shut down at least once.

Thay are so arrogant that they STILL don't believe that the law applies to them also.

yeah, arrogant...

free speech is not for everyone.

Advocating violence and insurrection is not free speech.

It's arrogant to think it somehow is.

[MiKT]

No danger of the army or police raiding a TV station in the US - we have our freedom of speech. There are media who hate Obama, and others who praise him, yet both can co-exist

Hence I'm confused why some TVF posters applaud this action here. Perhaps they have gone native (Bangkok style) and forgotten their civics training.

Don't compare the 'freedoms' in the United States to what's happening here.

When was the last time you had bombs exploding and armed rebels(oh sorry, peaceful protestors. Hah!) trying to overthrow the government? This with the aid of 'neutral' 'Peace' TV stations egging on the crowd? Or idiots going on stage calling for the burning of Bangkok and cheering when bombs blow up kids?

Things have been pretty peaceful since the Army took over. That's good enough for most people.

Looked a bit like that in Baltimore this week. Actually, it reminded me of Bangkok in 2010, but the "peaceful protestors" didn't burn nearly as much and they didn't appear to have automatic weapons and bombs.

Well never having been in Baltimore I can't compare and most certainly the TV stations make things appear much worse than they actually are, But I seem to remember CNN mentioning automatic gun fire and petrol bombs aplenty in Baltimore the last couple of days. Things being so bad the entire city was shut down and under curfew..........But I don't think the either the National Guard or the police are going to shoot 70 protestors.

[Godders]

The army really is terrified and losing the plot it seems.

Terrified? No, the word is paranoid.

[tbthailand]

What some of you guys fail to understand why this interview was blocked. Chavalit has had a very dubious role in the red unrests.

Would you like to divulge the contents of this interview seeing as you seem to know what it would have been blocked?

Not the what, its the who. Remember that Thailand is a state under military rule and this creep is one of the reasons. What we need in Thailand now is a period of peace and not red crimelords giving interviews.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63Q1F220100427?irpc=932

Scroll down to MIB - Who's leading them section

Should Chavalit really be granted air time when his role in the violence was rather ambiguous?

Interesting read thanks, there is a however though, nobody has yet been fingered as to who leads these men in black, it's all very well saying someone is suspected, without proof the onus is on the accusers to provide evidence and proof

There is 5 alleged MIB in custody right now, and from their re-enactment I wouldn't that've said these were highly trained at all. They have not given up any names either otherwise there would be dozens in custody.

I have to take Thai authorities statements with a pinch of salt, the Koh Samui car bomb being a classic one of spin.

They have accused everyone of being behind it and once again stated it was 80% complete, that was 3 weeks ago and it had gone very quiet there too.

I hear what your saying though

I always source news and information from multiple sources whenever that is possible. I try to take in the biases in the sources, too.

In this article, the author Perry states that he has "questions and a few answers" about the men in black.

As far as I could see, all of the "answers", including fingering Chavalit, came from "government and army sources" ... meaning the article is one sided even if the author is not.

[rubl]

BANGKOK: -- The Broadcasting Board decided on Monday to revoke the operating license of Peace TV allegedly for repeated violations of the announcement of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Colonel Nathee Sakulrat, chairman of the Broadcasting Board, said that the commission had warned Peace TV which was owned by Peace Television Company on several occasions since last October that the contents of some programmes were deemed to be provocative, inciting disobedience and causing public misunderstanding.

On March 23, the commission decided to serve the television a written warning to Peace TV to comply with the law and to follow the agreement. Yet, the television continued to defy the agreement prompting the commission to suspend its operating license effective as of April 10 until April 17, said Colonel Nathee.

Peace TV resumed operations on April 18 but, again, it broadcasted contents found to be violating the agreement in a way which were deemed provocative and inciting public disobedience.

Reacting to the order revoking Peace TVs licence, Mr Natthawut Saikua, co-leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, said he suspected the order came from someone above the Broadcasting Board.

So the answers no, you have no idea. Thanks for clarifying.

On the other hand I'm sure you have some ideas, might even have put time in painstakingly translating some Thai information into English and are more than willing to inform us ?

Peace TV had interesting informative programs about red-shirt philosophy, Why the Yingluck government was such a success, why Abhisit/Suthep are guilty for a lucky 99 death in 2010 (ignoring the blanket amnesty bill), why the junta is bad, bad, bad. Why defacto master Thaksin is good, good, good. Things like that.

BTW any idea what the former Thaksin appointed People's Army Commander had to say in the previously recorded, interrupted broadcasting ?

[Godders]

Seriously you cannot compare Thailand to the US - Infact yes the JUNTA from any Western prospective is wrong. But for those of us that have been here 10 years or so, and actually witnessed first hand the red shirt movement in bangkok (My office was just 25 meters from Camp) Seen building burning, grenades going off above your head, and watching how the reds got used like Sheep and herded and brainwashed into an angry frenzied mob. Then you realize, Thailand will never get the word democracy, never has been and probably never will be.

Both sides are bad, but choosing the lesser of evils seems to be the choice Thailand is taking right now. Preventing any more uprisings, divides between the North East, Military coups, Drops in Tourism, Burning buildings, and probably fake floods too. The country needs to stabilize now if its ever to move forwards. Unfortunately the forcful tactics of the Junta whilst unheard of in the West, are necessary in a country where the education is so underdeveloped and corruption is the religion. its sad but you cant compares apples and durian!

. . .you cant compares apples and durian!

How condescending is that! You honestly believe that the Thai electorate is any less able to determine its destiny than those of the "Arab Spring" nations whose revolts I would wager you supported? You clearly haven't lived here long enough.

[bornz]

If you are going to take away a fundamental human right- which speech is- you need to have a compelling interest. That's why dishonestly yelling fire in a theatre can be barred.

What was Chavalit saying that justified muzzling him? What was he saying in that interview that was so outrageous, that rose to the level of shouting fire in a theatre?

Because, according to the original report on page 1, Peace TV was raided to stop the interview with him. Not because Peace TV was broadcasting without a license. Not because Peace TV had "incited violence" in the past. Chavalit's speech, at the time he was making it.

So far, nothing about the speech's content. Just more "trust us, we know what's best for you." That's comforting. I'm sure they know what's best.

You're confusing extremely poor journalism and pathetic reporting for inconsistencies with the government's actions.

Peace TV was ordered to be closed for provoking and inciting violence before Chavalit.

Typical of Thai police historical inaction, they had not been closed.

Today, they have been closed.