Longtime political cartoonist 'Stephff' loses work permit & visa

[PaullyW]

Dont take it personally Stephff, it is not only you that is finding this problem. Farangs married to Thais now must produce their NEIGHBORS house documents to get their non O. This of course might be somewhat problematic if you don't get along with neighbors or don't have any at all. Visa denied. It's all part of the junta's xenophobia and nobody has been more critical (and hilariously so - thank you!) than yourself. Please continue to lampoon these fools from overseas, you still submit cartoons to the Nation from abroad without a thai work permit.

Really? i just did mine last month and there was no request for a neighbor's house document.s

Are you sure?

Yes, it's true for some. Anyone who has lived here any length of time should be well aware that nothing is standard in Thailand. Everything is inconsistent and controlled by a person's decision from day to day and not by strictly regulated and enforced policy.

[balo]

"Although Peray’s work was known for an anti-Shinawatra stance and lukewarm acceptance of the 2014 coup d’etat, he has for some months made fun of junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha"

Well he asked for it then .

[smotherb]

No great loss. His cartoons are about as funny as blood in your stool anyway.

One wonders how he managed to stay employed as a cartoonist all these years drawing bloody stools.

[elgordo38]

Dont take it personally Stephff, it is not only you that is finding this problem. Farangs married to Thais now must produce their NEIGHBORS house documents to get their non O. This of course might be somewhat problematic if you don't get along with neighbors or don't have any at all. Visa denied. It's all part of the junta's xenophobia and nobody has been more critical (and hilariously so - thank you!) than yourself. Please continue to lampoon these fools from overseas, you still submit cartoons to the Nation from abroad without a thai work permit.

Must be just where you are , I just did mine no mention of anything close to that , just same stuff as I do every year..

Just ask Jaidam under who the 90 day reporting was revived. Guess he will stay silent then. But the problem with Thai officials is that they all have their small kingdoms and make their own rules. So its possible what he says but it certainly is not a new rule.

When I was trying to have a divorce one amphur wanted a translation and certification of my passport.. an other said could only be done in the original amphur (lie) and an other just did it without the certification of the translation and even laughed at the translation.

So they all make up their rules and there is not much you can do about it.

The moral of the story is "Never say I do"

[bark]

News flash. I follow Stephff and love his cartoons. He just got a call from

the Foreign Ministry trying to straighten this out. Apparently the Director

General thought he was a foreign journalist and did not realize he does

work for the Nation. So hopefully this will be resolved, but it certainly does

send a chilling message to other foreign journalists....

His update from his Facebook page. I certainly hope this gets

straightened out....

"new update on my work permit renewal refusal : I just got a call 25 minutes ago from the Foreign Ministry . They said that the Director-General didn't realize I was working for the Nation . So what they ask me to do is to provide a letter of support from The Nation instead of being a cartoonist for a foreign newspaper ( I work full time for the Kuwait Times as a cartoonist since 1999 ) . So apparently it's not poltically motivated - just new regulation from the Foreign ministry to make life harder on freelance journalists... So will see if they grant me renewal with letter of sponsor from The Nation . I apologize that the story is not as exciting as it may have seemed . But this confirm what the FCCT knows already : that there is a trend of getting rid of non-important journalists - small freelancers - you know those who can't make big noises ..."

I wonder if they can throw him in jail now; if he says something that they don't like. Because he will not be considered a Foreign Journalist ?

Just thinking out loud !

[Tchooptip]

So the Junta is not renewing visas for foreign journalists ? That would be alarming.

"Freelance" journalists!

[jesimps]

No great loss. His cartoons are about as funny as blood in your stool anyway.

This is not about the quality of his cartoons but the criticisms contained in them.

Hopefully, they'll let him stay.

By the way, how do you feel about the right to criticise a govt? Any govt, not just the junta.

[Jonmarleesco]

I wonder how accurate the generals were on the shooting range. One's hand tends to be much closer to one's feet than to a cardboard target. Stephff doesn't need a WP or visa in order to lampoon them from overseas.

[Transporter]

Cannot speak, Stay at home, Careful if you look out the window to smile only.

[sjaak327]

Now, back to Paris and draw about the siege of Europe. It is a much bigger issue than this backwaters of 60+ million people.

What siege of Europe ? Silly person.

I think that he doesn't need you to tell him what his priorities are or should be.

[eggers]

Certainly hope the the refusal was mistake by Foreign Ministry & Stephff receives the necessary support from the Nation, to enable him to continue his superb cartoons.

If not will mean a barage of letters to the Editor from Eric Baht, JC Wilcox & other more than regular writers....Pleaasee not Letter Adjustment Treatment!!!

[Benmart]

No great loss. His cartoons are about as funny as blood in your stool anyway.

Cartoons, are much like critics...you can take them, or leave them. The blood in the stool seems to be a warning to take a look at one's self.

[Dogmatix]

Since a Thai man was arrested merely sharing a song mocking Big Uncle Tu, this is only to be expected. On the other hand Thais are forced endlessly to endure ghastly saccharine songs the big man claims to have penned himself.

If they weren't so thin skinned, they would keep Stephff as a useful resource to mock Yingluck, Somchai, Panthongthae, Potchaman et al when they are thrown into jail and export red shirt farang journalists like Nick Nostitz, if he hasn't left already after the PDRC guards bruised his arm.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Dogmatix

[snowgard]

I am surprised how him got his Visa & workpermit in the last 16 years. For sure him give the same information all last years.

[MZurf]

Sooooo... I wonder how it would be if "some future government" required "a certain leader" to pay for the aircraft carrier scheme the way Yingluck is being pursued for the rice scheme.

The guy did have a point, doncha nooo.

I guess that all of those (lately disappeared) junta cheerleaders really didn't want freedom of the press after all.

Reconciliation can get dicey, sometimes.

That would be interesting going that far to 1992 when the aircraft carrier was ordered.

The PM's during 1992 were Anand Panyarachun until April 1992.

Meechai Ruchuphan until 06 May 1992

Anand Panyarachun until 22 June 1992

Chuan Leekpai from September 1992 until July 1995

I am sorry that I don't know who was running the military during and up to 1992 but I am sure if you did some research you could find out.

So how far back are you willing to go?

Oh, you mean the military has previously answered to an elected government in Thailand??

[Dogmatix]

The rules for foreign correspondents are very woolly. They just like to be able to kick them out easily, so they make them get annual approvals from the Foreign Ministry. On the other hand they don't bother to verify that they are really making a living from working for the foreign news agency they claim to be accredited to. Now they are making them do tests on their attitude to the monarchy etc for their annual renewals. A lot of them go into other lines of business, when the news work dries up or gets too competitive for them after a few years in LOS, like PR, or private investigation, and get their old pals from new agencies to give them a letter of accreditation every year, as long as they just submit 3 articles.

So they are both more tightly controlled and less tightly controlled than other foreign workers, who cannot get WPs as freelancers. It's a strange system.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Dogmatix

[SOTIRIOS]

....after over 15 years....???

...really shameful behavior....and shabby treatment...

...another case of...... 'pretending because you want it to be so'.....

...my guess......the hope was that he would not contest.....and simply depart.....

...reminds me of............ treatment from certain organizations when....someone does not like you....and wishes you were gone.....

[Basil B]

Once again Thailand shoots itself in the foot...

Do they think by kicking him out the country they will stop him drawing cartoons that make some Thai's in high places feel uncomfortable?

What next???

Ban cartoons that may criticise the present admin... and elite from all news papers???

Ban cartoons that may criticise the present admin... and elite from all social media???

Ban cartoons that may criticise the present admin... and elite from being photo copied and passed around???

Thing is the powers of the present admin are national and Thailand has very little say outside it boarders.

[firestar]

Ironic that someone who spent years cheerleading all things yellow is now in this situation for having been "lukewarm" about the coup.

Countless daily cartoons of Thaksin bashing had seen him able to apply his trade with no problem whatsoever but a "lukewarm" reception to the military was enough to get him into this trouble. Maybe now he'll understand one of the key grievances of red shirts that you're allowed anything if you're on the right side of the elites but nothing if on the other.

Having said that good luck to him, hope he gets his work permit back, doesn't deserve this.

[marquess]

Imagine 16 years of living in the country and based upon the reinterpretation of the rules you are no longer wanted. Under such circumstances who can truly invest here when they have to treat each yeah like your last, being a farang in Thailand seems to be a life without a future. Which I suppose is the intention of the powers that be.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

You members here don't see what has been happening to foreigners in Thailand. There is a campaign , in the media, when reporting news about foreigners. The negative word play to paint those who break the law and those who are law abiding with the same brush. They encourage thais to distrust and be suspicious of "Foreigners" until distrust turns to fear and fear gives way to hate. We are branded as liars and cheaters by the actions of the few bad people who come here. Soon we will be as vile as a the butterfly man spoken of by brokenhearted Thai women we meet. It is the paradigm shift that the perpetrators, of this campaign, are aiming for until we all are viewed in a negative light. This character destruction will see changes in rules to make it difficult living here. Relationships will be affected and destroyed by the stigma of being with a foreigner. Your Jobs and businesses lost because of some non compliance to nonsense.

[csabo]

I think calling a political cartoonist a journalist is a bit of a stretch anyway. What's his average work day about five minutes scribbling on a cocktail napkin at his favorite watering hole? Good news is Charlie Hebdo is hiring. Why not go to France and poke fun at Muhammad for a change and see how that works out for you?

Edited February 3, 2016 by csabo

[facthailand]

Perhaps other readers may disagree, but I've long wondered when the junta would start expelling dangerous foreigners who might use a bit of free expression. This is the first shot over the bow as warning to the rest of us. You may have noticed no foreigner has been called in for 'attitude adjustment'. Why bother when they can just deport us? Stephff won't be the last...

[gandalf12]

Dont take it personally Stephff, it is not only you that is finding this problem. Farangs married to Thais now must produce their NEIGHBORS house documents to get their non O. This of course might be somewhat problematic if you don't get along with neighbors or don't have any at all. Visa denied. It's all part of the junta's xenophobia and nobody has been more critical (and hilariously so - thank you!) than yourself. Please continue to lampoon these fools from overseas, you still submit cartoons to the Nation from abroad without a thai work permit.

Really? i just did mine last month and there was no request for a neighbor's house document.s

Are you sure?

Yes, it's true for some. Anyone who has lived here any length of time should be well aware that nothing is standard in Thailand. Everything is inconsistent and controlled by a person's decision from day to day and not by strictly regulated and enforced policy.

I think you have had one too many

[EyesWideOpen]

Once again Thailand shoots itself in the foot...

Do they think by kicking him out the country they will stop him drawing cartoons that make some Thai's in high places feel uncomfortable?

What next???

Ban cartoons that may criticise the present admin... and elite from all news papers???

Ban cartoons that may criticise the present admin... and elite from all social media???

Ban cartoons that may criticise the present admin... and elite from being photo copied and passed around???

Thing is the powers of the present admin are national and Thailand has very little say outside it boarders.

I was thinking that Thailand would be better off if he stays

here , as his cartoons can be somewhat moderated.

If they give him the boot, then he can really open up

with both barrels and have a lot of fun poking pins into

the thin skin of the junta....

[Basil B]

Yes...

If he is outside Thailand it will be much harder to to send round the boys to arrest him and hold him in some barracks where no one knows where he is for a few weeks...

Probably that why when they thought about it they changed their minds.

Just waiting for the news headline... he's been held at some military barracks for re-educating.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Basil B

[EyesWideOpen]

Yes...

If he is outside Thailand it will be much harder to to send round the boys to arrest him and hold him in some barracks where no one knows where he is for a few weeks...

Probably that why when they thought about it they changed their minds.

Just waiting for the news headline... he's been held at some military barracks for re-educating.

Guess we will know he underwent a re-education process

if his cartoons next week start singing praises of the junta..

[Puccini]

From the news article linked to in the OP:

Editor's note: After this story was published, Peray wrote Tuesday night to say he'd been contacted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked to submit a letter of support from The Nation instead of relying on his longstanding affiliation with The Kuwait Times.

He worked 16 years for a Thai newspaper and the only reference he supplied for the renewal of his press card and extension of visa was a reference from a newspaper in Kuwait?

[lvr181]

Regardless of whether Stephff is allowed to carry on working, I ref to Eyeswideopen blog , everyone knows that Thailand has a dictatorship and no amount of posturing by the administration will convince me otherwise, and with all respect to Ret General Prayut - O who at the beginning showed great promise , then fell into the old 1,2,3 trap of army run countries, totalitarian Governments hold no place in the modern world today, Burma is a prime example.......................................

Technical correction - Burma was in the "old" world, it is Myanmar in the modern world today. And it could be that they are moving forward.

[dru2]

'Ironic that someone who spent years cheerleading all things yellow is now in this situation for having been "lukewarm" about the coup'.

It has nothing to do with his political views or cartoons. He failed to submit the correct paperwork and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have long been rigorous about this - certainly even more so today. He can leave the country and reapply if he has appropriate employment through a bona fide news organisation. If he is rejected then, we can assume it is on political grounds.

Edited February 4, 2016 by dru2