New rules for journalist M visa

[Lupatria]

There are new rules for visas for journalists and correspondents, you will find the details at:

https://www.facebook.com/FCCThailand/

[Srikcir]

No. 4 is a death knell for open and honest reporting.

Very appropriate with the Prayut regime.

[ubonjoe]

Easier to read the press release if you go this page on the MFA website: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/media-center/14/64722-Announcement-on-the-Guidelines-for-Issuing-Non-imm.html

Or this PDF crated as a printout of it: Announcement on the Guidelines for Issuing Non-immigrant Visa Category “M†(Media Visa).pdf

[northernboy]

Ouch .. the freedom of the any hope of a honest free press in Thailand just got told it will have a lethal kick to the groin, starting as of March 21 this year. Under the new rules any negative news would be a violation of one's media visa terms.

[Dogmatix]

I wonder if Nick 'The Red" von Nostitz was the photographer whose application was denied after many years as a free lancer in Thailand. The journalists whinge about this but they are the only foreigners who can WPs as freelancers.

Everyone else has to have a proper job working for a Thai registered company that pays local taxes. Many of them moonlight doing other freelance work and just file a couple of stories a year to renew their WP and visa. The government is entitled to eliminate abuse and ensure that all are genuinely working as journalists working for a Thai or foreign government accredited news agency.

However, the censorship aspect of this, which is probably the main motivation for it, is out of order.