Blog: Bangkok News & Reviews

100 'illegal' websites?

2009-01-08T17:19:00.002+07:00

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has announced that there are approximately 100 websites under investigation which contain anti-monarchy content. Suspiciously, this figure is much less than the 2,300 (and potentially 2,700) sites announced by ICT Minister Ranongrak Suwanchawee just two days ago.

2,300 websites blocked

2009-01-06T20:30:00.006+07:00

ICT Minister Ranongrak Suwanchawee announced today that 2,300 websites are currently being blocked in Thailand, with the total set to increase to 2,700 pending court approval. This is the largest figure ever publicly acknowledged by MICT.

Ranongrak's predecessor, Mun Patanotai, 'named and shamed' twenty-nine potentially illegal sites, though he later revealed that 1,893 sites were banned and he went on to block a further 400. Before Mun, ICT Minister Sitthichai Pokaiyaudom would only acknowledge a handful of censored sites, despite a leaked MICT blocklist featuring thousands of entries. Another blocklist was leaked last month, listing 1,303 websites, all unfortunately blocked for the same reason (criticisms of the monarchy).

new MICT blocklist (facthai.wordpress.com)

2008-12-23T22:06:00.026+07:00

Another confidential MICT blocklist has been obtained and released by FACT. The new list confirms that 1,303 extra websites have been blocked since last year's blocklist. Whereas previous lists have blocked a wide variety of topics (gambling, sex, politics, and proxy servers), this new list concentrates exclusively on lese majeste material. Unfortunately, it seems that new ICT Minister Ranongruk Suwanchawee is as zealous as her predecessor, Man Pattanothai.

A recent article from The Economist is blocked, alongside a Thai translation of it (at thaireport.blogspot.com). A blog translating other media reports (hello-siam.blogspot.com), and Thai versions of The King Never Smiles, are also on the list. A thread from a Usenet group concerning King Ananda Mahidol (soc.culture.thai) is prohibited, as is Wikipedia's profile of Ananda. Images from sacrava.blogspot.com and embruns.net (and matthewhunt.com!) are also blocked. The list also features a Vietnamese article analysing the 2006 coup (laodong.com.vn), audio recordings of Da Torpedo, a page from Sulak Sivaraksa's website (sulak-sivaraksa.org), and a blog supporting Phraya Phichai (freepichai.blogspot.com).

Numerous threads from forums at sameskybooks.org (blocked in December, September, and January) and prachatai.com (blocked in May) are included. The vast bulk of the list consists of notorious videos and images from youtube.com, some of which are hosted on a banned blog (15yearsprison.blogspot.com).

another complaint against BBC journalist

2008-12-23T04:42:00.003+07:00

Thai police officer Wattanasak Mungkandee has again accused BBC journalist Jonathan Head of lese majeste (after previously accusing him in June). This time, Wattanasak disapproves of Head's BBC News article titled How Did The Protesters Manage It?, published online on 3rd December. The article briefly discusses the possibility of royal support for the PAD (a subject also broached by The Economist), though Head clearly dismisses any such speculation: "Some in the government even believe the revered king may be backing the movement, although at the age of almost 81 this seems unlikely".

Perishable Beauty

2008-12-19T20:32:00.005+07:00

Perishable Beauty, running from 28th November 2008 until 22nd February 2009) at Bangkok's TCDC, is an exhibition exploring the transience of physical perfection (also the theme of The Way Of All Flesh, by Midas Dekkers). The exhibition's installation is stunning, though the exhibits themselves are less substantial.

A banqueting table laden with rotting food, sealed in an air-tight tank and growing mouldier every day, is the most impressive exhibit. There is also a diamond created from human ashes, produced commercially by Algordanza. Other displays, relying on TV clips, photographs, and everyday objects, are underwhelming.

Although the Perishable Beauty poster is seemingly inspired by Orlan, her work is not included in the exhibition. Also, the exhibition is filled with dead flowers yet Otto Berchem is not represented. (His sculpture Deadheading was shown in Bangkok two years ago, at The Suspended Moment.) Indeed, the exhibition is more suited to a museum than to TCDC, as it's educational rather than artistic.

Save The Film

2008-12-19T07:35:00.002+07:00

Thailand's National Film Archive (in Salaya, north of Bangkok) is hosting an event called Save The Film tomorrow afternoon. Two of Apichatpong Weerasethakul's recent films will be shown: Luminous People (which premiered at Traces Of Siamese Smile) and Emerald (which was previously screened at Tomyam Pladib).

Zuma sues cartoonist

2008-12-18T22:28:00.006+07:00

Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa's ruling ANC party, is suing cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro for libel. Shapiro's 'objectionable' cartoon was published in the Sunday Times newspaper on 8th September.

Prime Minister Abhisit

2008-12-15T11:02:00.002+07:00

Breaking news: Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has won this morning's parliamentary vote, and has thus become Thailand's new Prime Minister. Surprisingly, Abhisit's coalition partners resisted lucrative bribes from Puea Thai.

International Film Festival 2008-2009

2008-12-12T23:55:00.000+07:00

Chulalongkorn University's International Film Festival has returned, running from today until 6th February 2009 in Bangkok. The main attraction at the previous festival was Four Months Three Weeks & Two Days, and this time the highlight is another Romanian film, California Dreamin' (showing on 23rd January 2009). All screenings are free.

Illustration: A Visual History

2008-12-12T23:08:00.000+07:00

Illustration: A Visual History, by Steven Heller and Seymour Chwast, features a chronological account of the history of commercial illustrations from Victorian caricatures to digital art, via pulp novels, psychedelic posters, and satirical cartoons. It includes representative examples of magazine covers, advertisements, comics, and typography.

Dutch PM criticises Mohammed film

2008-12-11T20:09:00.004+07:00

Jan Peter Balkenende, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, has released a statement condemning a short film titled An Interview With Muhammed.

In the film (directed by Ehsan Jami, available online at blip.tv), an actor wearing a Mohammed mask gives his views on contemporary Islam. Balkenende announced: "The Dutch government [...] regrets the fact that Mr Jami's film deeply offends the feelings of many Muslims".

Democrat coalition government?

2008-12-08T08:30:00.004+07:00

There is now a real possibility that the balance of power in Thai politics could shift from Thaksin Shinawatra (founder of TRT, and controller of the PPP and the new Puea Thai) to Abhisit Vejjajiva (leader of the opposition Democrats). Following the PPP's dissolution, a key PPP faction, led by Newin Chidchob, has shifted its allegiance to the Democrats, as have four parties from the coalition government.

With four smaller parties and Newin's PPP faction, the Democrats currently have enough support to form a new coalition government. If Abhisit can arrange a parliamentary vote in the next few days, he could be the new Prime Minister. However, Puea Thai may dissolve parliament, thus forcing a new general election, or Newin's faction and the smaller parties may desert the Democrats and return to Puea Thai.

Thai politics is notoriously fickle and factional, so everything is still up in the air. Also, although I personally prefer the Democrats, a Democrat coalition government would hardly represent the will of the people, as TRT/PPP/Puea Thai have won every Thai election since 2001.

The Economist banned in Thailand?

2008-12-06T10:23:00.001+07:00

The current issue of The Economist magazine is not available in Thailand. The magazine features a detailed analysis of the Thai monarchy's supposed support for the PAD - a highly sensitive topic in Thailand, needless to say. Whether the magazine has been officially banned is not clear; it could be an act of self-censorship by the distributors, with or without pressure from the government.

PAD protest ends

2008-12-02T20:48:00.003+07:00

The PAD's protests will end by 10am tomorrow, according to an announcement this evening. Following the dissolution of the PPP, the PAD declared victory in their campaign against Thaksin's regime. (In fact, the fate of the PPP was sealed by Yongyuth's conviction for vote-buying, and had nothing to do with the PAD.)

How long it will take to repair the damage caused to Government House, Don Mueang, and Suvarnabhumi remains to be seen. The priority now should be to resume normal service at Suvarnabhumi as soon as possible, and to hold the PAD leaders responsible for the consequences of their actions.

PPP dissolved; Somchai banned

2008-12-02T16:05:00.004+07:00

This afternoon, the Constitution Court announced its verdict in the vote-buying and fraud cases against three ruling coalition parties. All three parties (Chart Thai, Matchima Thipataya, and the PPP) were found guilty, and are thus automatically dissolved. Their executives, including PPP leader and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, are now banned from politics for the next five years. Chaovarat Chanweerakul has been appointed caretaker Prime Minister to temporarily replace Somchai. The guilty verdict was delivered from the Administrative Court, as pro-government supporters protested outside the Constitution Court this morning.

Chart Thai's dissolution has ended the political career of its leader, the slippery, reptilian Banharn Silpa-Archa. Banharn is infamous for changing his allegiances at the drop of a hat; last year, for example, he publicly pledged to support the Democrats, though, after the PPP's victory in the general election, he joined a PPP coalition instead.

The dissolution of the PPP echoes that of TRT last year. The verdict is hardly surprising, given the previous guilty verdicts of the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. Hopefully, today's decision will placate the PAD and thus bring to an end the illegal, violent, and extremely disruptive protests at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.

another PAD protester killed

2008-12-02T08:16:00.004+07:00

Early this morning, a grenade exploded at Don Mueang airport, killing a PAD protester. The victim is the third PAD demonstrator to have been killed in the past month. (Yesterday, the PAD's occupation of Government House ended due to recent grenade attacks in the compound and nearby.)

The Seafarers on DVD

2008-12-02T07:48:00.004+07:00

Kubrick's industrial film The Seafarers is now available on DVD, distributed by Alexander Pietrzak and Indian Relay. It was commissioned by the Seafarers International Union to promote their activities and recruit members, and, frankly, the film is as dull as it sounds, though it is notable as Kubrick's first colour film. The DVD is surely of interest only to Kubrick completists (myself included).

PAD's Government House protest ends

2008-12-01T15:00:00.006+07:00

The good news: today will be the final day of the PAD's illegal three-month occupation of Government House.

The bad news: the protesters will go directly from Government House to join the PAD's blockades of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

Meanwhile, with Suvarnabhumi closed for a whole week, there has still been no serious attempt to remove the PAD. The Prime Minister is in hiding, the police are refusing to obey instructions, and Air Chief Marshall Itthaporn Supawong has joined army chief Anupong in calling for the dissolution of parliament.

With the government either unable or unwilling to take any action, we can only hope that the Constitution Court's imminent verdict on the PPP (following the EC's decision in September) will bring some kind of resolution.

Also, it's the King's birthday on 5th December, and Thai people believe that his birthdays are auspicious occasions, thus there is pressure for the PAD's demonstrations to end before Friday. However, the PAD protesters all wear yellow shirts (symbolising loyalty to the King, in contrast to the red shirts of the pro-government demonstrators), and it's possible that they have covert royal support. This would explain why the PAD's actions have been allowed to continue unopposed for so long.

hello-siam.blogspot.com blocked

2008-12-01T08:14:00.003+07:00

Another of the twenty-nine websites investigated earlier this year for lese majeste has been blocked in Thailand. The site, hello-siam.blogspot.com, posts international media articles about Thai politics and the monarchy.

sameskybooks.org thread blocked

2008-12-01T08:09:00.002+07:00

A thread on the sameskybooks.org web-board has been blocked by MICT. Pages on the site have been intermittently blocked recently, after a member of the public accused it of lese majeste.

Thai police chief demoted

2008-11-28T18:20:00.004+07:00

Breaking news: Thai police chief Phatcharawat Wongsuwan has been transferred to an inactive post, following the continued delay in police action against the PAD. Yesterday's state of emergency declaration gave the police the authority to forcibly remove the PAD from Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, though so far the police have not done so.

The demotion of Phatcharawat further weakens the government's position, with the police seemingly joining the army in refusing to restore order. PM Somchai remains in Chiang Mai, fearing the possibility of an army coup if he returned to Bangkok, though staying hundreds of miles from the capital prevents him from asserting his authority.

airports become emergency zones

2008-11-28T09:50:00.006+07:00

Last night, Somchai declared a state of emergency, limited to two zones in Bangkok: the new international airport (Suvarnabhumi) and the old airport (Don Mueang). This will enable him to authorise the removal of the PAD protesters. He announced that the police, air force, and navy (though not the army) will be deployed to disperse the PAD. Clearly, Anupong's recent 'suggestions' that Somchai should resign and dissolve parliament make it impossible for the government to depend on co-operation from the army. (During the Bangkok-wide state of emergency in September, Anupong refused to break up the PAD's occupation of Government House; yesterday, there were rumours of an imminent coup, after Anupong met Prem and apparently gave Somchai an ultimatum.)

With Suvarnabhumi airport, the government's temporary offices at Don Mueang, and Government House all still under siege, and Anupong's open defiance, Somchai and his cabinet were forced to meet yesterday in Chiang Mai. Somchai still refuses to use force against the PAD, following the violence in October, though if he continues to do nothing he will lose what little authority he still has left. Anupong surely deserves dismissal for insubordination, though sacking him would provoke other army generals to launch a coup.

Anupong calls for dissolution

2008-11-26T18:25:00.006+07:00

Army chief Anupong today called for the government to dissolve parliament, and for the PAD protests to cease. (Last month, he suggested that PM Somchai should resign.)

Dissolving parliament and calling a general election would not, however, end the cycle of protests which has plagued the country for the past three years. Thaksin's TRT, and the ruling PPP, have won every general election since 2001, though there have been protests against Thaksin and his successors since 2005. The PAD will not be satisfied until its undemocratic 'New Politics' system is implemented, and the PAD's leaders refuse to enter democratic politics because they know that they would stand no chance of being elected. Yet, they still claim a (totally non-existent) mandate to continue their violent and illegal demonstrations.

Thaksin was elected in 2001, and won a second term in 2005. Then, in 2006, he dissolved parliament following protests against his tax-free sale of Shin Corp. to Singapore. He won a third election, though the poll was later invalidated due to Election Commission corruption. Following the 2006 coup, an election was finally held in December 2007, which was won by the PPP (formed after the dissolution of Thaksin's TRT, though also facing dissolution themselves). The PAD initially called for Thaksin's resignation, though when Thaksin personally selected Samak Sundaravej as PPP leader the PAD's demonstrations resumed. Then, after Samak's disqualification, he was replaced by Thaksin's brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, and the PAD protested yet again. So, even if Somchai resigned, or a new election was called, the PPP (or an incarnation of it) would comfortably win any election in the near future and would be led by someone close to Thaksin, and the cycle of demonstrations would begin all over again.

PAD's never-ending "final battle"

2008-11-25T23:30:00.002+07:00

Suvarnabhumi international airport was closed today, after it was besieged by PAD protesters who were trying to prevent Prime Minister Somchai's plane from landing there.

Yesterday, in what they risibly called a "final battle", the PAD prevented MPs from entering parliament, then stormed into the cabinet's temporary offices at Don Mueang airport. (The cabinet were only meeting at Don Mueang, of course, because Government House has been seized by the PAD for the past three months.)

The PAD's core leaders have done as much as they can to provoke the army into staging yet another coup, though army chief Anupong admirably refuses to take the bait. There were two deaths when police used tear gas last month, apparently because of dangerous Chinese gas. But how much longer can the PAD be allowed to hold the country to ransom?

PAD guards are carrying, and using, lethal weapons. PAD protesters are ransacking state buildings, trespassing, and looting. PAD leaders are inciting anarchy and mob rule. PM Somchai must surely do something to stop them?

Oleg Kulik photographs seized in Paris

2008-11-24T00:51:00.000+07:00

Police have removed photographs by the Russian performance artist Oleg Kulik from an exhibition in Paris. The images, part of a retrospective exhibition titled New Sermon, were confiscated on 28th October after police visited the exhibition at the FIAC art fair.