Judges in Phuket, dubbed this week as the most corrupt place in Thailand by the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand, have ruled that BBC South East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head, cannot travel around the region on news assignments without first seeking the courts permission – and paying more cash. In a case brought by a lawyer […]
‘Reporters without Borders today publishes a scathing attack by Thailand’s military leader Prayuth Chan-Ocha whom the report describes as an ‘eccentric megalomaniac’. Led by Gen. Prayuth Chan-o-cha, the Thai junta has been persecuting the media for the past 18 months, imposing a reign of terror that has included interrogations, arbitrary arrests, a spate of prosecutions […]
The acquittal of Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian today of criminal libel and violating the Computer Crime Act is reason to celebrate. But it may have no bearing on many cases being brought under Thailand’s Computer Crime Act not only against journalists but even tourists and resident foreigners by others who do not want their […]
POLICE RUBBER STAMPED PROSECUTION – DID NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH – CLAIM THAILAND’S GREAT NAVAL BATTLES PART I Phuketwan journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian will be told of their fate tomorrow when the Phuket court hands down judgment on the criminal libel and computer crime cases brought against them by the Royal Thai Navy. The […]
WORKERS RIGHTS ACTIVIST TAKES HIS PLACE IN THE QUEUE OF THE LOST FACE Following its time immemorial tradition of denial Thailand will decide tomorrow whether workers’ right activist Andy Hall should be formally indicted on computer crimes and criminal defamation charges for exposing what has been traditionally been the norm – the abuse of migrant […]
LEFT HAND DOWN A BIT! ITS THE THAI NAVY LARK The credibility of Thailand took another blow today as the Guardian newspaper followed up on its report last year on slavery in the Thai fishing industry making it quite clear, if we were in any doubt, that officials were complicit in the trafficking of Rohingya […]
Just back from the Bank Holiday break to see that ASEAN continues to demonstrate its racism internationally and continues to foot-shoot over the Rohingya problem. I also see that the Thai economy is down, and Thai Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-Ocha has cancelled any attempts at major reform of the Royal Thai Police. The only […]
The continuing revelations about official complicity in the deaths of Rohingya refugees in Thailand, people who died where there was no humanity, is yet another blow to the country’s credibility, a credibility which was stretched to the limit already. Thailand can be a charming and welcoming country. Yes it does have beautiful beaches (but little […]
Alan Morison the Australian journalist who has been hounded by the Royal Thai Navy has returned defiantly to Thailand for fight libel cases brought against him and colleague Chutima Sidasathian, the Guardian is reporting today. Morison and Chutima face trial over one sentence in a Reuters report which they published on the plight of the […]
British journalist Andrew Drummond has quit Thailand after 25 years covering Southeast Asia from the Thai capital Bangkok. The primary reasons were a direct threat to the safety of himself and his three children from foreign criminals in Thailand working in liaison with the Thai Police and Thailand’s Crime Computer Crime Act, which he […]
Andrew Drummond is a British independent journalist and occasional television documentary maker. He is a former Fleet Street, London, journalist having worked at the Evening Standard, Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, News of the World, Observer and The Times.