Politics

Court denies request to remove online footage of Thanathorn’s criticism of vaccine rollout

Published

3 weeks ago

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Maya Taylor

Court denies request to remove online footage of Thanathorn’s criticism of vaccine rollout | The Thaiger

PHOTO: Wikimedia

The Criminal Court has rejected a bid by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to remove a piece of online footage that criticises the government’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The former leader of the Future Forward Party, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, took to Facebook to live stream his thoughts on the government’s handling of the national vaccination programme, criticising officials for procurement decisions and referencing the Monarchy.

Thai firm Siam Bioscience, which is owned by the Crown Property Bureau, has been given sole rights to manufacture the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine in the Kingdom. Production is expected to begin in mid-2021. The government had attempted to use the country’s strict lèse majesté law as grounds to remove Thanathorn’s footage. The law prohibits criticism or defamation of the Monarchy.

However, in its ruling, the court says most of Thananthorn’s criticism was directed at the government’s handling of the vaccine rollout, with little mention of Siam Bioscience. As such, the video could not be considered a violation of the lèse majesté law or a threat to national security. The finding comes following Thananthorn’s appeal of an earlier ruling that saw the livestream removed from Facebook. The opposition politician has come under fire from staunch royalists, who accuse him of dragging the Monarchy into the debate on vaccine rollout.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

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News Categories:Coronavirus (Covid-19)Politics Thailand

14 Comments

Mister Stretch
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 12:33 pm
The government will go to any extreme, these days, to use lese majeste to silence their critics.
It’s a sad state of affairs. Thailand deserves better.
Reply
Ynwaps
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 12:38 pm
What’s Siam Bioscience have to do with lèse majesté?
The only threat to national security is a government that ruins public trust in the vaccine through censorship.
Reply
- Toby Andrews
  Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 1:06 pm
  It is owned by the monarchy.
  This does not matter now because this Siam Bioscience will not be producing the vaccine, even though a self proclaimed wise man living in solitude in a bamboo hut said it would.
  He claims he dreamt of an old man dressed in white who told him it would.
  Others claim he saw a vision in an empty Chang bottle.
  Reply
- Issan John
  Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 4:07 pm
  Evidently the court’s view too, Ynwaps.
  Reply
  - Ynwaps
    Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 6:44 pm
    Some smart people in the country after all
    Reply
Jeff
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 2:56 pm
An important blow to tyranny.
Reply
- Gosport
  Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 4:33 pm
  Seems this young guy doubts everything. Too much Chang?
  Reply
Social Observer
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 3:19 pm
Surprise!
Reply
sam
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 9:07 pm
If Thanathorn had been banned from politics for ten years,after his party was dissolved,why was he allowed to campaign for recent provincial elections with his new movement ? He uses the “3 fingers salute” borrowed from the movie,Hunger Games to promote democracy that galvanised young people to follow his ideology without question.It is very western-oriented system that is not suitable for Asian democracy. USA is no longer a model for democracy due to recent events that happened,after its last election.
Reply
- Issan John
  Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 12:29 am
  He wasn’t “allowed to”, Sam.
  His was the “Future Forward” party, the party he now supports which ran in the provincial elections was the “Move Forward” party.
  Different party.
  Reply
Jim kelly
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 9:40 pm
ONE DAY THIS GUY WILL BECOME THE LEADER OF THAILAND… like the song by Depeche Mode, “It’s just a question of time!”
THE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL HAVE THEIR VOICE.
Reply
Ian
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 12:23 am
I so hope Jim anybody but the crap that rules now without the country’s support the tide has turned I’m still young enough to see this happen in my lifetime and bring democracy and freedom to the Thai people and hopefully the farang gets treated with respect from the government the people i have met in the villages like us as we contribute so much to this country
Reply
- Issan John
  Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 4:14 am
  “respect” is earnt.
  Dross contributing to the economy by sitting outside 7-11 sharing a bottle of Chang paid for from a lifetime of petty crime and spongeing on the dole having contributed nothing to their own country doesn’t qualify.
  Reply
Geoff
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 10:27 am
Sad comment, even for you. Perhaps change your (ever decreasing?) circle of friends?
Reply

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Maya Taylor

A seasoned writer, with a degree in Creative Writing. Over ten years' experience in producing blog and magazine articles, news reports and website content.

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Samut Sakhon shrimp market, recent Covid-19 wave’s epicentre, is back open and bustling

Published

31 mins ago

Monday, March 1, 2021

Caitlin Ashworth

Samut Sakhon shrimp market, recent Covid-19 wave’s epicentre, is back open and bustling | The Thaiger

PHOTO: MGR Online

The Samut Sakhon seafood market, the epicentre of the recent wave of Covid-19 infections, has reopened. The Central Shrimp Market had been shut down, sealed off and sprayed down after hundreds of vendors, migrant workers and visitors were infected with the coronavirus. Now, 10 weeks later, the market at a fishing hub just southwest of Bangkok, is not only back open, it’s bustling.

A waiting area now has rows sectioned off by plastic dividers to ensure social distancing. Those bringing fish to the market to sell must take a queue card and sit in the proper seat. The seafood will also be now sorted on a raised platform.

Market operators, vendors and customers are required to follow disease control measures. Screening points are set to check all vehicles entering the area including trucks delivering seafood as well as vendors and customers.

Workers are required to wear face masks, gloves, rubber boots and rubber aprons. Members of the market must have documents from a recent health screening.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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Coronavirus (Covid-19)

CCSA Update: 80 new Covid-19 cases, active infections on a downward slope

Published

2 hours ago

Monday, March 1, 2021

Caitlin Ashworth

CCSA Update: 80 new Covid-19 cases, active infections on a downward slope | The Thaiger

PHOTO: Post Today

80 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing while 142 new cases were reported on Saturday and Sunday. Since the start of the pandemic, Thailand has reported 26,031 coronavirus infections and 83 deaths.

There are currently 624 active Covid-19 infections, a record low for Thailand since the December outbreak at a Samut Sakhon seafood market. The number of active Covid-19 over the past month drastically dropped after health officials slowed down mass testing efforts in high risk areas.

Out of the 80 new cases reported today, 28 were exposed to the virus in areas considered to be at “high risk,” including 19 in Samut Sakhon, 3 in Tak, 2 in Nakhon Pathom, 2 in Bangkok, 1 in Chon Buri and 1 in Ratchaburi.

36 cases were detected through proactive testing, including 35 cases in Pathum Thani and 1 in Nonthaburi.

The other 16 cases were detected in quarantine for those arriving to Thailand from overseas.

CCSA Update: 80 new Covid-19 cases, active infections on a downward slope | News by The Thaiger

Active Covid-19 cases in Thailand as of February 28, according to Worldometers.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand

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Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Thai PM says Covid-19 jab is safe, urges people to get vaccinated

Published

6 hours ago

Monday, March 1, 2021

Maya Taylor

Thai PM says Covid-19 jab is safe, urges people to get vaccinated | The Thaiger

PHOTO: EPA-EFE

The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has assured people the Covid-19 vaccine is safe as he called on citizens to get vaccinated. Nation Thailand reports that the PM was speaking at a vaccination drive taking place at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, in the central province of Nonthaburi.

It’s understood Prayut himself will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, having been deemed too old for China’s Sinovac jab. However, it is unclear when he might be vaccinated, with the delay put down to issues with the AstraZeneca paperwork.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was the first person in Thailand to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, when he got the Sinovac jab yesterday. It’s understood he has not experienced any adverse reaction. A number of other politicians and prominent medics also got the vaccine, including Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control and the Public Health Deputy Minister Sathit Pitutecha.

The PM says the vaccines are safe and is calling on everyone to get inoculated when the time comes.

“The government and medical personnel have overcome this crisis many times so far. This shows that Thailand can contain the spread of Covid-19 effectively.”

SOURCE: Nation Thailand

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