NRC president worried about NCPO's tough stance toward Thai PBS show

“I believe shows like this will be suspended again because of martial law and also because the NRC is not patient enough to allow people to express their ideas and encourage them to participate in national reform,” Thienchay said. 

“The government is clear on martial law – that it is still active, and I cannot ask the NCPO to lift martial law.” 

He said the reform process would be pursued in another form, with the NRC setting up a centre where people can lodge suggestions and file complaints. The centre, which will be operational on Monday, will also provide policies to relevant agencies, he said.

The suspension of the Thai PBS show “People’s Voices Must Be Heard before Reform” has resulted in much criticism. It followed a meeting of the military with Thai PBS executives.

It came after Nattaya Wawweerakup hosted the programme in Songkhla, with villagers and activists criticising the coup in response to provocative questions.

The military officers who met with the executives also called on the programme to shift its focus and broadcast general news and remove Nattaya as host.

Thai PBS executives said the station had complied with those requests. 

An NCPO source said Nattaya was removed because the junta did not like her questions, which centred on whether southerners were comfortable under the NCPO and the government.

The source said that after high-ranking military officers heard about the show, the junta ordered three of it members to meet with Thai PBS chief Somchai Suwanban to ask for his cooperation regarding the matter and to come up with a resolution involving the presenting of news.

Somchai said he understood the situation and he would solve the problem, but Nattaya still went to Nakhon Pathom to report on a similar topic, resulting in another meeting between the junta and the Thai PBS chief.

The source said that had resulted in Thai PBS being told it would need the junta’s permission to air the show. 

Somchai suggested solving the problem by suspending Nattaya for two weeks.

Criticism has been directed not just at the junta but also Thai PBS, which is seen as an independent television organisation. 

The military also intervened to shut down a public forum that was due to be held at Alliance Francaise in Bangkok tomorrow under the topic “Thailand and Inequality”. It feared that the gathering would affect the political situation or result in criticism being directed at the government, given that social critic Sulak Sivaraksa was to appear.

However, the organiser of the event said it was to have been a mere “talk show” to entertain people, and Sulak was to have spoken on history.

The organiser said the military wanted certain speakers removed, but they were all qualified to be part of the event. However, it was hopeful the junta would give it permission today for the event to proceed.