BBC Monitoring, via sources in Bangkok, has observed that as of 21 September, the Thai military authorities continue to block portions of CNN and BBC news reports on local cable television on the aftermath of Thailand’s 19 September coup. Footage of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and discussion of the Thai king’s role are being blocked on UBC cable, but some foreign criticism of the 19 September coup is being broadcast.
CNN and BBC were taken off the air about 2300 local (1600 gmt) on 19 September immediately following an announcement shown on UBC that “sunspot” activity might result in the temporary loss of the satellite signal.
Images of Thaksin are being allowed to appear as part of the “news headlines” presented at the top of BBC World and CNN newscasts, but more detailed reports regarding his activities in New York and London are being blocked.
A BBC roundup of events surrounding the Thai coup monitored at 0550 local on 21 September (2350 gmt 20 September) and repeated one hour later, for example, showed coup leaders at a news conference, and a BBC reporter asking soldiers on the streets of Bangkok about foreign criticism of the coup. Once the scene shifted to an image of Thaksin disembarking from a plane in London, however, and the announcer began a discussion of Thaksin’s career, a slide appeared reading “programming will resume shortly”. This was followed by a montage of Western movie stars lasting about one minute before BBC programming resumed in progress with a report on other world events.
A similar pattern has been observed on CNN. In addition to detailed reports on Thaksin, discussion of the Thai king’s attitude towards the coup has been blocked on at least one occasion.
A CNN interview at about 2200 local (1500 gmt) on 20 September with Paul Handley, the author of The King Never Smiles: A Biography of Thailand’s Bhumibol Adulyadej - a book banned under the Thaksin government - was allowed to proceed for 15 or 20 seconds. However, when the interviewer asked Handley whether he thought the king had approved the coup, the feed was cut and replaced by the same montage of movie stars used when BBC broadcasts are blocked.
Soon after military leaders announced the coup at 2200 local (1500 gmt) on 19 September, CNN and BBC disappeared from UBC, the only major Thai cable television service. All UBC channels, including sports and cartoons, were then blocked from about 0100 to about 0600 local on 20 September, when non-news programming resumed. CNN and BBC then resumed later in the day, albeit with the selective censorship of coup reports.
(Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 21 Sep 06)
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