Media

Due to political conflicts in Thailand over the last few years, new media have been widely used as tools in public discussions. The Heinrich Böll Stiftung Southeast Asia Regional Office organized a public discussion forum to stimulate discussion between representatives of different groups about the protection of freedom of expression and access to information.

During the 1998 United States embassy bombings, the ambassy in Nairobi Kenya was attacked on August 7, killing approximately 212 people. The Kenyan drama film "From a Whisper" portrays the aftermath, capturing the lives of the victims and families who had to pick up the pieces of their lives shredded by the blast. An interview with the films director Wanuri Kahiu.

In the three years since its enforcement, the Thai Computer Crime Act has led to 117 court orders to block access to 74,686 Internet URLs. A situational report supported by our Southeast Asia office concludes, that "no one can deny that the Thai people’s right to freedom of expression and opinion in the online world is in crisis."

Interview with Supinya Klangnarong, Media-rights advocate and researcher, about the crisis in Thailand, the polarisation of Thai society and the mistakes of government, and protesters.