Update on the Raids on Community Radio Stations

Earlier this week, there were coordinated raids by the Army and the ISOC on 13 red-shirt community radio stations in Bangkok and neighboring areas.

Prachatai has recently provided further details on the logic and background behind the raids. Of particular note, a representative from the Army noted that there were over 800 community radio stations who were engaged in activities that might be detrimental to national security. However, they were not raided because they did not have enough evidence to ask the court for a warrant. If PPT had an audience with a high-ranking member of the ISOC or the Army, we would ask for a precise definition of national security. Sometimes it seems that rather than protecting national security, the Army and the ISOC are instead in the business of producing national insecurity.

In a 27 April 2011 statement well-worth reading, HRW has pointed out the broad dangers this kind of action by the Thai state represents. These dangers include the credibility of the upcoming elections, the development of the rule of law. and the very nature of  freedom itself.  What is significant is that these dangers affect all Thai people, not only those who were directly affected by the raids on the radio stations. (Thanks to Bangkok Pundit for bringing the HRW statement to everyone’s attention.)

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