Are the TV stations muted?

[Hard_done_by]

I notice in Thailand there was/(is?) very little coverage of the UDD's rampage in the Bangkok and elsewhere. At the height of the action, tv stations were transmitting soap box shows, social chat, etc. - is it true that only one tv station has a outside video camera? and is it true that the tv stations have to wait until newspapers are published to find out what's happening? Is it censorship to keep the population calm, or is it that the reporters don't want to go out too much (exception is TNN).

[Jefferson]

yes

[alex1]

There are directives given by the government the officials working in the center have to follow. But the ones have the
final say are officials in the age of 60 up, the oldest one on duty might be 80 already. So they try to protect the kids and
don"t want to much bad actions broadcasted. Because of their age they might ignore time has changed and there are no
borders for international media networks. To work on this issue was sheduled on november last Year but as long the govern
ment has to wast time to deal with the reds other issues cannot be followed up as on sketchel. By the way it was Thaksin
forcing the censorship first, than the military government. But now You can voice critics, can't You?

[Hard_done_by]

There are directives given by the government the officials working in the center have to follow. But the ones have the
final say are officials in the age of 60 up, the oldest one on duty might be 80 already. So they try to protect the kids and
don"t want to much bad actions broadcasted. Because of their age they might ignore time has changed and there are no
borders for international media networks. To work on this issue was sheduled on november last Year but as long the govern
ment has to wast time to deal with the reds other issues cannot be followed up as on sketchel. By the way it was Thaksin
forcing the censorship first, than the military government. But now You can voice critics, can't You?

Well, TNN was broadcasting while a pitched battle went on in the streets of the capital and all the other chanels acted as if nothing had happened - it's not about criticism, I would think it's about the public's right to know - maybe that right doesn't really exist in Thailand - the folks are well and truly mushroomed.

[PeterAndyWolfe]

Am I missing something? I hear and read descriptive phrases describing the conflict in Bangkok, most of which mention "war zone", "Pitched battle", or "armed conflict".
From the pictures and video however I get a rather different scene playing out.
I see the destitute and desperate poor burning tires, throwing beer bottles filled with gasoline but armed with nothing more lethal then a sling shot.
General mayhem of a very low order... not of such grave concern to a benevolent society that one would consider machine-gunning them.
Sling shot toting "terrorist" shot by police? If this keeps up it is Not a place I would again visit for a very long time.

25 people (or more) have been killed and the only real threat has been monetary loss from retail sales and tourism.
Shame shame shame.
This is beginning to look like oppressive bullying. stop your shooting or risk losing your tourist base.