Six media organisations on Sunday called on the government to comply with the Civil Court's decision against a prime ministerial gag order on the media. The court issued the ruling in relation to the emergency decree and other regulations that could hinder free press.
The group -- made up of the National Press Council of Thailand, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand, the Thai Journalists Association, the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, the Online News Providers Association and the National Union of Journalists, Thailand -- said the government is obliged to follow the court's order and consider if other regulations might have restricted free speech during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Civil Court in Bangkok on Friday issued an injunction against a prime ministerial order issued against the media that went into effect on July 30.
The court said a regulation banning "the dissemination of information that may frighten people" was too ambiguous and broad, which resulted in the unnecessary deprivation of people's rights and freedoms.
The court order was in response to a petition submitted by 12 online media outlets and human rights lawyers who claimed the order threatens accurate media coverage and freedom of expression. The six media organisations also renewed their demand for the government to revoke the 29th announcement issued under the emergency decree because it is an infringement on press freedom.
Meanwhile Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the government is willing to comply with the order but declined to respond when asked if the government had made a slip-up.