Politics

By Stanislaus Jude Chan

SINGAPORE, Jul 30 (Asia Media Forum)  – "Chewing gum is banned in Singapore?" a curious friend in Bangkok asks. Encouraged by my nod, she cautiously probes: "What happens when you get caught, death sentence?"

By Wai Moe

Burmese authorities denied on Saturday that there has been an outbreak of the plague in areas east of the Pegu mountain range, saying that the National Health Department has found no evidence of the disease in dead rats taken from areas considered at risk.

By Zofeen Ebrahim

KARACHI, Pakistan, May 31 (IPS) - The continuing debate on the purported audiotape implicating Pakistani television anchor Hamid Mir, popular and controversial in equal measure, has raised serious concerns about the media amid calls for an impartial investigation to uncover the truth behind the recording.

Malaysian authorities seized more than 6,000 copies of a pro-opposition newspaper amid a dispute over whether it flouted the country's strict publication laws, 'The Straits Times' quoted officials as saying on May 25.

By Lynette Lee Corporal*

BANGKOK, May 20 (IPS/Asia Media Forum) - As big a story as this week’s crackdown on anti-government protests in Thailand is the significant number of journalists killed or hurt, and media professionals and organisations threatened during the country’s most serious political conflict in years.

Since April, two foreign journalists, a Japanese and an Italian, have died from bullet wounds while covering operations against the protests by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), whose supporters are called red shirts because of their protest colour.

Italian freelance journalist Fabio Polenghi was shot by unidentified gunmen on Wednesday, during a blockade to end the two-month old UDD rally in the Rajprasong commercial district. Reuters cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto died during an Apr. 10 attempt to break up protesters at another protest site.

By Johanna Son

BANGKOK, May 19 (IPS) - If there were any hopes that Wednesday’s surrender by the leaders of Thailand’s biggest anti-government protests in decades would instantly ease tensions, these were dashed by the ugly spasms of violence that wracked this capital soon after they turned themselves in.

By Lynette Lee Corporal

BANGKOK, May 19 (Asia Media Forum) — As reports spread of soldiers moving to the rally site of the anti-government protesters and the expected surrender of its leaders Wednesday, a small group of activists and individuals gathered at the United Nations complex here to call for talks and reconciliation.

   "Stop the killing!' many in the emotional, distraught group of protesters shouted. Thus far, at least 43 people have been killed and 365 injured since the army started on May 13 its crackdown on the two-month protest of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

By Saw Yan Naing

BANGKOK—As journalists wanting to enter the barricaded camp at Ratchaprasong, we joined the queue and were checked by Redshirt security guards.

By Johanna Son

BANGKOK, MAy 18 (IPS) - Amid gunfire and street battles here and heated, divided emotions playing out in Thailand’s worst political crisis in decades, there has been little room for discussing human rights, restraint and finding a middle ground.

By Pravit Rojanaphruk - 'The Nation'

BANGKOK, May 18 —Pro- and anti-government radio stations pitched their voices against one another yesterday as a reflection of the fierce battles on the streets of Bangkok.