New rules for journalist M visa

[Lupatria]

There are new rules for visas for journalists and correspondents, you will find the details at:

https://www.facebook.com/FCCThailand/

[Srikcir]

No. 4 is a death knell for open and honest reporting.

Very appropriate with the Prayut regime.

[ubonjoe]

Easier to read the press release if you go this page on the MFA website: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/media-center/14/64722-Announcement-on-the-Guidelines-for-Issuing-Non-imm.html

Or this PDF crated as a printout of it: Announcement on the Guidelines for Issuing Non-immigrant Visa Category “M†(Media Visa).pdf

[northernboy]

Ouch .. the freedom of the any hope of a honest free press in Thailand just got told it will have a lethal kick to the groin, starting as of March 21 this year. Under the new rules any negative news would be a violation of one's media visa terms.

[Dogmatix]

I wonder if Nick 'The Red" von Nostitz was the photographer whose application was denied after many years as a free lancer in Thailand. The journalists whinge about this but they are the only foreigners who can WPs as freelancers.

Everyone else has to have a proper job working for a Thai registered company that pays local taxes. Many of them moonlight doing other freelance work and just file a couple of stories a year to renew their WP and visa. The government is entitled to eliminate abuse and ensure that all are genuinely working as journalists working for a Thai or foreign government accredited news agency.

However, the censorship aspect of this, which is probably the main motivation for it, is out of order.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Dogmatix