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Thailand Key Developments ● Thailand had a general election in 2023 which saw the progressive Move Forward Party win the most seats. However, the party could not set up a government as its coalition fell short of the number of seats required to form a government. Pheu Thai Party, which got the second most votes and once the opposition, then joined hands with parties from the former military government to form the ruling coalition. ● The Move Forward Party (MFP) became the primary target of a political attack because of its election platform that included amending the lèse-majesté law, or Article 112 of the Criminal Code. This law is often used together with the Computer Crime Act to jail critics and dissidents. Conservatives allege that MFP’s plan to amend the lèse-majesté law aims to overthrow Thailand’s system of government. 1. ● During the election campaign, Twitter became a battleground between supporters of the MFP and the Pheu Thai Party. The two parties were previously allies as opposition parties during the government of former junta leader Prayuth Chan-o-cha. Their competition has become a new dynamic in Thai politics. ● Dissidents and opposition figures who challenged the status quo are often attacked by conservatives, both online and offline, often around issues related to the monarchy. Overview Thailand has experienced significant political changes in the recent years. The coup d’état in 2014 led by Army commander, Prayuth Chan-o-Cha, plunged the country into a dark period for human rights. The preservation of the status quo has been strengthened during the government of Prayuth, who ruled as junta chief and then as an elected leader from 2014 to 2023. Progressive movements have been trying to challenge the Prayuth government throughout his tenure, as proved by major protests between 2020-2021 and the rise of the progressive Future Forward Party (FFP). FFP was later dissolved and reborn as the Move Forward Party in 2020. Digital space and technology have been significantly used to suppress these movements including through judicial harassment, and using state-sponsored cyber army and information operations (IO) to distort facts 87

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

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Language

English

Topic

Digital Rights
Digital Surveillance
Information Operation
Internet Connectivity / Accessibility
Internet Restrictions

Author(s)

DigitalReach

Date Published: Aug 6, 2024

Abstract: It is undeniable that information technology has significantly impacted human rights and democracy these days. Different governments around Southeast Asia continually attempt to control digital space through, for example, using repressive laws and regulations, forcing social media platforms to follow their orders, and using spyware and similar technology to surveil critics. In Southeast Asia, democracy and human rights have deteriorated because of these attempts, especially for countries under authoritarian regimes.

In order to better understand the situation, DigitalReach publishes annual reports to present and analyze the events and trends around the region. The 2023 annual report analyzes the digital rights situation in eight countries across Southeast Asia—namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam–from January 2023 to December 2023, with glimpses of key updates into 2024, given the timing of its release.

The report format has been changed completely from the previous years. In order to more systematically present the developments observed, the report is organized into three key areas: (1) Legal and Policy Developments, (2) Information Control and Manipulation, and (3) Threats Against Critics and Political Opposition.

From a regional perspective, legal and policy developments in countries that are known to restrict human rights are still mainly about using or coming up with new policies to further suppress human rights in the digital sphere. Countries considered to be more democratic also attempt to change or repeal their laws, but still without a clear sign of improvement toward digital rights.

In terms of information control and manipulation, social media platforms continue to be deployed for political ends, with different platforms serving a specific purpose for each country. The shift toward short video format, TikTok in particular, continued from 2022 to contribute toward information disorder, especially during election periods. The use of video shorts is important when targeting young voters, who played an important role in determining election results in Thailand and Indonesia this year like they did in the Philippines and Malaysia in 2022. State-sponsored cyber armies were also documented, while some governments preferred to assert more effective control of social media platforms. Other important methods related to the flow of information include suppression of media freedom and internet disruptions, which are particularly severe in Myanmar following the 2021 coup.

Judicial harassment is a key form of threat used against critics and political opposition in 2023. It is still common for people in Southeast Asia to be thrown in jail for what they say or do online. Others who do not subscribe to the government’s ideology face online harassment from state-sponsored cyber armies or government supporters. In terms of surveillance, 5 out of 8 countries included in this report have been found to have or are likely to have spyware technology.

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2023-Annual-Report-FINAL-1.pdf
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Myanmar Internet Project

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

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