Thai army suspends broadcasts from several TV channels

The Thai army on Tuesday suspended broadcasts from several television channels including those linked to the kingdom’s bitterly opposed political sides.

According to AFP, the channels were suspended “in order that people will get the correct information and not distort information to deepen the conflict,” according to a written order broadcast simultaneously on all television channels.
The channels ordered to stop broadcasting included three pro-government “Red Shirt” channels as well as the anti-government protesters main satellite channel Blue Sky TV – which has shown more than six months deadly protests round-the-clock and has been key in galvanizing rallies.

Television screens went blank for several seconds before the order was delivered simultaneously on each channel – written on a sheet of paper and signed by army chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha.

The order was issued around an hour after Prayut declared the widespread censorship of the media in the interests of “national security”.