The local printer of the International New York Times Thailand edition left a blank space on an inside page yesterday, the fourth time content has been removed from the internationally respected newspaper in three months.
Page 4 of yesterday's 'International New York Times' Thailand edition where the right column is censored by its printer. Jetjaras na Ranong
A message saying, "The article in this space was removed by our printer in Thailand. The International New York Times and its editorial staff had no role in its removal," appeared in the right-hand column on page four of its World News section.
The 618-word article, written by its Bangkok correspondent Thomas Fuller, talked about a factory worker who was charged in a military court under the lese majeste law.
On Dec 1, SET-listed Eastern Printing Plc, the newspaper's printer in Thailand, refused to print a front-page article by Fuller on the weak economy, pessimism after years of political turmoil, and concern over the royal succession. The same happened on Dec 3 to a commentary about the Crown Property Bureau by Bangkok-based journalist Tom Felix Joehnk.
The daily, known until 2013 as the International Herald Tribune, recently announced it would cease printing and distributing its print edition in Thailand at the end of this year.
In a letter to subscribers, it attributed the decision to rising costs. It is still available in six other Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore.
Under the lese majeste law in Thailand, a conviction for insulting the King, Queen, heir or regent carries a prison term of up to 15 years.
Longer sentences are given if there is more than one offence, or additional laws are cited, such as the Computer Crime Act.