Channel 9 yesterday suspended the broadcast of a documentary on environmental advocate Sasin Chalermlarp and his high-profile anti-dam protest march.
The programme was produced by TV Burapha for its Khon Khon Khon (People Searching People) programme. The episode was set to air at 2.05pm yesterday.
It features Mr Sasin, secretary-general of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, and his 388km walk to Bangkok from Kamphaeng Phet province in protest against the Mae Wong dam, which is to be built in a national park in Nakhon Sawan.
According to the Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation's Facebook page, TV Burapha was informed of the suspension on Friday night. The show's producer was reviewing the programme's content to see where the problem was.
TV Burapha also posted a message on its Facebook page, saying the episode could not be broadcast due to certain problems. It did not elaborate.
According to the Facebook page of environmental group Khon Anurak, Channel 9 suspended the broadcast because the programme was "partisan".
It claimed the show had been re-edited three times but still failed to appease the station's executives.
It was reported that Channel 9 was bombarded with phone calls.
Independent producer TV Burapha has been the subject of controversy before. Its managing director Sutthipong Thammawuthi was hit with multiple lawsuits over social media comments he made in July claiming various packaged rice brands had been contaminated with toxic chemicals.
Kamalasiri Isarankura na Ayudhya, Mcot executive vice-president, said television programmes aired on Channel 9 must be impartial.
The channel reviewed the content of the documentary and found it contained interviews only with the dam's opponents. The channel had asked TV Burapha to include interviews with dam supporters for the sake of balance.
Ms Kamalasiri said TV Burapha told the channel it could not and would not do as requested.
She said the channel will run the programme when it includes both sides of the argument. The suspension of the programme drew criticism online, some of which raised questions about possible government interference and called on the producer to release the documentary for public viewing on other media, such as YouTube.
Mr Sasin's protest march has forced the government to ditch a proposed environment and health impact assessment by the Royal Irrigation Department and order a new study.