WARNING! This article has been written so as to conform to the restrictions on freedom of expression imposed by Thai law and its normal interpretation and practice.
That should do it.
There has been a debate over on the New Mandala website about the rights and responsibilities of journalists, particularly foreign journalists, with respect to restrictions on freedom of expression in Thailand. When journalists report on Thai politics for foreign audiences, it is argued, their readers may not be aware of the existence of Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the Computer-related Crime Act and other bits and pieces of legislature, or even just standard police or judicial practice, that may curtail their outspokenness.
In order to say as much as they think they can get away with, reporters (and their editors) may feel they have to indulge in a bit of self-censorship from time to time so as not to cross the invisible line and end up on the wrong end of a criminal charge. But to alert their readers to this situation, it has been suggested that articles carry a ‘health warning’ at the beginning, such as the one above.
This informs readers that, insightful as the article may appear, there is still something useful which the writer/editor/publisher has voluntarily omitted, but which might have been added, were it not for the way that Thai law was worded, interpreted and executed. The reader of course has no way of knowing what this extra something might be, but they would have the reassurance of knowing that they were, deliberately, being kept in the dark.
Of course, the less scrupulous writer (not that one would ever be permitted to grace the pages of this website) might be tempted to insert a ‘health warning’ of this kind when in fact, they had no self-censored controversial information or ideas. But the existence of the ‘warning’ would give the impression of a well-informed and (almost) fearless journalist, sailing as close to the wind as was feasible.
In my own case, I have nothing to worry about. I write without fear or favour whatever the occasion demands, confident in the knowledge that my convicted felon of an editor will omit, re-write or distort as much as necessary to keep us both out of jail.
Why, I once had my copy ruthlessly censored by this eagle-eyed guardian of the permissible. I intended to write ‘the price is wrong’, an innocuous phrase that was unfortunately rendered inflammatory by a lifetime’s error-ridden habit of two-fingered typing. Without more ado, my editor brutally and instantaneously excised the extraneous ‘n’ that was in danger of earning us both 3 to 15 inside.
Eager Thai Student who reads Prachatai to improve his English: “ ‘Instantaneously’? ‘Extraneous’? Are these real words? My fingers are getting sore from flipping the pages in the dictionary.”
Good point, Eager Student. Perhaps we should also include a warning that articles such as this are perhaps not ideal for learners of English.
WARNING! This article has been written for an audience with native or near-native English language competence. Language learners with lower levels of proficiency are advised to choose other practice materials, or to attempt this article only under the guidance of a competent adult native speaker of English.
Retired expat who reads Prachatai just so that he can add his own comments and show off: “Just a minute. How did that student get a comment in ahead of me?”
Well spotted, retired expat. However, it has obviously escaped your attention that this is a satirical column and therefore what you see is not what is being shown.
WARNING! This article has been written in a satirical style and a literal interpretation will in all likelihood lead only to disappointment and is actively discouraged.
Ministry of Internet Censorship Technology official assigned to monitor the Prachatai website in the hope of catching another one: “But doesn’t he know that we are now experts at ‘reading between the lines’ and that we are regularly getting convictions based on saying what was never said?”
Dear MICT official: Is that so? Oh. Well, then:
WARNING! This article is the result of external hacking into the Prachatai website and any prosecutions should be directed to the real perpetrators at www.deathpenaltyforlesemajesteoffenders.co.th.
