Illegal radio station in Chiang Mai raided and closed

CHIANG MAI - At the request of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, a combined government force on Thursday raided a radio station run by media activist Therdsak Jiamkijwattana in Muang district for allegedly disseminating information that could cause division in society.

The force was made up of about 20 soldiers led by Maj Sophon Pakkasem, commander of the 1st Development Company of the 33rd Military Circle, and 20 police led by Pol Col Apiwat Chaisrisuth, chief of the Muang district police.

The radio station was located in Mr Therdsak's house in Raming Niwes Housing Estate in tambon Haiya. It was found to have been modified to accommodate the station called Wihok Radio 89.15 Mhz, which had been operated without a permit.

Wattana Sinthorn, a senior NBTC official, said Mr Therdsak, alias Tong Wihok, had dissemminated video clips on YouTube, Facebook and other social media. These video clips, produced and hosted by Mr Therdsak, contained images and stories attacking former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple with intent to spur division.

Some of the video clips were claimed to be "inside" stories of the royal institution.

Regardless of whether the stories were true or false, they were inappropriate. The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and the government attached high importance to this matter, said Mr Wattana.

Apart from the radio station, a large signboard had been put up to indicate that Mr Therdsak's house was also the office of the Northern Media Club of Thailand, Wihok Saifa newspaper, and the Association of Chiang Mai Reporters.

During the raid, Mr Therdsak was not in the house and could not be contacted. Only Ekachai Wilaiwan, 40, Mr Therdsak's close aide and the attendant of the premises, showed up to see the authorities.

The search revealed that the radio station had been operated to broadcast programmes without a permit. The authorities subsequently seized radio transmission equipment and computer sets, and dismantled a 50-metre high antenna.

Maj Sophon said the radio station had once been raided and searched by a military and police unit shortly after the NCPO took over the country's administration because it had broadcast information deemed detrimental to national security and peace and order.

The unit seized a radio transmitter in that raid. It was believed it had been replaced with a new one by Mr Therdsak to continue with the broadcasts, he said.

The authorities pulled down the antenna and gathered all seized items as evidence before filing a complaint with Muang district police, seeking legal action against Mr Therdsak and others who might be involved.