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Govt move to restrict freedom of information is a mandate for corruption, critics warn

13 Sept 11:54 Key points summarised by AI

Proposed amendments to Thailand's Official Information Act (OIA) are widely criticized for threatening freedom of information and potentially fostering corruption, directly contradicting the law's original goal of public access to government data.
The controversial bill introduces new prohibitions on disclosing information deemed damaging to the monarchy, military, or national security, and significantly increases penalties for violators to up to 10 years in prison and a substantial fine.
Critics, including anti-corruption organizations and journalism groups, warn that these changes will deter officials from releasing information, undermine government transparency efforts, and empower the Cabinet to control information flow, overriding independent oversight.
Experts and opposition MPs view the amendments as a 'retrograde' step that distorts the OIA's foundational spirit, further eroding the public's right to scrutinize government actions and access crucial taxpayer-funded information.

Yesterday 15:38 Key points summarised by AI

Thai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap faces intense scrutiny over her husband’s substantial 1.84 billion baht wealth, with opposition lawmakers alleging connections to international scam networks.
A significant portion of her husband, Taiyang Zhang's, declared assets includes a 1.44 billion baht loan to the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which still owes him 1.34 billion baht.
Opposition MP Rangsiman Rome accused Suchada's husband of links to online scam networks and gambling sites, prompting Suchada to vehemently deny the claims, demand evidence, and file a defamation complaint.
Taiyang Zhang's background includes co-founding Ren Protocol, later sold to Alameda Research (linked to the FTX collapse), and some of his former associates have been convicted in crypto company failures.
Suchada, a former actress and first-time MP, maintains her husband's innocence, while her party leaders have distanced themselves from the allegations, deeming it a private matter.