In the Philippines context, red-tagging refers to individuals and organisations that are black-listed because they do not fully support the views or actions of the government. Red-tagging consequences may include vilification, surveillance, harassment, unlawful arrests, enforced disappearance, and even killings. Often, the red-tagging rhetoric incorporates the idea of foreign interference and civil society organisations are accused of subverting Filipino society for the benefit of foreign agents. This way, the Philippines government uses national security as the argument to red-tag members of CSOs, journalists, and activists. In this podcast episode, Jonathan De Santos discusses how the Philippines government incorporates the rhetoric…

This podcast episode is part of the report “State-Sponsored Online Disinformation in Thailand: Impact on Electoral Integrity in Thailand”. The report examines government-backed disinformation campaigns, known as information operations, and assesses their impact on the integrity of elections. The report identifies key actions domestic and international state actors contribute to false information campaigns. Based on the evidence of information operations in Thailand and the absence of effective legal and non-legal measures to address them, the 2023 Thai General Election is expected to experience its share of state-sponsored disinformation over social media platforms. So what happened? This episode examines these issues. Our…

ข้อมูลบิดเบือนออนไลน์โดยรัฐ: ผลกระทบต่อความสุจริตและสมบูรณ์ของการเลือกตั้งในประเทศไทย     เมื่อวันที่ 28 เมษายน 2563 สองอาทิตย์ก่อนหน้าการเลือกตั้งทั่วไป สถาบันวิจัยเอเชีย เซ็นเตอร์ ได้เปิดตัวรายงานเรื่อง "ข้อมูลบิดเบือนออนไลน์โดยรัฐ: ผลกระทบต่อความสุจริตและสมบูรณ์ของการเลือกตั้งในประเทศไทย" ที่ศึกษาการเผยแพร่ข้อมูลบิดเบือนออนไลน์โดยรัฐและประเมินผลกระทบต่อความสุจริตและเที่ยงธรรมของการเลือกตั้ง ในพอดแคสตอนนี้ เอเชีย เซ็นเตอร์ได้รับเกียตริจากคุณพรเพ็ญ คงขจรเกียรติ ที่จะมาพูดคุยในประเด็นข้อมูลบิดเบือนออนไลน์โดยรัฐและผลกระทบต่อการเลือกตั้งในไทยที่พึ่งผ่านพ้นไป คุณพรเพ็ญ คงขจรเกียรติ เป็นผู้อำนวยการมูลนิธิผสานวัฒนธรรม ซึ่งเป็นองค์กรที่ทำหน้าที่เฝ้าระวังและบันทึกเรื่องราวกรณีการทรมานและการปฏิบัติอันโหดร้ายในประเทศไทย คุณพรเพ็ญเป็นหนึ่งในแนวหน้าของผู้ที่ต่อสู้ด้านสิทธิมนุษยชนในประเทศไทย นอกจากนั้นแล้วคุณพรเพ็ญยังทำหน้าที่เป็นทนายความฝ่ายโจทก์ร่วมในคดีการหายตัวไปของ บิลลี่ พอละจี รักจงเจริญ นักปกป้องสิทธิมนุษยชนชาวกะเหรี่ยงบ้านโป่งลึก-บางกลอย On 28 April 2023, about 2 weeks before the Thai general elections, Asia Centre launched its report on Thailand. “State-Sponsored Online Disinformation: Impact on Election Integrity in Thailand” which examines four types of government-backed disinformation campaigns and assesses their impact on the integrity of elections.   Pornpen is the Executive Director of CrossCultural Foundation, an NGO that monitors and documents torture and inhumane treatments by the state in Thailand. She…

In 2021, Singapore enacted the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, known as FICA. On paper, it aims to protect Singaporean politics from foreign interference with two sets of provisions. The first provision targets information campaigns. This provision empowers the government to shut down organisations deemed to communicate “on behalf of a foreign principal” with the aim of manipulating Singapore’s domestic political discourse. The second provision concerns measures to counter local proxies or politically significant persons (known as PSPs). Under this provision, personalities suspected of being foreign agents can be monitored. The bill has raised several concerns, primarily due to its vague…

In February 2021, the Thai Cabinet approved in principle the draft Act on the Operation of Not-for-profit Organisations. This law would enable Thai officials to unilaterally order the temporary or permanent closure of non-profit organisations that, through their actions, adversely affect Thailand’s relations with countries. The international community has condemned the draft law since it would systematically violate fundamental rights like freedom of association and freedom of expression of non-profit organisations. Additionally, its provisions would restrict the collaboration between local and foreign CSOs. After resistance and pushback from both domestic and international stakeholders, the draft law was temporarily put on…

In 2022, the Myanmar Junta enacted the new Law on Organisation Registration, repealing the previous Registration of Organisation Law 2014. This law regulates the registration of NGOs and INGOs. It affects, primarily, the latter. With the new law, at least 40% of the executive membership of an INGO must be made up of Myanmar citizens. Furthermore, it also expands the requirements an INGO must meet in order to operate in the country, such as obtaining approval of the relevant authorities regarding its intended programmes and activities. Observers believe that the law is part of the Junta’s attempt to restrict CSOs’…

The Royal Government of Cambodia has regularly used rhetoric of foreign interference to accuse members of civil society organisations and opposition political parties of collaborating with international actors to corrupt Cambodian society. For example, in 2017, Kem Sokha, former leader of the opposition party CNRP - which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in the same year - was arrested for treason, and accused of colluding with the United States to topple the Cambodian government. The ruling party has implemented several measures such as amending the constitution to ban Cambodians holding dual nationalities from holding high-ranking political positions, citing the…

Andrew Ong is the editor at Malaysiakini, the most read news website in Malaysia. He works on legislation, policy and environment. In his spare time, he explores data and makes automation tools for his colleagues.This podcast episode was recorded on 18 October 2022 as part of the “Media Freedom in Southeast Asia” series hosted by Asia Centre in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Southeast and East Asia.  

Sao Phal Niseiy is an Editor-in-Chief of Cambodianess and a Deputy Chief Editor at Thmey Thmey, Phnom Penh-based media. He primarily covers foreign affairs and climate-related issues.This podcast episode was recorded on 7 October 2022 as part of the “Media Freedom in Southeast Asia” series hosted by Asia Centre in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Southeast and East Asia.   

Noppatjak Attanon is an Editor-in-Chief for workpointTODAY, a Thailand-based online news publisher with over 10 million followers. He is currently leading a team of more than 20 journalists, covering issues on politics, economics, business, world affairs and human rights. He has also worked with BBC Thai in London.This podcast episode was recorded on 18 October 2022 as part of the “Media Freedom in Southeast Asia” series hosted by Asia Centre in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Southeast and East Asia.