BANGKOK — Thai PBS, Thailand’s public broadcaster, has removed a controversial article that presented a one-sided view and appeared to glorify dictatorial leaders without mentioning the severe negative impacts that continue to affect Thai politics today.
On March 4, Parinya Tewanarumitkul, a professor at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Law, posted a critique of an article titled “Dictatorship Builds the Nation, People ‘Nostalgia’ for Strong Leadership-Economic Prosperity” published by Thai PBS.
The Criticism
Professor Parinya criticized the headline, content, and conclusion which implied that countries under dictatorial or authoritarian regimes experience higher economic development. The article failed to mention the negative aspects or examine contextual facts, such as how during Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat’s era, the economy flourished primarily because the United States provided full support out of fear Thailand would fall to communism, and also because Puey Ungphakorn served as the central bank governor.
Additionally, using a photo of General Prayut Chan-o-cha alongside Field Marshal Sarit suggested he was another nation-building dictator. Besides the economic data being inconclusive, the reality is that General Prayut’s era has created ongoing problems for Thai politics, with the 2017 Constitution designed to resist amendment.
Professor Parinya found particularly problematic the article’s claim that the latest coup against Yingluck Shinawatra’s government, entering the mode of “perfect elections” and “returning to democratic government once again.”
He questioned whether the writer was unaware of how problematic the electoral system, the elections, and the Election Commission remain, noting that General Prayut became Prime Minister after the 2019 election only because of senators he himself appointed, and Srettha Thavisin’s administration also relied on votes from the same group of senators.
“I don’t want Thai PBS, which is the public television established in the democratic era, to publish articles that appear to support dictatorial regimes based on one-sided information. As a well-wisher, I must point this out because I disagree with creating an atmosphere of nostalgia for dictatorship, which would pave the way and legitimize the next coup that should be eliminated from Thailand once and for all,” Professor Parinya concluded.
Thai PBS’s Response
Following this criticism, the article that had been shared on Thai PBS social media was removed. Subsequently, Thai PBS News Online issued a statement saying: “Clarification regarding the article ‘Dictatorship Builds the Nation, People ‘Nostalgia for Strong Leadership-Economic Prosperity’ which was published on February 28 (content last updated on March 4, 2025) on the website and Thai PBS News social media channels.
Thai PBS Online News would like to thank everyone for their feedback and humbly accepts the criticism to review the mistakes that occurred and improve the presentation of beneficial information in the future.
Upon consideration that the article presentation was not sufficiently comprehensive and may have created misunderstandings, leading to debates and becoming a political tool unintentionally by Thai PBS, we have decided to remove the article from all Thai PBS News platforms. We will conduct a transparent investigation into this matter and provide further updates.”
About Thai PBS
Thai PBS, previously operating under the names iTV, TITV, and TV Thai, is Thailand’s public television broadcaster. Founded as iTV in 2008, it was established to provide citizens with an independent public service broadcaster comparable to the UK’s BBC or Japan’s NHK—free from government control and commercial pressures.
Unlike its international counterparts, Thai PBS couldn’t adopt similar revenue models and instead relies on a 1.5% “sin tax” on alcohol and tobacco products, generating approximately 2 billion baht annually. This funding structure allows Thai PBS to offer free programming without subscription fees.
The network is managed by the Public Broadcasting Organization of Thailand (PBSO), which operates as an independent state agency rather than a government department or state enterprise.
As traditional media faces disruption from online platforms, Thai PBS has attempted to adapt to digital environments. However, the organization has faced scrutiny regarding its management effectiveness, budget utilization, and alleged bias in news coverage—criticisms that culminated in the recent controversy over its publication of a one-sided article.
_________
