A Thai journalist has been detained by Thailand’s military rulers for “attitude adjustment” in what appears to be a fresh crackdown on dissent.
Pravit Rojanaphruk is a columnist for the English language Nation newspaper.
He was detained on Sunday because statements made by him violated junta policies on information, said junta spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree.
Thepchai Yong, Nation Group’s editor-in-chief, said Pravit’s detention had “no justification whatsoever”.
Hours before he was detained Pravit, who has been an outspoken critic of the military rulers, tweeted: “Freedom can’t be maintained if we’re not willing to defend it”.
Since the May 2014 coup, numerous politicians, journalists and citizens have been required to attend “attitude adjustment” sessions.
These sessions are essentially brief periods of incarceration by the military and can last up to a week.
Pravit has already been detained once, shortly after the coup.
Last week, the military detained two former MPs who had been critical of the junta, including a former energy minister.
In addition to the adjustment sessions the military have also increased prosecutions under the country’s lese majeste legislation, which prohibits any criticism of the monarchy.