Thai ministry blocks Facebook to stem anti-coup criticism

Thai soldiers patrol around the Army Club in Bangkok on May 28, 2014. Thailand's information technology ministry blocked Facebook on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, and planned to hold talks with other social networking sites to stem protests against t
Thai soldiers patrol around the Army Club in Bangkok on May 28, 2014. Thailand's information technology ministry blocked Facebook on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, and planned to hold talks with other social networking sites to stem protests against the military government, a senior official said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

BANGKOK (REUTERS) - Thailand's information technology ministry blocked Facebook on Wednesday and planned to hold talks with other social networking sites to stem protests against the military government, a senior official said.

"We have blocked Facebook temporarily and tomorrow we will call a meeting with other social media, like Twitter and Instagram, to ask for cooperation from them," Surachai Srisaracam, permanent secretary of the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, told Reuters.

"Right now there's a campaign to ask for people to stage protests against the army so we need to ask for cooperation from social media to help us stop the spread of critical messages about the coup," he said.

Print and broadcast media have already been instructed to refrain from critical reporting of the military's May 22 takeover.

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