Bonnie Docherty, a clinical instructor at the Harvard Law School's human-rights programme, led a team of four researchers that spent a week talking with some 20 Thais on topics ranging from academics, journalists and Web-log writers (bloggers) to Internet experts and government officials.

The research, which was conducted in conjunction with Harvard's Berkman Centre for the Internet and Society, will be included in a number of reports on freedom of expression over the Internet and other media, which may be made available to the public in May.

Docherty was reserved when expressing her impression after meeting 20 interviewees as the team concluded their weeklong visit here on Thursday, but said, "Thailand is probably not the worst in the region, but there is room for improvement."

The team is also conducting research on another Southeast Asian country with a history of suppressing freedom of expression, which the team asked not to be named.

But why did they choose Thailand?

"We did some research across Southeast Asia and heard that there have been more websites blocked in Thailand. We're particularly interested to see if things have evolved since 19 September [when the coup occurred]."

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation