Thailand's political crisis, exacerbated by the coup in May 2014, has had a huge impact on freedom of speech in the country. Today, the military regime of Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha is still holding on tightly to Article 44, known by the media as the "dictator law," which gives the prime minister unchecked authority over all branches of his government. It has been used to curb political dissent.
Protesters were arrested when they raised three fingers as a symbol of rebellion — inspired by "The Hunger Games" movie — and read George Orwell's "1984" in public.
Academics were detained when they organized seminars considered a threat to the regime. And recently a supporter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was arrested for posing for a photo with a red water bowl (in preparation for the upcoming Songkran festival in Thailand) — an act ridiculously deemed as a threat to national security.