When the Thai army took power in last month’s coup, the first thing they did was to close or severely restrict most of the country’s radio and tv stations.

To fill the gap, foreign services have increased their coverage into the country. Voice of America and the BBC have both increased their Thai programming on air and online.

VoA has increased its Hotline News programme to seven days a week and increased its online distribution on  Facebook and  YouTube. VoA’s Bangkok bureau chief Steve Herman was one of the first to report on Twitter that a coup was underway and that the military had suspended the constitution and broadcasting.

BBC World Service has increased its shortwave broadcasts into Thailand, adding ten hours of broadcasts to its usual six hours a day delivered in English. Acting Director, BBC World Service Group, Liliane Landor says:  “In times of national crisis, there is an acute need for accurate, trusted and impartial news. This is why, with our international TV news channel off the air in Thailand, we have increased BBC World Service radio broadcasts in the country.”