Freest press in Southeast Asia?

RSF’s 2007 press freedom index (rankings for Southeast Asia):

Cambodia tops the list (ranked 85 in the world), followed by Timor-Leste (94), Indonesia (100), Malaysia (124), Philippines (128), Thailand (135), Singapore (141), Laos (161), Vietnam (162), Burma (164). Find out why.

Brunei is not ranked due to lack of data.

Vietnam filtering, monitoring Internet more

The Open Net Initiative, in a recently released study on Vietnam, reports an increase in Internet censorship in the country. ONI’s research finds that Vietnamese officials are particularly bent on filtering content that question the country’s one-party system. ONI also says that, apparently paying close attention to China’s practices, Vietnam’s technical sophistication and effectiveness with respect to its capacity to control Internet content is “increasing with time”.

Vietnam readies stricter press laws

Strict new press regulations will take effect in Vietnam starting in July, reports coming out of the country say, amid signs that national leaders are growing wary of trend for more aggressive and enterprising journalism. The Deutsche Press Agentur (DPA) is reporting that a new decree has been unsheathed that will, among other things, punish “denying revolutionary achievements” and require journalists to have articles reviewed before publication.