YouTube blocks Rap Against Dictatorship’s royal diss track

A music video calling out the monarchy by a countercultural rap collective is no longer available on YouTube in Thailand at the government’s request.

Two months after the release of its single Reform, a song openly critical of the royalty, Rap Against Dictatorship announced last night that it had been blocked.

“Happy New Year, everyone. This is our New Year’s gift from our government,” the rap group wrote on social media. “Our music video Reform was ordered to be banned by the government, which notified YouTube to restrict access.”

The video was released in November at the height of anti-government protests demanding royal reforms which were suspended for the year-end holidays and unlikely to resume due to the resurgence of COVID-19. Much of the video was filmed live during a march on the Grand Palace to deliver thousands of letters to King…