CONFIRMED: NO ECONOMIST THIS WEEK

EXCLUSIVE: By The Bangkok Bugle

UPDATE: I've been contacted by several subscribers who have reported their copies of The Economist have arrived as usual this week, however others I have spoken to have told me their copies have still not arrived (as of Wednesday evening).
In the past there was one occasion where subscriber copies were unaffected by the decision by the publisher to withhold copies from the newstrade.
If you're a subscriber in Thailand who has yet to get your copy please let me know by leaving a comment.

No copies of The Economist have appeared in Thailand this week.
For the second time this year the publisher has withheld copies of the magazine from distribution in Thailand. On this occasion it is likely due to references regarding the Thai monarchy in a story about last week's clashes in the Thai capital headlined 'The Battle for Bangkok'. That possible source of problematic content remains accessible online. The story was highlighted on the front page although it was not the cover story.
An industry source has confirmed to me that copies destined for Bangkok were diverted elsewhere in the region this week, and a member of staff at Asia Books also told me that they've not received any copies of the magazine this week. Several subscribers I've spoken to have also told me their copies have failed to arrive this week.
One issue earlier this year, on March 19, did not make it to the shelves and the six occasions during 2009 where deliveries of print editions of The Economist were disrupted in Thailand were October 16, September 18, July 4, April 18, January 31 and January 24. The issue of December 5, 2008 also experienced delivery problems in Thailand.