Focusing on news from and commentary on NGOs, social movements, and human rights issues, the website became an alternative source for social and political news in a country where many media outlets are state backed, including military-run, or for-profit.

[3][4] In 2011, its then general manager, Chiranuch Premchaiporn, won the Courage in Journalism award from International Women's Media Foundation.

[5] Chiranuch, a well-known free speech advocate, has been subject to arrest and detention based on lèse majesté accusations for not removing what authorities deem offensive material quickly enough[6] from the website.

1667/2553, in which Chiranuch faced ten alleged violations of the 2007 Computer Crimes Act, being found guilty of one charge and being sentenced to one year in prison and a 30,000 baht fine, subsequently reduced to a suspended sentence of eight months and a 20,000 baht fine.

Following the arrests, Prachatai’s offices were searched by the police, who were reportedly investigating whether the online newspaper had published material violating the Referendum Act.