Junta urged to revoke orders that curb press freedom

By WASAMON AUDJARINT 
THE NATION

 

Media workers hold banners calling on the National Council for Peace and Order to revoke its absolute orders and return freedom to the people during yesterday’s event held by the Thai Journalists Association to commemorate World Press Freedom Day.

 

THE THAI Journalists Association (TJA) yesterday called on the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to revoke at least three of their absolute orders which have hindered freedom of the press and people’s liberties for almost four years since it came to power.

 

The TJA demand came as it commemorated World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated worldwide on May 3, to reiterate the cause of press freedom and protection of journalists.

 

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 46 journalists were killed while on duty last year. This year, 10 journalists in North and South America, 22 in Asia and one in Europe have been killed when reporting in a danger zone or were killed by influential figures, according to the International News Safety Institute.

 

 

Thailand saw an improvement in its ranking on the press freedom index, from 142 last year to 140 this year, according to Reporters without Borders’ 2018 World Press Freedom Index. Myanmar was the best-ranked among mainland Asean countries at 137. Thailand was followed by Cambodia (142), Malaysia (145), Laos (170) and Vietnam (175).

 

Despite the positive signs, however, the ruling junta continues to impose laws and regulations that obstruct freedom of press and expression. There is also an attempt by the junta-appointed bodies to pass a law that would allow state authority in regulating the media, many experts said. “The NCPO-backed government needs to be vigilant while issuing laws that curb freedom of press and people,” said TJA president Pramed Lekpetch.

 

 

“They should also revoke the NCPO orders that limit such freedoms so that the media can operate in line with their constitutional role ahead of the election as per the road map,” he said. While Thailand has been ruled under the 2017 Constitution since last April, the NCPO maintains absolute control, with the power to issue decrees and orders that can overrule any law, and even the Constitution.

 

While at least four articles in the Constitution endorse freedom of press and expression, the authorities have still prosecuted or suspended media workers, many of whom had criticised the alleged irregularities of the junta.

 

 

Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, a lawyer from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, said that such use of absolute power strangles the rule of law not only during the NCPO reign but would also tend to create long-term effects, including those against press freedom.

 

“Controls may loosen when the next elected government takes the reins, but many mechanisms designed by the current ruling government would have a long-term impact, such as the so-called national strategy that will last for at least another 20 years,” Poonsuk said. He was referring to the law that obligates future governments to follow the strategy failing which they would be punished.

 

The NCPO had also put “prisoners of conscience” before the military court where they had limited ability to appeal or fight the case. They also brought civilians and even journalists to military camp for the so-called “attitude adjustment” sessions, she said.

 

The military-dominated National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission, during the junta rule, has punished the broadcast media 52 times so far, mostly targeting media belonging to political opponents of the ruling junta, she added.

 

 

Thitirat Thipsamritkul, a law lecturer from Thammasat University, said that efficient laws on digital and online security should focus on structural protection rather than disseminated content.

 

“If the law focuses on security in terms of content, it can be used with a different intention,” Thitirat said.“This has happened with the previous computer crime bill, which was widely used for defamation cases instead of cybercrimes as originally intended.”

 

She viewed that such a law should be designed to facilitate press freedom by ensuring a security structure, such as privacy protection, rather than suppressing them.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30344560

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-04

 

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I don't think we've seen anything yet. If Prayuth does actually manage to declare himself God with Dumbo as Jesus in February, things will get much, much worse than they are now. 

Leaving aside all the (very very good) reasons why media freedom is a desired thing...

 

There is a direct correlation between corruption and a free media; countries with a free media are less corrupt.

 

Significantly less corrupt.

 

Edited May 3, 20188 yr by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand saw an improvement in its ranking on the press freedom index, from 142 last year to 140 this year, according to Reporters without Borders’ 2018 World Press Freedom Index.

still, in absolute terms, awful

Request likely to fall on 

Its a start at least many years late by some at the media.

You can bet alot of these same media workers were screaming for suthep and the dinosaur generals at the bangkok shutdown protests showing their allegiance. 

People jumping ship?

 

I am sure Prayuth in his Friday-night bore will be proclaiming to the Thais and the world: 'We lead world freedom. We are the hub of press freedom. What do you want me to do? Give more freedom than the total freedom you now have? Do you want to bring back the Bad Men - who took away your freedom?! Do you want more freedom for Corrupt Bad Men from Dubai? Thai freedom of the press is special -  it is for Thais. You must be proud of Thai freedom . It is Thai-niyom freedom!'

_{Freedom of the press is essential in a TRUE democracy. Free-press creates  "checks and balances". To stifle free-press means there is something to hide.}

_{Now of course, we all know that the current army government has nothing to hide. So why not revoke the order?}

2 hours ago, webfact said:

the NCPO maintains absolute control, with the power to issue decrees and orders that can overrule any law, and even the Constitution.

I find this the most frightening thing, one man has in his hands the power to overrule the constitution. a document already made to his personal requests and liking. This should never be allowed to happen.  

47 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I am sure Prayuth in his Friday-night bore will be proclaiming to the Thais and the world: 'We lead world freedom. We are the hub of press freedom. What do you want me to do? Give more freedom than the total freedom you now have? Do you want to bring back the Bad Men - who took away your freedom?! Do you want more freedom for Corrupt Bad Men from Dubai? Thai freedom of the press is special -  it is for Thais. You must be proud of Thai freedom . It is Thai-niyom freedom!'

And 99% would believe him...or any other Duke of Plaza Toro that comes along..

The further a society moves away from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.

(George Orwell)

3 hours ago, stephen tracy said:

I don't think we've seen anything yet. If Prayuth does actually manage to declare himself God with Dumbo as Jesus in February, things will get much, much worse than they are now. 

I disagree, but then I often do. If he gets to become an outsider PM he will have a lot LESS power then now. He can't do as he pleases anymore he will be far less dangerous then now. He will be stressed out a lot as he can't rule with absolute power anymore. 

The truth, you cant handle the truth!

1 minute ago, Oziex1 said:

The truth, you cant handle the truth!

I've never known a culture that can less handle the truth or engage in critical self-analysis than the Thai culture.

 

Truth to Thai culture is like garlic to a vampire!

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Despite the positive signs,

How about minimal progress ?  These discussions and complaints are long over due. 

22 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

How about minimal progress ?  These discussions and complaints are long over due. 

Yes. I will never forget the scene two or three years back when the 'press' all dressed up as little children on Children's Day, to curry favour with Prayuth. Unbelievable - and nauseating.

 

But then, this is an infantile culture (deliberately kept so): think of how important people in Thai society are called 'puu yai' - 'grown ups'! That means that everyone else is just a child. And of course a certain person is called  'Father' and 'father's day' and 'mother's day' do NOT mean what they mean in the West. Need I say more?

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I disagree, but then I often do. If he gets to become an outsider PM he will have a lot LESS power then now. He can't do as he pleases anymore he will be far less dangerous then now. He will be stressed out a lot as he can't rule with absolute power anymore. 

I must say that my first reaction was 'I don't see how it could get worse'. More of the same, certainly, but not worse. What is the basis behind your reasoning, Stephen?

The fact of the matter is that there are a couple of elephants in the overcrowded room that the Thai dare not criticize.

 

Given that circumstance, the best they can do is produce pretty brochures,attend overpriced and pretentious conferences and come up with grandiose, non achievable plans.

1 minute ago, Odysseus123 said:

The fact of the matter is that there are a couple of elephants in the overcrowded room that the Thai dare not criticize.

 

Given that circumstance, the best they can do is produce pretty brochures,attend overpriced and pretentious conferences and come up with grandiose, non achievable plans.

Yes indeed. This aspect of the whole thing is utterly, totally and wildly ridiculous, pathetic and infantile. I say no more.

9 minutes ago, Eligius said:

Yes indeed. This aspect of the whole thing is utterly, totally and wildly ridiculous, pathetic and infantile. I say no more.

The country is run along the lines of internal self-censorship just as much as the more overt or external forms.This ingrained habit leads to all manner of elasticity in regards to 'truth' and what that peculiar concept might actually mean.

 

Under those circumstances I can fully understand why critical or analytical thinking takes a form of "French Leave" and goes AWOL under any form of pressure..

 

Maybe their "sanook,sanook..sabai..sabai' approach to life is a reflexive response to a series of absurd conundrums which are,essentially,non solveable?

 

Why not eat,drink and be merry-for tomorrow we cannot vote?
 

1 minute ago, Odysseus123 said:

The country is run along the lines of internal self-censorship just as much as the more overt or external forms.This ingrained habit leads to all manner of elasticity in regards to 'truth' and what that peculiar concept might actually mean.

 

Under those circumstances I can fully understand why critical or analytical thinking takes a form of "French Leave" and goes AWOL under any form of pressure..

 

Maybe their "sanook,sanook..sabai..sabai' approach to life is a reflexive response to a series of absurd conundrums which are,essentially,non solveable?

 

Why not eat,drink and be merry-for tomorrow we cannot vote?
 

Excellent post (above). Yes. There is one massive, huge, overwhelmingly gigantic elephant in the Thai living-room of 'freedom of expression' - and that overbearing presence conditions all attitudes and practices, from top to bottom. Freedom of speech can NEVER be even approximated here as long as that elephant is present.

Grim statistic of press freedom violations by the junta government.

- 52 prosecutions critical of the junta; targeting media belonging to political opponents like the Peace TV and Voice TV in just under 4 years

- 94 people arrested under sedition law with one given the longest sentence of 7 years in prison and half were tried in military courts

 

Thailand is catching with the worse offenders in press freedom violations like China and inching towards North Korea. 

 

 

6 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

The country is run along the lines of internal self-censorship just as much as the more overt or external forms.This ingrained habit leads to all manner of elasticity in regards to 'truth' and what that peculiar concept might actually mean.

As a US diplomat said, (according to Wikileaks) "These people live in an alternate reality". 

3 minutes ago, baboon said:

As a US diplomat said, (according to Wikileaks) "These people live in an alternate reality". 

I had not heard that quote before (above) - but my God, how true it is! Don't we see this every single day, in every single aspect of Thai life?

9 minutes ago, baboon said:

As a US diplomat said, (according to Wikileaks) "These people live in an alternate reality". 

Indeed they do,I mean that seriously-they have no other choice.

 

It really is Shangri-La.

 

I find it very hard to berate them anymore for they live (I believe) under well nigh intolerable pressure. They have been conditioned to receive an electric shock (so to speak) every time that they try to open the door so that the vast majority do not understand that you have to push on the door in order to open it.

Edited May 4, 20188 yr by Odysseus123

1 minute ago, Odysseus123 said:

Indeed they do,I mean that seriously-they have no other choice.

 

It really is Shangri-La.

 

I find it very hard to berate them anymore for they live (I believe) under well nigh intolerable pressure. They have been conditioned to receiving an electric shock every time that they try to open the door so that the vast majority do not understand that you have to push on the door to open it.

Yes, it is a very, very, VERY sad situation. When I see so many lovely Thais, with good hearts and good intentions and amazingly helpful, and then I see the centuries of suppression and oppression under which they and their compatriots have been forced to live - I feel so desperately sorry. 

 

And the worst part of the whole thing is that - if I am to be honest - I cannot really see that situation changing anytime soon.

5 minutes ago, Eligius said:

Yes, it is a very, very, VERY sad situation. When I see so many lovely Thais, with good hearts and good intentions and amazingly helpful, and then I see the centuries of suppression and oppression under which they and their compatriots have been forced to live - I feel so desperately sorry. 

 

And the worst part of the whole thing is that - if I am to be honest - I cannot really see that situation changing anytime soon.

The situation will probably get worse for the Thai..

 

As I mentioned some time ago I was nonplussed with the ready acceptance of the Gov'ts 'suggestion' to don traditional garb at Songkran-operant conditioning at its most powerful.

 

 

Just now, Odysseus123 said:

The situation will probably get worse for the Thai..

 

As I mentioned some time ago I was nonplussed with the ready acceptance of the Gov'ts 'suggestion' to don traditional garb at Songkran-operant conditioning at its most powerful.

 

 

Yes. And there was an even more extraordinary display of societal group-think (ultimately enforced by the PowersThat Should Not Be) in sartorial matters and colours and colour tones in the last year or so (which I dare not mention) which was TRULY reminiscent of something out of North Korea! I've never seen anything so pathetic, so abject and spineless and sheep-like and unquestioning in my entire life. It was beyond belief!

2 hours ago, robblok said:

I disagree, but then I often do. If he gets to become an outsider PM he will have a lot LESS power then now. He can't do as he pleases anymore he will be far less dangerous then now. He will be stressed out a lot as he can't rule with absolute power anymore. 

I cannot see anyway how this guy will not ensure he has at least the same amount of power he has now. No doubt the plans to do so are well advanced, will be interesting to see what replaces section 44 or there I'll be some way he can still invoke it or even carry it forward.

8 minutes ago, Eligius said:

Yes. And there was an even more extraordinary display of societal group-think (ultimately enforced by the PowersThat Should Not Be) in sartorial matters and colours and colour tones in the last year or so (which I dare not mention) which was TRULY reminiscent of something out of North Korea! I've never seen anything so pathetic, so abject and spineless and sheep-like and unquestioning in my entire life. It was beyond belief!

Harry Truman had his "The buck stops here" political philosophy and it was one that most Westerners would recognize and presumably applaud.

 

But what happens if you live in a culture where the buck just ascends to dizzying,nay, ethereal heights, and then does a sort of boomerang and knocks some little worker of his perch, instead?

 

Conform,keep your head down,don't look over the parapet..

Edited May 4, 20188 yr by Odysseus123