Police ask reporters to hang out at Media Centre to avoid blocking rescue workers at cave

By Supira Sangharanont 
The Nation

 

 

Chiang Rai Tourist Police have stepped in to restrict movements of Thai and foreign news reporters covering the ongoing rescue of 13 local footballers trapped inside a flooded cave in Mae Sai district.
 

The police are seeing cooperation from journalists after complaints from rescue officials that cameras and media staff were blocking traffic and deterring ongoing rescue work.

 

Many local and international journalists are reporting from in front of the Tham Luang cave as the world awaits the latest report of the effort to extract the football team.

 

The Chiang Rai Tourist Police have dispatched officers in hopes of creating a more orderly scene. The officers are in discussions with members of the media at the on-site Press Centre in an effort to come to a mutual understanding, said the police.

 

Inspector Pol Lt-Colonel Chantharit Laopairojjaree said the force understands the need to report rescue-mission updates, but that the large number of journalists has posed a difficulty for the ongoing mission by blocking traffic flows.

 

After finishing a news-report shoot, journalists are requested to give way to the rescue mission by returning to the Press Centre and remaining there, he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349479

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-06

That's what they should have done from day one with all the stickybeaks and selfie hounds. And more particularly when the PM rocked up with his hordes of PR people, cameramen and assorted flunkies causing a brouhaha and getting in the way of everyone. 

They should have all been kept at a distance while the PM, without fuss or grandstanding, spent his time quietly and respectfully with the rescuers and the distressed families of the boys.

My homecountry also sent a tv-team with 2! reporters who are there already.

 

I don't understand why that is, one good foreign reporterteam at the location would be enough for the rest of the world.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The Chiang Rai Tourist Police have dispatched officers in hopes of creating a more orderly scene

Glad they woke up suddenly.....2 weeks late

They should have set up a no go area from day one but is anyone surprised they didn't ! It seems like a free for all viewing the pics on TV . So many seemingly wandering around with the obligatory mobile phone .It looks like a free for all and very unprofessional.

as a footnote the RTP shouldn't be asking anyone they should be telling ,! 

Edited July 6, 20188 yr by Nigeone

Move along now, please! 

yeah, I hope they actually enforce that.  I have personally seen the photogs climbing all over accident scenes.  Don't ask them to move.  Damn it military, just move them.  There is no asking in this emergency situation. 

Anything to do with reporters reporting what they see as opposed to reporting what they are told?

Here will be good to use the #44 to stop all those peoples or? Ups I forget that the government needs that publicity to push the best Thai attraction.

ASK them....no bloody tell them stay there or, leave, quite simple . 

Post the buffalo leave the police chase scooters