Too little science in Thai cave coverage: Scholar

[snoop1130]

Too little science in Thai cave coverage: Scholar

By Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

 

 

BANGKOK — Thai press paid more attention to drama than to scientific reporting in its coverage of the search-and-rescue effort of 13 people missing inside Luang Nang Non cave, an expert said Friday.

 

Presenting her findings at a symposium at Chulalongkorn University, Pijitra Tsukamoto – a lecturer at the communication arts department – said four issues surrounding the cave search-and-rescue mission that were most widely shared on social media were: a search for a hero, a search for a scapegoat, supernatural events and the outpouring of sympathy.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/calamity/2018/07/06/too-little-science-in-thai-cave-coverage-scholar/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-7-6

[cornishcarlos]

Well that was a waste of press space itself !!

[NCC1701A]

" a search for a hero, a search for a scapegoat, supernatural events and the outpouring of sympathy..."

 

Science? You want massage?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2018 by NCC1701A

[Emmess]

Obviously, Thai's love soap operas.

[tifino]

3 minutes ago, Emmess said:

Obviously, Thai's love soap operas.

 

well, the boys will certainly need a good warm bubbly scrub'a'dub when they get out...

[snoop1130]

Media coverage of Chiang Rai rescue operation criticised

By Pratch Rujivanarom 
The Nation 

 

The media has been urged to use its influence to change Thai society from emotional, superstitious beliefs to knowledge and logical thinking, as coverage on the rescue operation at the Tham Luang cave has shown that society needs to change its mindset to prepare for future disasters.

 

At an academic seminar at Chulalongkorn University yesterday, mass media and science experts said that Thai media’s failure to properly clarify the events and information in this massive rescue operation was to blame for fake news, harmful online content and illogical debates among netizens about the rescue operation in Chiang Rai.

 

Pijitra Tsukamoto, head of Faculty of Communication Arts Chulalongkorn University’s Journalism and Information Department, said it can be concluded from the observation on the media coverage of the rescue mission to save 13 lives that Thai media still focuses on breaking news and prioritised on selling dramatic stories rather than being the trusted informers for the public.

 

According to Pijitra’s observation of Thai and international media coverage of the rescue since the start of the operation on June 23 until yesterday, the top 10 online news articles with the highest engagement on social media all share the same themes of praising heroes, finding villains, and playing with the supernatural or religious beliefs of Thai people.

 

“This online media observation has reflected that the media are largely influenced by the traditional culture and mindset of their society, as I also found that the international news agencies also have their own styles to report this event to suit the culture and mindset of their audiences,” she said.

 

However, she emphasised that this style of news reporting is problematic, because reporters focus too much on trying to be the first to break a fresh update and neglect the fundamental roles of journalist to inform and enlighten society with accurate and comprehensive coverage.

 

“Inaccurate and misleading reports and fake news thrive on the situation of fiercer competition among the media in online platforms, as they are trying to get more online engagements on their news reports, which is not only harmful to those who are directly involved in these reports, but to the whole of society,” she said.

 

“The media should not only be a mirror to reflect reality, but they should also be a lamp to light the way to the better society.”

 

Professor at Faculty of Science Chulalongkorn University Jessada Denduangboripant agreed, saying that some Thai media had already inaccurately reported some events at the cave and caused widespread misunderstanding.

 

“Some news agencies have wrongly reported that United States’ satellites can see through thick rock layers of the mountain the cave system to identify the location of the trapped footballers, and many people believe this wrong information as a fact,” Jessada said.

 

He was certain that reporters did not intend to cause the mistake, but it was clear that many reporters did not recheck the information they received or study the issue that they are covering beforehand.

 

He also urged reporters not to replicate wrong social media trends or make emotional critiques. They should constructively report the news to push forward solutions to the problems and the improvement of society.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30349500

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-7-6

[HenryPattaya]

As Donald would say Fake news

[greenchair]

Well, I will take a while to contemplate that. 

 

[KiChakayan]

Just read the Guardian, the newspaper every Brit should be proud of. Extensive good coverage there...

[mercman24]

never happen, superstitious lot ,now it seems a monk who said they would be found is some kind of super hero, well we all said they would be found. no glory for us  duh !!

[tifino]

5 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

never happen, superstitious lot ,now it seems a monk who said they would be found is some kind of super hero, well we all said they would be found. no glory for us  duh !!

 

well, the monks work out their findings after doing the numbers out of their little green book of numbers.

 

they put a lot of weight in their numbers...

but the catch is that 'wait' was the secret key to resolve the equation

 

so, given time, their solution is always eventually proven correct!

[Thian]

Not only too little science, it's also lack of knowledge about professional tools...without tools this rescue would be impossible at all. Lack of safety (which scares of the foreign rescueworkers) and so on.

If i see powercables dangling in water where people are walking in than i guarantee you that it's not happening in Europe, it must be in an undeveloped country with brainless people and i would never send a rescueteam to join them.

 

This whole situation shows exactly all the weak points in the Thai ways of working. And that's why they better ask for foreign help. I hope they learn from it so i never ever have to see (or walk myself) electric cables hanging in water.

 

 

[cardinalblue]

Thai media writes to the ability of their readership.....Media makes and controls the culture and that is everywhere in the world....

[DrTuner]

Thais would have to understand something about science to appreciate it first. Mai auw, puat hua. Helo better.

[wotsdermatter]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Pijitra Tsukamoto – a lecturer at the communication arts department

What is of interest is that this "expert" had to get her "opinion" in before the rescue is completed thus assuring herself being thrust to the forefront and gain publicity for herself.  Also, she "forgot"  to give thanks to those who travelled from all parts of the world to aid in the dramatic events, especially those from Wales who were the most knowledgeable and experienced in cave rescue and were the ones who the first to locate and make contact with the stranded team.  This is a reflection of the Thai media who concentrated on the Thai rescue team, and who appeared to have given them nearly sole credit for just about everything that was done.

[Fish Head Soup]

4 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

Thai media writes to the ability of their readership

As always L's and R's are interchangeable.

[KiChakayan]

9 hours ago, wotsdermatter said:

This is a reflection of the Thai media who concentrated on the Thai rescue team, and who appeared to have given them nearly sole credit for just about everything that was done.

This isn't the time to give credit to anyone. The boys have to come out, alive, first.

 

The fact that one diver had to die while supplying air to the boys chamber reveals that they send out too many people without evaluating the impact on the quality of air. This leads me to think that the whole situation must be very much like the Thai roads on a busy Songkran.

 

Further, what are they doing to control CO2 levels?

Edited July 7, 2018 by KiChakayan

[jerojero]

US satellites can see thru rock.... Who are the retards in Thai media that are so utterly stupid to publish or report this fiction as news? Un-f-believable! Sheesh...

[bluesofa]

6 hours ago, Fish Head Soup said:

11 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

Thai media writes to the ability of their readership

As always L's and R's are interchangeable.

A very perceptive point there. Does that also mean then the "Thai media lights to the ability of their leadership"?

lights: Divine light, an aspect of divine presence or illumination

 

[wotsdermatter]

52 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

The fact that one diver had to die

First, no diver HAD to die, but one did unfortunately.  If you read my post, I never gave credit to anybody except I pointed out that all of the media, until the Welsh team left, gave nearly all of the credit to the Thai team, who, while doing a good job, were not the only ones involved.

 

As an ex-Royal Navy Shallow Water Diver, I am familiar with collective air conditions in extremely confined conditions and the possible consequences of those conditions.  Are you or have you had to dive in such restricted confines?  I have.  Your third sentence is non-sensible because we do not know what took place in the dive centre and  in the planning of the assaults to overcome the dire situation.  Lastly, it is inappropriate to compare the conditions in a a small confined space such as the team were in and the road during Song Kran when it is possible to use air-conditioning or get off of the road for a short break.  Diving is very different.

 

'nuf sed.

Edited July 7, 2018 by wotsdermatter

[scorecard]

Well said by the professor.

 

Please put a very big sign to this effect on the door of every senior and mid-level person in the Thai education ministry, including the current ed. minister, in every lift, everywhere.

 

Request the pm to insist that the ed. minister and a panel of senior ed bureaucrats explain why these subjects and the attitudes surrounding them are lacking.

 

Then fire the lot of them and replace them with people who are knowledgeable on a world basis  and with proven capabilities in education philosophy,  All must be under 40 years old. 

 

Staff who remain in the ministry who don't cooperate instantly with new policies etc., fired on the spot.

 

Never going to happen of course but the reality is that until something like the above does happen nothing will change.

 

Sad.

 

 

[connda]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

four issues surrounding the cave search-and-rescue mission that were most widely shared on social media were: a search for a hero, a search for a scapegoat, supernatural events and the outpouring of sympathy.

And for those expats with inquiring minds who really wish to get inside the heads of the average Thai and understand their culture - that statement by Khun Pijitra pretty much sums it up.  The reality of life in Thailand is Lakhon being played out in real time.

[KiChakayan]

1 hour ago, wotsdermatter said:

First, no diver HAD to die, but one did unfortunately.  If you read my post, I never gave credit to anybody except I pointed out that all of the media, until the Welsh team left, gave nearly all of the credit to the Thai team, who, while doing a good job, were not the only ones involved.

 

As an ex-Royal Navy Shallow Water Diver, I am familiar with collective air conditions in extremely confined conditions and the possible consequences of those conditions.  Are you or have you had to dive in such restricted confines?  I have.  Your third sentence is non-sensible because we do not know what took place in the dive centre and  in the planning of the assaults to overcome the dire situation.  Lastly, it is inappropriate to compare the conditions in a a small confined space such as the team were in and the road during Song Kran when it is possible to use air-conditioning or get off of the road for a short break.  Diving is very different.

 

'nuf sed.

You have missed my point completely. Because like many on this case you concentrate on one aspect; in your case it is diving. This operation is multidisciplinary: meteorological, medical, hydrology, cave diving, engineering, communication, etc.. My point is that there doesn't seem to be synergy or coordination between the various specialists. One minute someone says: "oh, we keep them food for 4 months", plainly forgetting that water levels will change during the rainy season. Next someone else, probably an army diver boasts: Ooh we'll give the a crash course in cave diving? 

 

Now my reference to Songkran driving was metaphorical, a metaphor of how I believe this operation is managed, but that's ok you are an ex army guy... 

[maxcorrigan]

11 hours ago, wotsdermatter said:

What is of interest is that this "expert" had to get her "opinion" in before the rescue is completed thus assuring herself being thrust to the forefront and gain publicity for herself.  Also, she "forgot"  to give thanks to those who travelled from all parts of the world to aid in the dramatic events, especially those from Wales who were the most knowledgeable and experienced in cave rescue and were the ones who the first to locate and make contact with the stranded team.  This is a reflection of the Thai media who concentrated on the Thai rescue team, and who appeared to have given them nearly sole credit for just about everything that was done.

Yes i can remember getting updates from a Chang Mai news source it was focused on the Thai Seals all the time, then the updates got blocked because it apparently showed Thai Seals faces so it was regarded as a security risk, then suddenly out of the blue the English divers who found them first, were splashed everywhere in the news media, which surprised me because up until the discovery moment we had heard nothing about them!

This is not to take anything away from the Thai Seals who are doing a great job in a dangerous situation, but a higher order pushing it as a Thai only show while ignoring the international help that made themselves freely available!

[Bangkok Barry]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He was certain that reporters did not intend to cause the mistake, but it was clear that many reporters did not recheck the information they received or study the issue that they are covering beforehand.

 

When kids in school are discouraged from asking questions that hardly sets the stage for inquisitive journalism, does it. All they have experienced is being given 'facts' and not the skill to debate or question them ☹️

[Fex Bluse]

Fault does not rest primarily with the media. No Thai wants to admit it plainly, but the problem is far deeper. The entire of the society is primitive in its thinking. Much of this, in my opinion, is by design. Without a relatively uninformed populace, much of Thai-ness would disappear. 

 

"keep their bellies full and their minds empty" 

 

[DILLIGAD]

 
When kids in school are discouraged from asking questions that hardly sets the stage for inquisitive journalism, does it. All they have experienced is being given 'facts' and not the skill to debate or question them ☹️

And those ‘facts’ are only positive aspects so learning by others mistakes (in history, for instance) isn’t practiced here


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[jenny2017]

On 7/6/2018 at 9:43 PM, Thian said:

Not only too little science, it's also lack of knowledge about professional tools...without tools this rescue would be impossible at all. Lack of safety (which scares of the foreign rescueworkers) and so on.

If i see powercables dangling in water where people are walking in than i guarantee you that it's not happening in Europe, it must be in an undeveloped country with brainless people and i would never send a rescueteam to join them.

 

This whole situation shows exactly all the weak points in the Thai ways of working. And that's why they better ask for foreign help. I hope they learn from it so i never ever have to see (or walk myself) electric cables hanging in water.

 

 

It's time to fix your power cables then. 

[DILLIGAD]

It's time to fix your power cables then. 

Yes and you know about walking in water, don’t you Kaptain!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KiwiKiwi]

This lady speaks true.

 

Remarkably.

 

But reporters write what sells.  No point pitching your report to an IQ of 120 when the average IQ of your audience is 100. No point at all.

 

No unnerstan.

Edited July 14, 2018 by KiwiKiwi