Media asked to present news carefully

BANGKOK: -- (NNT) – Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister and Acting Government Spokesperson Panitan Wattanayagorn has asked media to be more careful in their news presentation upon the current political tension.

Dr Panitan asked media members to present news carefully regarding the prevailing national situation as the international communities were monitoring the situation in Thailand. He reasoned that news presentation could affect national tourism.

The anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) earlier announced that it would disclose classified document elaborating plans of the government to deal with protests and tackle with the UDD by using force and other illegal means.

The acting spokesperson responded that the operation of the government was in line with law and was transparent. He said it would be impossible for the government to have any outlaw plans and asked the UDD to send in the document to the government for further inspection.

-- NNT 2010-02-16

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

It is very sad to see that they are very interested in the image and not fixing the problems. They don’t have to worry about Thai news media because the international news agencies will report all. After all truism is a very big business and every one will do their best to tarnish the competitor image

Does this mean that the Nation will have to stop putting quite such "one eyed" opinion pieces on it's front page under the guise of being news?

I mean, if they can't report the court case, how can they connect Thaksin to Nong Somchai's cat getting stuck up the tree?

Seems to be the new way of 'social engineering' or as they call it in China 'harmonization' - it's all codewords for CENSORSHIP. Like they play these cards all the time. Threats or lets call them considerations of enacting the security act, which is new-speak for martial law. This government would be gone in 3...2...1... if not some generals would be 'in favor' of the current puppets. This is such a douche expression "Watch your mouth", and actually intimidation. What's this here? Democracy? It's not far from Saudi-Arabia and Egypt. Last word G20... Liar number one's note to brain 'keep a good image, keep smiling, be on TV, say the others are the bad ones, forget to care about people'

If the press is ordered to maintain 'integrity' , this means nothing more than ... the fish stinks from the head

Seems to be the new way of 'social engineering' or as they call it in China 'harmonization' - it's all codewords for CENSORSHIP. Like they play these cards all the time. Threats or lets call them considerations of enacting the security act, which is new-speak for martial law. This government would be gone in 3...2...1... if not some generals would be 'in favor' of the current puppets. This is such a douche expression "Watch your mouth", and actually intimidation. What's this here? Democracy? It's not far from Saudi-Arabia and Egypt. Last word G20... Liar number one's note to brain 'keep a good image, keep smiling, be on TV, say the others are the bad ones, forget to care about people'

If the press is ordered to maintain 'integrity' , this means nothing more than ... the fish stinks from the head

Yep. The men in jackboots will be at your door presently.

It truly amazes me that someone who has gained his position as a result of an illegal occupation of an international airport can cite loss of tourism in any of his arguments. According to the annual TAT figures, Thailand has suffered no ill effects as a result of this ongoing turmoil so what's the problem...or are those figures dodgy? To state that the government is fully transparent is laughable (let's be honest, there's not a government on this planet that could make that claim).

Whilst I would never encourage reckless journalism (as opposed to this "careful" journalism) I would imagine that a transparent well-run government should have no problems with accurate reporting based on reliable facts. Wouldn't it be refreshing to hear something like "we welcome any information on illegal activities of senior figures in power and should, after an investigation they be found guilty, they will be prosecuted to the letter of the law" Yes I live in cloud cuckoo land.

"Can't have any outlaw plans" If you managed to seize power in a coup, I'd guess that you could be capable of just about anything without reproach e.g forced repatriation of refugees to Laos or the middle of an ocean! Oh and by the way the international community can hear YOU Mr Panitan...actually they probably don't give a sh*t