Thai Govt Concerned Media Will Be Used As A Tool In Upcoming Elections

[webfact]

Media asked to present news fairly

BANGKOK, 9 April 2011 (NNT) – Media members have been urged to convey facts thoroughly and fairly for people during the upcoming general election. The call was made by Prime Minister’s Office Minister overseeing the media Ongart Klampaiboon in his concerns that the press would be used as a tool to influence voters’ decision.

Mr Ongart stated that media members are competing increasingly in terms of speed, content and quality of their news; he, therefore, advised that they have adequate information prior to presentation and work harder.

Mr Ongart pointed to the persisting concern regarding the use of the press as a political tool, which happens not only in Thailand. He admitted that it is difficult for some people to resort to their own judgment after they consume news reports.

The minister noted that the society will be negatively impacted if media members lack ethics and professional etiquettes while at present there is no concrete legal mechanism to oversee the press, except some laws such as defamation law.

Mr Ongart voiced his concerns that the situation would be more worrying when the general election draws closer. He hence asked media members to present news thoroughly for people without hidden agenda.

-- NNT 2011-04-09

[landofthefree]

Does that mean Abhisit is also going to unblock all of the websites that his government have blocked so that all views can be represented

not just those of his party and cronies? Of course it will never happen because they are all, after all, a threat to national security as so often pointed out by Suthep!

Welcome to the hub of banned sources of information!

[chachachacha]

What a joke . Like the Government has not controlled the media . Enter thick right wing nutters who will deny that the government would do such a thing. Dear me

[Lite Beer]

A posts contravening Rule 2 has been removed along with an answer to it.

2) Not to express disrespect of the King of Thailand or anyone else in the Thai royal family, whether living or deceased, nor to criticize the monarchy as an institution. Speculation, comments and discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family. Discussion of the lese majeste law or lese majeste cases is permitted on the forum, providing no comment or speculation is made referencing the royal family. To breach this rule will result in immediate ban.

[Oberkommando]

Just yesterday posters were trying to accuse Thaksin of being tough with mainstream media!

Meet the new boss, actually worse than the old boss!

[hammered]

Control of information and message and off the shelf "rhyming" opinions are part of the playbook of winning elections in any democracy. That is why people like Murdoch delight in owning vast organs of mind manipulation and propaganda. Thailand is no different except that the traditional media has less impact and many rely on personal network to supply information, rumour etc upon which opinion is made.

[webfact]

Several posts contravening Rule 2 have been removed along with replies to it.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

BANGKOK, 9 April 2011 (NNT) – Media members have been urged to convey facts thoroughly and fairly

Thorough? Fair? Heck, I'd settle for merely legal.

Unless calling for the slaughter of millions of innocents, by a criminal writing for the paper that shall not be named, is somehow legal in Thailand.

And my fellow lovers of freedom and democrazy above, would wax lyrical on the oppression of the media that should (justly and quite fairly) be pressed, in large elements, smack bang into a very large prison cell.

Or lots of very small ones.

At least Prachatai have been more or less behaving of late.

Of late.

[Macmundi]

Several posts contravening Rule 2 have been removed along with replies to it.

Good, remove all of them. At least this forum can remain open for the rest of us to use.

[animatic]

Control of information and message and off the shelf "rhyming" opinions are part of the playbook of winning elections in any democracy. That is why people like Murdoch delight in owning vast organs of mind manipulation and propaganda. Thailand is no different except that the traditional media has less impact and many rely on personal network to supply information, rumour etc upon which opinion is made.

Correct.

I think they are worried Red TV will start up again doing pure propaganda lies and nothing else. That and the little local pirate radio stations up north. I suspect this is just a shot across the bows of the operators.

It seems ALSO to be a call to open season stupidity here, considering the accelerated number of Rule Two violations, that I didn't even have time to see.

I wonder what part of,

You Can't Say That Here. is not understood?

Saying it isn't going to change the law.

Edited April 10, 2011 by animatic

[zzaa09]

Fair, balanced, and subjective mainstream media {ruling establishment}? This is quite amusing.....even fanciful.

[Payboy]

Journo's are tools? Who would've thought that.

[whybother]

...

btw, I did see the deleted posts. I think the supposed violation was that "I support the blocking of Web sites critical to the monarchy", and there was no reference to the monarchy whatsoever after that - I was actually going on about the evils of free speech, specifically referencing Pastor Terry Jones. There was no Rule Two violation (apart from the non-violation above) that I or the other person posting noticed, unless one was added - but then why delete all the preceeding ones? We did message each other about it and are as bemused as each other.

...

That's what I thought, too.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

I was actually going on about the evils of free speech, specifically referencing Pastor Terry Jones.

I'm going to take this discussion away from the dangerously seditious conspiratorial bent (yall should be ashamed of yourselph), and interrupt the revolting revolution with a big fat facepalm.

I realise the Pastor is a grade-B moran, but seriously? We're cowering under the glare of evil insanity now, and sacrificing the rights of individuals taking up their inalienable right to express political dissent PEACEFULLY? Because of some psychos who are exposing their moral duplicity and provably false claims about their beliefs?

Of course I'm not talking about fundamentalists. At least their belief - in the literal Qur'an - makes 'sense'. I'm talking about lying moderates who claim they don't believe in evil passages of their Holy Book, but instead of burning and redacting those evil passages themselves (which they would certainly do if they weren't lying through their teeth about being moderates), they scream bloody murder and support the Jihadists who set out frothing at their mouths to kill someone who offended them with a peaceful political expression.

The heroes in Denmark who drew some cartoons for Jyllands-Posten taught this world nothing with their bravery?

Mr Sek, say it ain't so. "evils of free speech"? He's not attempting to rewrite history like a Holocaust denier or a shyster lawyer working for a criminal fugitive former PM. Pastor Jones is a donk, but his point is pretty much as valid as points get. And he's proven correct by the murderous rage of those who would kill you for disagreeing with them, or for 'offending' them (or has no one been following the descent into nuclear oblivion currently underway in Pakistan). Those pesky blasphemers and the national heroes who murdered them (and those who spoke out to save them) in cold, holy blood.

Man, is this OT. But not really. Free speech and free media is important, actually there is probably nothing more important in this evil world of violent threats and censorship of Truth. And that's where the line is drawn, every time. If it's not gratuitous lying, then it must be protected and defended and enshrined. If it's pure lies of the sort I understand Red Power believes passes as journalism, then it must be crushed.

[Pi Sek]

Mr Sek, say it ain't so. "evils of free speech"? He's not attempting to rewrite history like a Holocaust denier or a shyster lawyer working for a criminal fugitive former PM. Pastor Jones is a donk, but his point is pretty much as valid as points get. And he's proven correct by the murderous rage of those who would kill you for disagreeing with them, or for 'offending' them (or has no one been following the descent into nuclear oblivion currently underway in Pakistan). Those pesky blasphemers and the national heroes who murdered them (and those who spoke out to save them) in cold, holy blood.

Man, is this OT. But not really. Free speech and free media is important, actually there is probably nothing more important in this evil world of violent threats and censorship of Truth. And that's where the line is drawn, every time. If it's not gratuitous lying, then it must be protected and defended and enshrined. If it's pure lies of the sort I understand Red Power believes passes as journalism, then it must be crushed.

TheyCallMe, it is so! There is a difference between disagreeing with someone (e.g. I do not believe in the doctrines of Islam) and protagonistically offending someone's religion/superstition/way-of-life (e.g. let's burn the Qu'ran). Such an offence may be "free speech", or it may be "incitement to riot", which is exactly why so many people disagree with the likes of Arisaman Pongrueng-is-wrong. I would say the latter.

Calling for the donk to be decapitated or whatever is in my opinion a tad extreme. I would go further and say the storming of a UN office and execution of their staff was very extreme and such actions have no place in a developed world where the populus is spiritually and idealogically evolved. But that's an elusive place called Utopia and, to my knowledge, we have yet to discover it anywhere, least of all English-speaking developed democratic countries like the USA, the UK and Australia.

Your final sentence is exactly the point I was trying to put across in my deleted post... that I agree that Web sites promoting non-truths as facts should be shut down, the more the better. The sheer volume of them, I think, says more about the shyster's Web marketing and the Red amaat's tendency to ply their phrae with bullshit stories of how Thaksin will make them equal to the rest of society (and everyone else will "keep them in their places") than it does against the government blocking them. Especially since there are still Web sites around that need blocking. And that's before you address the radio, cable TV, flyer campaigns and what have you.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

TheyCallMe, it is so! There is a difference between disagreeing with someone (e.g. I do not believe in the doctrines of Islam) and protagonistically offending someone's religion/superstition/way-of-life (e.g. let's burn the Qu'ran). Such an offence may be "free speech", or it may be "incitement to riot", which is exactly why so many people disagree with the likes of Arisaman Pongrueng-is-wrong. I would say the latter.

Calling for the donk to be decapitated or whatever is in my opinion a tad extreme. I would go further and say the storming of a UN office and execution of their staff was very extreme and such actions have no place in a developed world where the populus is spiritually and idealogically evolved.

But he has not incited them to riot...!! How are (intelligent) people confusing the issue like that? I'm stunned.

If Arisman made a speech telling the Reds that their Red Power propaganda was wrong, that it must be burned, that they must be tolerant of those they disagree with, and have intelligent conversations rather that thinking killing was the way to solve debates...then you have an analogy.

They incite themselves to riot by threatening to kill those who disagree with them or insult their lies or expose their ridiculously obvious duplicity, which presents in a contradiction bought by morally corrupt Westerners who believe (stupidly) that moderates can actually exist. It's a bold-faced lie, the drivel the moderates are spinning. And heroes like the Jyllands-Posten commissioned cartoonists and somewhat less heroically, Pastor Hick Jones...PROVE THE FACT.

He's not telling them to kill and storm embassies and fly into a murderous rage. He's doing the opposite. He's saying "Look you world of suckers, you think the moderates are telling the truth about their not buying into the evil that is in the Qur'an? You're all idiots. If they really didn't buy into it, they would have burned / redacted it all themselves. Let me show you what the Religion of Peace™ is actually all about - before things get way the f out of hand, as a result of gutless, morally corrupted, Western suckers who will happily play along with the lie, when it's in their own interests to pretend they're stupid enough to believe the nonsense about Peace™."

He's not inciting their hatred. He's exposing the duplicity and their hatred is forced to BECOME VISIBLE, with the FAKE distinction they have created separating them from the fundamentalists, becoming TRUTHFULLY blurred back to the correct non-existence of it.

To just ignore the facts and play along with the lies, for the sake of convenient peace now, is dumb dumb DUMB in ways perhaps only someone who grew up surrounded by ultra-religious fanaticism can truly understand.

But the hick Pastor is speaking Truth, and with his actions, forcing a Truthful result. That can only ever be a good thing. Lying for the sake of peace, is as much of a fallacy as lying to someone, for their benefit. There will be a time when the Piper has to be paid. We should pay the invoice now, for so many more reasons than the 500,000,000 exploited women who are suffering as we pretend that big religion is actually all about the f peace.

They're charging by the hour. Look at Pakistan. We HAVE to pay the invoice, putting it off might not simply make it too expensive to pay, we might find ourselves not caring all that much, after all.

And this holds true for every very UNholy religion, and has been true for centuries whilst people hoped that tolerance in the face of the evil, would play out alright in the long run (not for the victims of the evil, but...). It's nonsense. Religion goes from strength to strength and will continue to do so until people stop pretending that it's okay for just ignore the fact that the Holy Books contain vile, vile hate-filled passages. Any decent Christian, Muslim or Jew would not stand for it - it's NOT okay that they just ignore the evil, because they're good and most of the book is good in their eyes. NO. How did this world get so deluded as to think that was acceptable? To license evil and support evil by virtue of being unwilling to stand up and say "I'm a good person, and this crap here in these passages are filthy evil hatred and were not spoken by my God."

And there is not a religious person on the planet who is a good person, UNTIL they make that stand, and draw a line in the freaking sand.

[geriatrickid]

Control of information and message and off the shelf "rhyming" opinions are part of the playbook of winning elections in any democracy. That is why people like Murdoch delight in owning vast organs of mind manipulation and propaganda. Thailand is no different except that the traditional media has less impact and many rely on personal network to supply information, rumour etc upon which opinion is made.

Correct.

I think they are worried Red TV will start up again doing pure propaganda lies and nothing else. That and the little local pirate radio stations up north. I suspect this is just a shot across the bows of the operators.

It seems ALSO to be a call to open season stupidity here, considering the accelerated number of Rule Two violations, that I didn't even have time to see.

I wonder what part of,

You Can't Say That Here. is not understood?

Saying it isn't going to change the law.

Ahh, so it is only the "worried Red TV". No other culprits? The pro government media are clean on this? The Nation has a pro-Abhisit/anti-Thaksin stance that is reflect in almost all of its opinion pieces and "news" articles. In your view, it and others gets a free pass.

One of my favourite aspects of flying is that they give me a copy of the Strait Times, International Herald Tribune, China Daily News, Wall Street Journal and several other papers. The additional views,news reports and alternative positions on the Thai national situation are refreshing and insightful. This is something those stuck in Thailand without access to such outlets miss out on.

[rubl]

Ahh, so it is only the "worried Red TV". No other culprits? The pro government media are clean on this? The Nation has a pro-Abhisit/anti-Thaksin stance that is reflect in almost all of its opinion pieces and "news" articles. In your view, it and others gets a free pass.

One of my favourite aspects of flying is that they give me a copy of the Strait Times, International Herald Tribune, China Daily News, Wall Street Journal and several other papers. The additional views,news reports and alternative positions on the Thai national situation are refreshing and insightful. This is something those stuck in Thailand without access to such outlets miss out on.

No need to 'fly around' just to get those newspapers, available on-line as well, plus quiet a few more, even NewMandala, most of Pracharai, etc., etc.

What I've seen of PTV with broadcasts (shoutcasts?) of Ratchaprasong main stage speeches clearly justifies blocking that channel. Same would be done in Western democratic countries. Hate-spreading and violence-inciting is not tolerated there. Check for #redshirt on twitter you still find enough accessible links with violence (mostly in Thai only).

[Credo]

I've got to agree with GeriaticKid. Last time I flew, I read the newspapers from Singapore and Hong Kong. What I read about Thailand was quite a bit different from the information inside the country--not completely, but enough to know that a free and unfettered press is much better than one in a straight-jacket.

[whybother]

I've got to agree with GeriaticKid. Last time I flew, I read the newspapers from Singapore and Hong Kong. What I read about Thailand was quite a bit different from the information inside the country--not completely, but enough to know that a free and unfettered press is much better than one in a straight-jacket.

Why the need to fly? You can get those papers online or even printed in some farang-heavy places.

[animatic]

Control of information and message and off the shelf "rhyming" opinions are part of the playbook of winning elections in any democracy. That is why people like Murdoch delight in owning vast organs of mind manipulation and propaganda. Thailand is no different except that the traditional media has less impact and many rely on personal network to supply information, rumour etc upon which opinion is made.

Correct.

I think they are worried Red TV will start up again doing pure propaganda lies and nothing else. That and the little local pirate radio stations up north. I suspect this is just a shot across the bows of the operators.

It seems ALSO to be a call to open season stupidity here, considering the accelerated number of Rule Two violations, that I didn't even have time to see.

I wonder what part of,

You Can't Say That Here. is not understood?

Saying it isn't going to change the law.

Ahh, so it is only the "worried Red TV". No other culprits? The pro government media are clean on this? The Nation has a pro-Abhisit/anti-Thaksin stance that is reflect in almost all of its opinion pieces and "news" articles. In your view, it and others gets a free pass.

One of my favourite aspects of flying is that they give me a copy of the Strait Times, International Herald Tribune, China Daily News, Wall Street Journal and several other papers. The additional views,news reports and alternative positions on the Thai national situation are refreshing and insightful. This is something those stuck in Thailand without access to such outlets miss out on.

I can by the International Herald Tribune any day of the week here.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

The Nation has a pro-Abhisit/anti-Thaksin stance that is reflect in almost all of its opinion pieces and "news" articles. In your view, it and others gets a free pass.

Um wut?

Unless I'm having a REALLY bad day, does not Avudh and Pravit both write their "Burning Issues" under The Nation's banner?

Abhisit gets a VERY unfair time of it from Thailand's press. I could speculate as to the reasons, but they would be likely far too accurate to be worth it. I probably made that sound more cynical than intended, but I think an objective reader (which I believe I am) would quite easily see that Thailand's print media have a very predictable habit of swinging with the prevailing winds. Sometimes, tacking against the winds rather heavily, telling people what the people think, to the people. Without any evidence which suggests they're really even speaking for a crowd larger than 1, at times.

To be fair to Pravit, his attacks on Abhisit are his way of attacking something else.

I'm not sure what Avudh's excuses are. I'm half suspicious he doesn't actually exist - as in my wild, baseless gut feeling is that multiple writers use that by-line. Because his articles swing from just....UNACCEPTABLE, amazingly so...to rather tidy and even impressively intelligent prose, on occasion. But now I'm just speculating nonsense so I'll stop.

But Thailand's media doesn't need more freedoms. They need laws that punish arrogantly ignorant (and that's being diplomatic, considering the likely variables in play) journalists when they dance WAY out of line. I'm talking about blatant contempt of court, giving criminals and their violent threats a continual voice, giving criminals calling for slaughter and bloodshed a veil of legitimacy, endless unfair / illogical and unsupported by evidence propaganda bordering on sheer fiction / slander...oh I've covered this all before and given examples. Thailand's media has a long, LONG way to go, before they can claim any moral legitimacy to lecture Thais or Thai politicians on ideals and whatnot.

[hyperdimension]

The Nation has a pro-Abhisit/anti-Thaksin stance that is reflect in almost all of its opinion pieces and "news" articles.

It only seems that way because there isn't actually much good to say about Thaksin and his Pheu Thai Party and his UDD protest arm.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

The Nation has a pro-Abhisit/anti-Thaksin stance that is reflect in almost all of its opinion pieces and "news" articles.

It only seems that way because there isn't actually much good to say about Thaksin and his Pheu Thai Party and his UDD protest arm.

There is so much truth to this.

What is 'balanced'? If it's the mid-point between the two options, and one option is neutral with the other option maniacal...

It's a bit like the whole "reconciliation" nonsense. You punish wrongdoing, you don't reconcile with it.

[ginjag]

The Nation has a pro-Abhisit/anti-Thaksin stance that is reflect in almost all of its opinion pieces and "news" articles.

It only seems that way because there isn't actually much good to say about Thaksin and his Pheu Thai Party and his UDD protest arm.

There is so much truth to this.

What is 'balanced'? If it's the mid-point between the two options, and one option is neutral with the other option maniacal...

It's a bit like the whole "reconciliation" nonsense. You punish wrongdoing, you don't reconcile with it.

I certainly hope that the P.M. can keep at his post, with a little more say, without the military breathing down his neck.

I did note earlier that a poster said that Thaksin was a much better man than the P.M.-how can a corrupt man on the run, blamed for the drug killings, openly abusing power. OR is it me thats got it wrong ??

As far as the media's interference with polls outcome, NO WAY they could sway the voters, thats done at rural levels. What percentage of Thais even bother looking at newspapers. How many papers are sold nationally per day ?? per cent of population 10% ???

[TheyCallmeScooter]

I did note earlier that a poster said that Thaksin was a much better man than...

Ah but if you'll permit me to say so, I believe this is where the error was made. It's an error I have made maybe 1400 times and likely will continue to make, much to my chagrin and blushing shame. But you simply must not notice them, or credit the idiocy with even ridicule. It's what they want, you see. To bring their outrageous into a debate; in the hope that by dong so, they'll have tricked onto their outrageous positions, a level of legitimacy (perceived). By virtue of the fact that it's being discussed / debated / repeated...at all.

I learned this brilliant truth from Somtow; or from his blog, I should say. After he destroyed that filthy Amsterdam Black Paper of Lies. Boy did I feel embarrassed reading that blogged article, after having spent some hours only days earlier ripping the White Paper apart - lie by lie - an idiot sucker who fell right into their trap.

Not nearly as embarassed as I felt a year later, and continue to blush, whenever I get sucked in yet again by the scam of outrageous positions being vocalised, taunting for the legitimisation of a response, any response.

[Pi Sek]

I did note earlier that a poster said that Thaksin was a much better man than...

Ah but if you'll permit me to say so, I believe this is where the error was made. It's an error I have made maybe 1400 times and likely will continue to make, much to my chagrin and blushing shame. But you simply must not notice them, or credit the idiocy with even ridicule. It's what they want, you see. To bring their outrageous into a debate; in the hope that by dong so, they'll have tricked onto their outrageous positions, a level of legitimacy (perceived). By virtue of the fact that it's being discussed / debated / repeated...at all.

I learned this brilliant truth from Somtow; or from his blog, I should say. After he destroyed that filthy Amsterdam Black Paper of Lies. Boy did I feel embarrassed reading that blogged article, after having spent some hours only days earlier ripping the White Paper apart - lie by lie - an idiot sucker who fell right into their trap.

Not nearly as embarassed as I felt a year later, and continue to blush, whenever I get sucked in yet again by the scam of outrageous positions being vocalised, taunting for the legitimisation of a response, any response.

Whilst your post can be summarised by "Do not feed the troll" that has even been compounded into an image that one or two posters on this site have used upon occasion, I must heartily disagree.

Liars and Trolls, when unchallenged, gain perceived credibility that they simply do not deserve. In fact, this perceived credibility is a personal insult to the Credible. Unfortunately, as you correctly mention, the systematic destruction of their antagonism also wins them perceived credibility - so one is "Damned if you do, damned if you don't".

I understand that your continuous blushing at getting sucked in yet again might cause you chagrin and shame... but it shouldn't. However, you should be annoyed at having to spend time to counter lies rather than to spread truth.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Whilst your post can be summarised by "Do not feed the troll" that has even been compounded into an image that one or two posters on this site have used upon occasion, I must heartily disagree.

Liars and Trolls, when unchallenged, gain perceived credibility that they simply do not deserve. In fact, this perceived credibility is a personal insult to the Credible. Unfortunately, as you correctly mention, the systematic destruction of their antagonism also wins them perceived credibility - so one is "Damned if you do, damned if you don't".

I understand that your continuous blushing at getting sucked in yet again might cause you chagrin and shame... but it shouldn't. However, you should be annoyed at having to spend time to counter lies rather than to spread truth.

Interesting. I'm always willing to listen to any theory that mitigates my blushing, and consider it soberly for the inherent truth it must surely contain.

But I dunno. I'm not annoyed so much at spending time as my time isn't really valuable, however, I am annoyed by that disgusted feeling one gets when you comprehensively destroy an outrageous position, with evidence and logic, obliterating the lies, pure destruction of the false assertions...

...and the person you were correcting just laughs and moves on to another thread, spinning the same tripe.

I must say, that has happened a few times on this forum. I stood alone on the battlefield, but there was no sense of victory. I'm trying to remember the exact emotion....I think it's what one feels, when one feels that one has been made to look like a boob.

I believe I felt like a naked boob, shortly after this exchange with my friend back in the day....

Judges scored the bout 12-0 but somehow I felt I lost...