Defiant Channel 3 Host Sorrayuth Quits Journalists Association

[webfact]

Defiant Sorrayuth quits Journalists Association

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Far from stepping down as the host of television programmes at Channel 3 as demanded by professional organisations, embattled media personality Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda yesterday resigned from the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) after the National Anti-Corruption Commission decided to take legal action against him for alleged embezzlement.

In a short letter to the TJA, Sorrayuth said "I, television programme host Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda, an associate member of the Thai Journalists Association, would like to resign from the association, with immediate effect."

Full membership in the TJA is reserved for full-time print-media journalists. Sorrayuth became an associate member of the TJA when he quit The Nation newspaper to work in television in 2004.

Pramed Lekpetch, TJA deputy secretary-general, said the association had acknowledged Sorrayuth's resignation and would pass the letter on to the TJA's secretary-general according to procedure.

The NACC recently decided to take criminal action against Sorrayuth for his alleged role in the embezzlement of Bt138.79 million of MCOT advertising revenue while producing a television show for Channel 9 during 2005 and 2006.

The TJA, the Press Council of Thailand and many media gurus earlier called on him to take responsibility for the case by resigning from or at least suspending his professional activities, saying those who work in the media industry should not violate their ethics or good practice.

Sorrayuth and his company, Raisom, which now produces news-oriented and current-affairs programmes for Channel 3, has continued to operate as usual even after the NACC's ruling.

Sorrayuth's resignation from the TJA yesterday came ahead of criticism from reporters of his TJA membership, which he has held since 1993, as he had failed to pay his membership fees for many years.

TJA president Chavarong Limpattamapanee said that according to the association's regulations, journalists who fail to pay their fees for three consecutive years see their membership expire. However, in practical terms the member's name is not eliminated until the TJA's executives vote to do so.

The TJA's executives are currently verifying membership records and will take action according to the organisation's regulations, Chavarong said. Sorrayuth had participated in many of the TJA's activities in recent years and was still considered a member as of yesterday, he said.

Chakkrish Permpool, dean of Nation University's faculty of communication arts, said Sorrayuth's resignation was just an expression of dissatisfaction with the organisation, and was intended to show responsibility in the controversial case.

"Some members of the Press Council of Thailand also resigned when they felt that the media organisation did not respond in a way they had expected. However, his [sorrayuth's] resignation does not have any effect in practice," said Chakkrish, who is also the president of the Press Council.

Neither the TJA nor the Press Council has authority to take any action against journalists who violate the ethics or good practice of the profession.

-- The Nation 2012-10-06

[FOODLOVER]

Give the man a ministry!

[MikeOboe57]

So this guy hasn't bothered to pay his membership fees for "many years" and now proudly announces his resignation.

What a [fill in your favourite expletive]!

[MEL1]

Nice piccy. He doesn't even know what 'buttons' are for, or how to use them.

-mel.

[supersombat]

I like his show.

[Tatsujin]

Another fine upstanding citizen soon to make an appearance in Politics.

[Curt1591]

Watching and listening to people read the newspaper: Riveting journalism!

[farangbanok]

I like his show.

I agree 100%

Watching and listening to people read the newspaper: Riveting journalism!

Obviously you have not watched his news programme. He is quite prepared to work outside his studio - knee deep in flood-water if need be.

[supersombat]

He is a great reporter. He is very direct and detailed in a culture of the almost complete opposite. His program is very informative and he presents the facts clearly. Only Thai news program I'd ever watch. Maybe if some people on here could actually understand Thai maybe they would actually appreciate his program,

[jerrysteve]

Good for him...Defiance is a great attribute; bully for him. Edited October 6, 2012 by jerrysteve

[noitom]

The "Thai Journalists Association." The operative word here is "journalist." As we all know, the best examples of high journalistic standards and best practices are right here every day in The Nation.

[FOODLOVER]

A little background.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/585909-media-personality-sorrayuth-his-firm-mcot-staff-conspired-to-steal-revenue/

[tomyummer]

He should start his own party and go for the Prime Minister's office. He already has a head start with the necessary funds. He would probably do more for the floods at least.

[unanimosity]

I like his show.

I agree 100%

Watching and listening to people read the newspaper: Riveting journalism!

"Obviously you have not watched his news programme. He is quite prepared to work outside his studio - knee deep in flood-water if need be".

[/quote

Well, you were easily impressed with his :60 second photo opportunity with the Channel 3 Logo bags. Every broadcast satani and a couple of other conspicuous instiitutions used the crisis to pose conspicuously with their institutional logos. Sorry, but polittics is not journalism, it is opportunism.

Edited October 6, 2012 by unanimosity

[asiawatcher]

Resigning means nothing.

"Sorrayuth's resignation was just an expression of dissatisfaction with the organisation, and was intended to show responsibility in the controversial case."

[MILT]

Neither the TJA nor the Press Council has authority to take any action against journalists who violate the ethics or good practice of the profession.

I would like to say that all the news channels have a very serious ethics violation when instead of doing the usual fact checking and background story they bypass this ethic for a payment to run a story. I know of at least one person who payed to have a BS story printed and video back in 1996. No fact checks and the what happened? The rest of the world media picked up the story because they assumed the fact checking had been done. To date no one in the Thai media nor the world media has ever done a background check on this persons story to make sure that they are reporting the truth. I have been told by a few journalist that this is a huge gray area. I think the odds are that this happens all of the time.

[rkidlad]

I like his show.

I agree 100%

Watching and listening to people read the newspaper: Riveting journalism!

Obviously you have not watched his news programme. He is quite prepared to work outside his studio - knee deep in flood-water if need be.

A journalist knee deep in water? Whatever next? Going to Afghanistan to cover a war?

He must be a great man.

[LindsayBKK]

Personally I don't like him but....

I think this story goes a bit deeper than whats being reported,

Pheu Thai have had Sorrayuth on their list of "Thing's to do" when getting to government in revenge for those in the media who didn't support pheu thai / Red's when red's ran a muck and burned shopping centres. Sorrayuth's Channel 3 was also fire bombed at that time.

Just to add, we all know Thaipbs is another sitting on the fence that used to be Pheu Thai supporters and with NBT / MCOT 100% Government Yingluck advertising.

[vijer]

Sorrayuth might actually be found guilty of stealing the governments money, but he will never pay any money back or see any time in jail. The corrupt may get accused, tried and found guilty, but TiT and the wealthy corrupt just get assigned to an inactive post. Is there an inactive post in Television?

As my son grows up I plan to groom him for politics and teach him how to steal from the people. It's the best way to get rich these days and there is no one to sue you for stealing their money.

[brianP]

He is a great reporter. He is very direct and detailed in a culture of the almost complete opposite. His program is very informative and he presents the facts clearly. Only Thai news program I'd ever watch. Maybe if some people on here could actually understand Thai maybe they would actually appreciate his program,

Sounds like he's got you on the payroll, a crook is a crook, be accountable for your actions and start a fan club or legal defense team for the snide man of ill report!!!

[saroq]

He is a great reporter. He is very direct and detailed in a culture of the almost complete opposite. His program is very informative and he presents the facts clearly. Only Thai news program I'd ever watch. Maybe if some people on here could actually understand Thai maybe they would actually appreciate his program,

A cook is a cook. Being good and your job is no excuse.

[Thai at Heart]

He is a great reporter. He is very direct and detailed in a culture of the almost complete opposite. His program is very informative and he presents the facts clearly. Only Thai news program I'd ever watch. Maybe if some people on here could actually understand Thai maybe they would actually appreciate his program,

A cook is a cook. Being good and your job is no excuse.

Indeed, and even better, you can go and get the newspapers and work it out for yourself.

[Noistar]

Sorrayuth might actually be found guilty of stealing the governments money, but he will never pay any money back or see any time in jail. The corrupt may get accused, tried and found guilty, but TiT and the wealthy corrupt just get assigned to an inactive post. Is there an inactive post in Television?

As my son grows up I plan to groom him for politics and teach him how to steal from the people. It's the best way to get rich these days and there is no one to sue you for stealing their money. http://static.thaivisa.com/forum//public/style_emoticons/default/giggle.gif

Some people might believe it's already on the curriculum, with senior school members ensuring competent teachers are recruited?

Then again, some people may not.

[Noistar]

He is a great reporter. He is very direct and detailed in a culture of the almost complete opposite. His program is very informative and he presents the facts clearly. Only Thai news program I'd ever watch. Maybe if some people on here could actually understand Thai maybe they would actually appreciate his program,

A cook is a cook. Being good and your job is no excuse.

Isn't that what remuneration is for?