Show Some Respect, Thai Journalists Association Urges Chalerm, Reporters

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JOURNALISM

Show some respect, TJA urges Chalerm, reporters

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

Somjit

BANGKOK: -- Journalists and government officials have been urged to respect each other more after a row between Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung and a television reporter last week.

The call came from Sadej Bunnag, the Thai Journalists Association (TJA)'s vice president on press rights and freedom. He said: "Each side (journalists and the state officials as news sources) has a duty to do and they should ask and answer related to issues without making incitement.

Journalists have to ask questions and investigate, while officials have to answer and clarify. They should try to answer in the parts that they can and simply say they can't when they can't."

Thai Post's veteran political writer Prachyachai Daththuyawatr said reporters and news sources needed to keep an appropriate distance and be careful not just with their words but also "non-verbal language".

Chalerm told reporters at Government House yesterday he would not give an interview if Channel 7 reporter Somchit Nawakruasunthorn was present among the group.

Chalerm and Somchit had a war of words during an "ambush" interview at Parliament last week when Somchit put some questions to the Deputy PM about Pitak Siam's rallies. Chalerm accused Somchit of favouring the opposition Democrat Party.

Somchit said Chalerm's remark was libellous and accused Chalerm of being a slave for Thaksin and urged him to sue her.

The TJA's Sadej said Chalerm's announcement was inappropriate and could be considered an obstruction to the media's work. But he said the best way to avoid problems was for journalists and officials to avoid instigating any flare-up.

"A news source has the right not to answer, (and) journalists also have to be careful in posing questions. In any situation that an instigation and war of words occurs, the interview might just be ended and journalists from other media lose their chance to ask questions that are useful for the people," he said.

Wilaiwan Jongwilaikasem, a communication arts lecturer at Kasetsart University, said war of words between Chalerm and Somchit was a sign that respect between journalists and officials had dropped. But it was important for journalists to behave well to retain credibility.

Conflicts between journalists and officials during interviews have been more severe and explicit than in the past. Chalerm did not just decide to refuse to answer Somchit's questions but also sought to discredit her, Wilaiwan said.

Wilaiwan, who worked for Matichon newspaper as a journalist at Government House from 1990 to 1996, said trying to discredit someone or replying with harsh questions were a common tactic that politicians used to counter journalists.

"In 1990, I had asked Newin Chidchob, then deputy agriculture minister, about the Sor Por Kor scandal. He said, 'I'm not answering your questions. Were you paid (to ask me these questions)?'," she said, adding that some politicians had told journalists to go back to school or ask questions to their parents in reaction to questions they did not want to answer.

In 2007, then premier Samak Sundaravej asked a journalist if he had a sexual affair the night before in reaction to his question about who was behind selection of his party's MP candidates, saying it was a matter of internal (domestic) affairs.

"Some sources might act in a way that it's understandable that they avoid certain journalists. I was known to have asked harsh questions so my peer journalists asked me to keep my questions till a later part of an 'ambush' interview," Wilaiwan said.

Somchit yesterday wrote an open letter to Chalerm on her Facebook page, saying his decision was unfair to other journalists and he would lose opportunities to communicate to the people. Moreover, he should not have pushed her to "the other side" while the country was so divided.

She told The Nation she had been reporting without bias and posed harsh questions towards officials in all governments.

A reporter for 20 years, Somchit said attacking journalists with ridicule was a new thing. In the past, arguments focused on issues and ideas.

Somchit said Chalerm had tried to discredit her many times with this accusation. While she had had to cover Democrat Party "beats" for a long time, she used no bias in reporting.

She said she would insist on doing her job as normal. She would not sue Chalerm for libel unless he sued her with the same charge - to show that everyone has the right to protect oneself.

Somchit covers Parliament, the Democrat Party and independent agencies. She has written two books about Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva but said in an interview she could not write about people from Pheu Thai Party as she did not know them enough.

Somchit sued a local red-shirt leader for circulating her picture and threatening her last year. The court will decide on December 6 whether to accept her case.

-- The Nation 2012-11- 20

[CelticBhoy]

When it comes to intelligence Chalerm is miles behind Somchit.

She is, hopefully, laughing up her sleeve at this article.

[nurofiend]

She told The Nation she had been reporting without bias and posed harsh questions towards officials in all governments.

i wonder did she ever pose those harsh questions to that guy she wrote two books about, regarding 2010?

anyway, they're both correct.. she obviously is sympathetic to the dems and an unbiased reporter and chalerm's obviously under thaksins thumb, there'll be no cases brought and their little spat just gave him an excuse to avoid answering reporters questions if she's in attendance.

she kept on asking what political party was behind PS, why would she do that, what answer would she expect?

it's actually going to get to her, as other reporters will want to interview him and will see her presence as obstructing their work.

she already seems to be trying to 'reconcile' via facebook, i don't think she's laughing up her sleeve tbh as the poster above suggests.

Edited November 20, 2012 by nurofiend

[Thai at Heart]

Amazing. Politician gets angry about being asked difficult questions.

[Buchholz]

In 2007, then premier Samak Sundaravej asked a journalist if he had a sexual affair the night before in reaction to his question about who was behind selection of his party's MP candidates, saying it was a matter of internal (domestic) affairs.

Classic Samak in an article that replicates the tactics of the OP's Chalerm written 4 and a half years later:

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej routinely harasses reporters and attempts to intimidate the media with his foul mouth, a coalition of Thai journalism groups charged Saturday. The Organizations of Media Occupations said the tactics are aimed at giving the public the impression that the media is the source of all the country's problems.

"This is the new method of intimidation," the group said in a statement coinciding with World Press Freedom Day. "Samak has been using the state media, the state television to scolded the media with rude and dirty words with his intention to intimidate the media from reporting the news in a straightforward way."

http://usatoday30.us...831686017_x.htm

Edited November 20, 2012 by metisdead
: Edited per fair use policy.

[Siripon]

I urge all journalists to ignore Chalerm, cover nothing he says, report nothing about his activities. The world will be a better place.

[Buchholz]

Somchit sued a local red-shirt leader for circulating her picture and threatening her last year.

Would that be the Deputy Secretary-General to the Interior Minister violating his bail conditions again?

Red Shirt Leader and Deputy Secretary-General to the Interior Minister Yoswaris "Jeng Dokjik" Chuklom

Naewna Newspaper (article in Thai)

http://www.naewna.com/

In reference to his charges, Dokjik said yesterday that he already apologized for his giving out the judges' names, addresses, and phone numbers and encouraging Red Shirts to call and intimidate the judges and their families.

Apparently, he feels that's sufficient action on his part.

[Tatsujin]

Things will go forward here a lot quicker and easier when the current libel/defamation laws are changed so that people can ask the questions they need to and can't be sued at the drop of a hat.

[richard10365]

I think if journalist reported the news and not their opinion they would get more respect but now a days news reporters and journalist seem like they have another agenda other than the news. I didn't always feel this way but now I'm of the opinion that freedom of the press is over rated and should be regulated. Democracy is not democracy if the opinionated rich control the news media and force them take push opinions on the general population.

[Thai at Heart]

I think if journalist reported the news and not their opinion they would get more respect but now a days news reporters and journalist seem like they have another agenda other than the news. I didn't always feel this way but now I'm of the opinion that freedom of the press is over rated and should be regulated. Democracy is not democracy if the opinionated rich control the news media and force them take push opinions on the general population.

I have got no issue with the media pushing opinions, it is however a stranger problem with the army owns huge tracts of the media. I do however have an issue with parliamentarians who are PUBLIC SERVANTS thinking it's ok to abuse the press. One can always answer "No comment", but in reality, getting the media to ask difficult questions is an absolutely vital part of democracy. As someone mentioned earlier, Chalerm is more than happy to use the media to get his message across when he wants, so who is he to get irate when asked something. Better not to report anything the guy has to say, if he is going to pick and choose his statements so carefully.

They need to get rid of this dam_n defamation law, and let the media loose on the politicians in this country. They need to to learn about the power of investigative journalism to throw light on the dirty rubbish that goes on in the country, and understand that it is absolutely in the national interest to grill politicians relentlessly with difficult questions.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

The religious construct of "respect" being tendered as preferable to "honesty"; used to cover up "truth" since circa -3000 B.C.

Children should always "respect" their elders! Because if you don't have a valid reason for demanding "respect" from children aside from your incapacity to generate any for longer, you're perfectly sane! A little horrifically Needy but perfectly sane and not creepy or demanding humane euthanasia at all!

In reference to his charges, Dokjik said yesterday that he already apologized for his giving out the judges' names, addresses, and phone numbers and encouraging Red Shirts to call and intimidate the judges and their families.

Apparently, he feels that's sufficient action on his part.

"Sorry" has always been the 'hardest' word to say.

"Did you kill this woman's child?"

"No comment."

"Come now. You need to apologise to make things Right."

"I don't want to."

"Do it. That's an order. Besides, you should want to do the Right thing."

"Gosh! Fine! I'm so sorry I killed your kid. Are you happy now? I'm sorry. There. I said it. You win.

"

Because saying sorry makes all your malice okay! And here's why it's so great; like "prayer", it's the least you can do.

This is the religious Emotional Currency game. Only sociopaths learn(ed) how to play it. The "socio" is for the Society that forces children to become manipulative creeps to cater to the Needy insanity & incessant demands of the emotionally insane (who blame all the pain inside their imaginations on everyone except the person who is imagining it). They get offended very easily. Truth, as we all know, is considered very taboo. Nothing makes the insane imagine pain more efficiently than unemotional honesty.

Everyone knows it's impolite to tell the Truth. "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything [honest] at all."

But coercing children into lying to everyone they meet is not rude? I can't imagine why anyone would imagine such a ridiculous thing.

For Heaven's sake, violently forcing children to do what the emotionally insane Needy elders cannot make a convincing logical case for is - quite literally - The Christian Thing To Do!

Proverbs 13:24 (KJV)

²⁴ He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

And he that is sane doesn't resort to violence to make a 'convincing' logical case to get children to do what they should want to do.

[Edited to add clarification that "children" is only referencing emotional Toddlers from the age of 2 to 99. Toddlers can be MPs, for example. In fact, I'm not sure it's possible to be an MP if you're not the emotional equivalent of a Toddler who wants their cake and to eat it...and they want your cake too.]

Edited November 20, 2012 by TheyCallmeScooter

[OzMick]

i suppose reporters must try to follow the military convention and respect the uniform/position and not the person in it. this is more difficult when those in positions of authority insist on filling uniforms/positions with low-life scum criminals lacking the intelligence to rebuff an inconvenient question with a "no-comment".

Along with many others , Chalerm is just a Thaksin lackey, and the only reason he is not facing a court is his membership of the criminal clique currently running this country. The party list system currently used allows 25% of the members of a government to be selected by the convicted criminal who bought himself a political party. The sooner it is abandoned and every MP forced to face an electorate's scrutiny and answer the inconvenient questions regarding their morals and past actions, the sooner the corruption can be weeded out and democracy given a chance to take root.

[Stradavarius37]

In 2007, then premier Samak Sundaravej asked a journalist if he had a sexual affair the night before in reaction to his question about who was behind selection of his party's MP candidates, saying it was a matter of internal (domestic) affairs.

Classic Samak in an article that replicates the tactics of the OP's Chalerm written 4 and a half years later:

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej routinely harasses reporters and attempts to intimidate the media with his foul mouth, a coalition of Thai journalism groups charged Saturday. The Organizations of Media Occupations said the tactics are aimed at giving the public the impression that the media is the source of all the country's problems.

"This is the new method of intimidation," the group said in a statement coinciding with World Press Freedom Day. "Samak has been using the state media, the state television to scolded the media with rude and dirty words with his intention to intimidate the media from reporting the news in a straightforward way."

It also accused the government of using criminal defamation laws to stifle the media, and the prime minister of using state-owned media outlets to counter stories that run in the privately owned media. "This behavior reflects his intolerance toward different views, which entirely contradicts (the) culture of democracy," the group said of Samak.

http://usatoday30.us...831686017_x.htm

Let the dead rest...

[ridkun]

The reporter should ask the question the people want to know the answer, or want to hear the answer from the authority. Somchit just insist to do her job as a reporter, and Chalerm can answer it in any way or even make no comment. Avoiding the question by saying that reporter is biased to opposition party is just a dumb thing to do... did Chalerm mean that the opposition who has been elected by 11M people has no right to hear the answer or even ask any question at all? I thought politicians who avoid all questions and blame everything to partisanship should be extinct like 20 years ago already.

[EvilDrSomkid]

Oh dear, I wonder why Chalerm cancelled his appearance at the FCC:

http://fccthai.com/items/967.html

It is pathetic how these politicians and other fat-cats turn into petulant children when they get asked difficult questions.

The role of the media is exactly to grill the politicians and civil service.

That is freedom of the press and absolutely essential in a true democracy. They almost achieved this in 2001 and then it went down the drain.

The authoritarian poo yais of this country do not like investigative journalists. Their scams and graft would be exposed.

Can you imagine that?

[Buchholz]

In 2007, then premier Samak Sundaravej asked a journalist if he had a sexual affair the night before in reaction to his question about who was behind selection of his party's MP candidates, saying it was a matter of internal (domestic) affairs.

Classic Samak in an article that replicates the tactics of the OP's Chalerm written 4 and a half years later:

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej routinely harasses reporters and attempts to intimidate the media with his foul mouth, a coalition of Thai journalism groups charged Saturday. The Organizations of Media Occupations said the tactics are aimed at giving the public the impression that the media is the source of all the country's problems.

"This is the new method of intimidation," the group said in a statement coinciding with World Press Freedom Day. "Samak has been using the state media, the state television to scolded the media with rude and dirty words with his intention to intimidate the media from reporting the news in a straightforward way."

It also accused the government of using criminal defamation laws to stifle the media, and the prime minister of using state-owned media outlets to counter stories that run in the privately owned media. "This behavior reflects his intolerance toward different views, which entirely contradicts (the) culture of democracy," the group said of Samak.

http://usatoday30.us...831686017_x.htm

Let the dead rest...

He's resting comfortably, but the similarities between his actions and language and attitude with Chalerm years later are astonishing.

.

[15Peter20]

I urge all journalists to ignore Chalerm, cover nothing he says, report nothing about his activities. The world will be a better place.

Perhaps you and others who agree with you could get the ball rolling by ceasing to be interested in the guy. Subjects of no interest rarely get any attention from the press.

Or there's always media censorship, if that's what you're driving at - it's sure made Myanmar a 'better place' for those who decide these things.

[Buchholz]

Oh dear, I wonder why Chalerm cancelled his appearance at the FCC:

http://fccthai.com/items/967.html

It is pathetic how these politicians and other fat-cats turn into petulant children when they get asked difficult questions.

The role of the media is exactly to grill the politicians and civil service.

That is freedom of the press and absolutely essential in a true democracy. They almost achieved this in 2001 and then it went down the drain.

The authoritarian poo yais of this country do not like investigative journalists. Their scams and graft would be exposed.

Can you imagine that?

From the FCCT:

Unfortunately Mr. Chalerm has had to cancel because of other urgent engagements.

Not surprising given the brouhaha going on right now over his dealings with the Thai media correspondents that the last thing he'd want to undertake is dealing with the foreign media correspondents..... tonight.

.

[OzMick]

I urge all journalists to ignore Chalerm, cover nothing he says, report nothing about his activities. The world will be a better place.

Perhaps you and others who agree with you could get the ball rolling by ceasing to be interested in the guy. Subjects of no interest rarely get any attention from the press.

Or there's always media censorship, if that's what you're driving at - it's sure made Myanmar a 'better place' for those who decide these things.

He happens to be a DPM of Thailand, how does he become a subject of no interest? He is also the festering boil on the face of PTP, ignoring his rantings and antics would suit their supporters very well, but it's not going to happen while he remains in office.

Here's a question he might like to answer "What's the price of a witness to a murder?"

Edited November 20, 2012 by OzMick

[carra]

Bushholz do you have anything to say about the actual OP rather than digging up things from years ago that have no relevance to this actual matter between charm and somchit?

[Fozfromoz]

Oh dear, I wonder why Chalerm cancelled his appearance at the FCC:

http://fccthai.com/items/967.html

It is pathetic how these politicians and other fat-cats turn into petulant children when they get asked difficult questions.

The role of the media is exactly to grill the politicians and civil service.

That is freedom of the press and absolutely essential in a true democracy. They almost achieved this in 2001 and then it went down the drain.

The authoritarian poo yais of this country do not like investigative journalists. Their scams and graft would be exposed.

Can you imagine that?

From the FCCT:

Unfortunately Mr. Chalerm has had to cancel because of other urgent engagements.

Not surprising given the brouhaha going on right now over his dealings with the Thai media correspondents that the last thing he'd want to undertake is dealing with the foreign media correspondents..... tonight.

.

I am sure he is a very busy man. After all, he is the Minister for everything. Must be those 90 day drop dead dates looming all at once.

[animatic]

Amazing. Politician gets angry about being asked difficult questions.

Yes, it's horrendous to ask them to actually think on their feet,

and not rant or simply make un-substantiated accusations

and then walk away unquestioned.

[smutcakes]

I think if journalist reported the news and not their opinion they would get more respect but now a days news reporters and journalist seem like they have another agenda other than the news. I didn't always feel this way but now I'm of the opinion that freedom of the press is over rated and should be regulated. Democracy is not democracy if the opinionated rich control the news media and force them take push opinions on the general population.

I have got no issue with the media pushing opinions, it is however a stranger problem with the army owns huge tracts of the media. I do however have an issue with parliamentarians who are PUBLIC SERVANTS thinking it's ok to abuse the press. One can always answer "No comment", but in reality, getting the media to ask difficult questions is an absolutely vital part of democracy. As someone mentioned earlier, Chalerm is more than happy to use the media to get his message across when he wants, so who is he to get irate when asked something. Better not to report anything the guy has to say, if he is going to pick and choose his statements so carefully.

They need to get rid of this dam_n defamation law, and let the media loose on the politicians in this country. They need to to learn about the power of investigative journalism to throw light on the dirty rubbish that goes on in the country, and understand that it is absolutely in the national interest to grill politicians relentlessly with difficult questions.

I agree with you, but the 'media' journalists will never do any proper journalism as the vast majority of those who work for the Nation and the other paper have all been educated abroad, and for the large part have probably benefited from the way Thai society is. Blood is thicker than water.

[tragickingdom]

What is the fuss? Sanan raped a journalist in a hotel and got away with it, Chalerm insults journalists and will get away with it too. Thai journalists are in a matter of fact no more than messengers. They write down what a hot shot says, no questions asked. Most of them are completely useless anyhow.

[Buchholz]

Bushholz do you have anything to say about the actual OP rather than digging up things from years ago that have no relevance to this actual matter between charm and somchit?

Sure. Check out Post # 7 which quotes the Somchit in the OP or Post # 18 that relates the OP to tonight's cancelled appearance by Chalerm.

Do you have any?

.

[belidofan]

In 2007, then premier Samak Sundaravej asked a journalist if he had a sexual affair the night before in reaction to his question about who was behind selection of his party's MP candidates, saying it was a matter of internal (domestic) affairs.

Classic Samak in an article that replicates the tactics of the OP's Chalerm written 4 and a half years later:

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej routinely harasses reporters and attempts to intimidate the media with his foul mouth, a coalition of Thai journalism groups charged Saturday. The Organizations of Media Occupations said the tactics are aimed at giving the public the impression that the media is the source of all the country's problems.

"This is the new method of intimidation," the group said in a statement coinciding with World Press Freedom Day. "Samak has been using the state media, the state television to scolded the media with rude and dirty words with his intention to intimidate the media from reporting the news in a straightforward way."

It also accused the government of using criminal defamation laws to stifle the media, and the prime minister of using state-owned media outlets to counter stories that run in the privately owned media. "This behavior reflects his intolerance toward different views, which entirely contradicts (the) culture of democracy," the group said of Samak.

http://usatoday30.us...831686017_x.htm

Let the dead rest...

...you mean guys like Hitler, Pol Pot, Mao, Idi Amin........i don't agree, absolutly not ever should they find rest and pass into oblivion....

[Thai at Heart]

I agree with you, but the 'media' journalists will never do any proper journalism as the vast majority of those who work for the Nation and the other paper have all been educated abroad, and for the large part have probably benefited from the way Thai society is. Blood is thicker than water.

What has educated abroad got anything to do with the price of the cats dinner? If anything, it should possibly have broadened their horizons and given them a better understanding of what a political journalist should really be doing. If the ability to write English is the be all and end all of a requirement for a journalist at the Nation, I would prefer they use google translate, and actually get off their backside and do some journalistic work.

As opposed to asking banal meaningless questions and giving these supposed public servants an easy time. Show some respect? They are working for the THAI people, supposedly each and every one of them, and ANYONE has the right to ask the ANYTHING, ANYTIME. That's democracy.

[Bagwan]

If Samak was so ignorant and unchivalrous to the young lady by asking whether she had had evil sex the previous night, maybe she could have asked him why he needed to know, perhaps adding that if ever such a notion was on her agenda, maybe he'd like to come and watch.

I have no idea how evil sex is defined but I guess that many a Thai phu yai with their mia nois and giks could tell me.

[MaxLee]

Those proud politicians who lack the vision of the modern citizen's right for information, are as stubborn as usual, and do everything possible to prevent society from "knowing too much", only in order to do one thing:

SAVING FACE for the sake of his political clan...

And Thailand aspires to be a democracy????

[Buchholz]

I agree with you, but the 'media' journalists will never do any proper journalism as the vast majority of those who work for the Nation and the other paper have all been educated abroad, and for the large part have probably benefited from the way Thai society is. Blood is thicker than water.

What has educated abroad got anything to do with the price of the cats dinner? If anything, it should possibly have broadened their horizons and given them a better understanding of what a political journalist should really be doing. If the ability to write English is the be all and end all of a requirement for a journalist at the Nation, I would prefer they use google translate, and actually get off their backside and do some journalistic work.

As opposed to asking banal meaningless questions and giving these supposed public servants an easy time. Show some respect? They are working for the THAI people, supposedly each and every one of them, and ANYONE has the right to ask the ANYTHING, ANYTIME. That's democracy.

While I agree with your sentiments, I'd hold off on using google translate as a google translate of a Thai news article (one of the most decipherable ones at that) on this topic.

After being drawn to the funk - Thaksin lackey.

Journalists MThai. News reported. After a few moments ago, Facebook's Somchit Miss New Zealand with newborn knot reporter for Channel 7 debate on the questioning of the Act on the Protection of the assembly of the Organization of Siam.

That led to the phrase "If you accuse me of that Democratic sympathies, not contempt. What if I call you that. "Thaksin lackey" is libelous or not.

Such issues lead to a police captain's celebrate with inappropriate behavior. Especially in the social media world. Before the. Preliminaries celebration. Announced that it would not be interviewed if there is Somchit. Due to lazy to fight. And he admitted that he was indentured for a long time.

MThai News (link to original article in Thai)

http://news.mthai.com/politics-news/203351.html

.