Stop The Intimidation, Media Body Tells Army

[Lite Beer]

Stop the intimidation, media body tells Army

Panya Thiosangwan,

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation on Sunday

Dozens of soldiers gather in front of the ASTV Manager headquarters Saturday morning.

ASTV Manager also told to behave after second protest by soldiers at paper over attack on 'lousy' Army Chief

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Journalists Association called on the military yesterday to stop intimidating the media, while urging media practitioners to abide by their code of conduct after dozens of uniformed officers protested twice at ASTV Manager's offices.

The TJA issued a statement saying all kinds of media intimidation should be stopped, as unless the media have freedom, people's right to access free flow of information and facts would be in jeopardy.

If the media committed wrongdoing, the military should take legal action or file complaints with the National Press Council, the TJA said.

Army Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said he had asked dissatisfied subordinates to stop protesting in front of the office of ASTV Manager daily newspaper.

Yesterday, some 50 army officers were there for the second time to protest at the paper after the Army chief was sharply criticised.

Earlier, the army officers demanded that the paper, which described the Army chief as a "lousy" leader over its handling of the Preah Vihear Temple dispute with Cambodia, issue an apology.

Army spokesperson Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prayuth was aware of the actions by some officers calling on the paper to stop criticising him and asked him to thank his men "for loving him as a gentleman".

Sansern said Prayuth stressed that the men did nothing to violate others' rights but he wanted all such action to cease.

"The army chief urged officers not to visit [ASTV Manager Daily] any longer," he said, adding that Prayuth added that people cannot expect to solve problems if they only stick to their feelings.

The spokesman added, however, that Prayuth said he hoped such things would not occur again "so the public will not wrongly understand the Army."

Sansern added that Prayuth said that anyone who criticised or cursed the Army would be judged by society, as the Army is not a hoodlum outfit.

The Army also asked ASTV Manager Daily not to send any reporter to cover Children's Day activities at its premises yesterday - only to turnaround and drop that idea.

First Army Division commander Lt Gen Paiboon Koomchaya, said men from his division has asked for permission before protesting in front of the paper and he gave them permission but told them not to break the law and to respect others' fundamental rights by not threatening them.

"It's normal that they love their commander," Paiboon said.

In a related development, deputy Army spokesperson Col Winthai Suwaree said the Army had a plan to defend Preah Vihear but it could not be revealed to the public. However, he insisted the Army would stick to a legal framework in solving the dispute. But he said the Armed Forces was willing to listen to suggestions from all sides.

"The Army doesn't want the media, people or any group to see the Army as being on the other side simply because we may not express ourselves in support of the media or some group of people."

Some 50 Army officers, who refused to reveal what unit they are from, were at the Manager office at 10.30am yesterday and police had to intervene as they exchanged words with ASTV staff on who told soldiers to spend more time cracking down on anti-monarchist websites.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the Army chief should tell his subordinates to be patient while media outlets should strictly follow their professional code of conduct while exercising their right, as all parties should try not to be part of conflicts.

-- The Nation 2013-01-13

[Locationthailand]

So why are the brass not issuing an order to disburse? Or is this an apparent silent political endorsement?

[Thai at Heart]

Stop the protest, and astv presenters should grow up and stop the stupid rhetoric.

[pedro01]

Stop the protest, and astv presenters should grow up and stop the stupid rhetoric.

Agreed - it's not as if these soldiers are protesting anything approaching journalism is it?

Saying someone is "like a woman on her period" is nothing more than childish anti-army propaganda.

[blaze]

Why are the top brass not ordering the protesting soldiers to disperse?

They have.

It makes the army look unprofessional, they claim.

Those who value the reputation of the army should be lining up to agree with the top brass and support them against the lower levels that endorsed the protest. You got to feel a bit sorry for Prayuth- just as he is saying all the right things to make the army appear to have crawled into the modern era, a bunch of renegades take it on themselves to make the army look as ridiculous as the newspaper they are protesting.

[hellodolly]

To continue with actions such as these would but them at the same level as the red shirts.

for all the army's faults it is defiantly not a low life organization.

[MrSlatersParrot]

The sinister part is their disguising which units they are from.

As pointed out above it's unprofessional for members of a professional army to protest/ intimidate (they are members of the army after all) in this way. Conduct you're more likely to see in unstable states in Africa

At the same time they disguise their identity as they did throughout April and may 2010 (well fr. Dolly brought it up).

Still we knew which units they came from. The queens guards mainly of which prayuth was the former commander.

They withdrew other units after the debacle at the redshirt transmitter on April 9th as I recollect.

It's touching to see the as tv "reporters"

Admonishing the soldiers for not concentrating their efforts on tackling LM cases.

Meanwhile there remains the small matter of the insurgency in the south but that's not on the as tv nor prayuth's radar really

[OzMick]

".....who told soldiers to spend more time cracking down on anti-monarchist websites."

Would this not be a BIB responsibility? Does ASTV hire morons, or was somebody being deliberately provocative, unsuccessfully.

[OzMick]

The sinister part is their disguising which units they are from.

As pointed out above it's unprofessional for members of a professional army to protest/ intimidate (they are members of the army after all) in this way. Conduct you're more likely to see in unstable states in Africa

At the same time they disguise their identity as they did throughout April and may 2010 (well fr. Dolly brought it up).

Still we knew which units they came from. The queens guards mainly of which prayuth was the former commander.

They withdrew other units after the debacle at the redshirt transmitter on April 9th as I recollect.

It's touching to see the as tv "reporters"

Admonishing the soldiers for not concentrating their efforts on tackling LM cases.

Meanwhile there remains the small matter of the insurgency in the south but that's not on the as tv nor prayuth's radar really

Since when is refusing to talk to a reporter " disguising which units they are from."? is their any indication that they removed unit flashes?

I would guess that they are from "First Army Division" as permission was granted by "commander Lt Gen Paiboon Koomchaya"

Did you mean "touching" or "touched"? Why do you base your comments on US military regulations which are not applicable to RTA soldiers?

[bigbamboo]

I hope the Thai army never has to defend the country against proper troops. Those girls would take a dreadful hammering.

It doesn't matter how much those soldiers love their boss, any more than poloticians love their boss, the media should not be pressurised in this way.

[LarryBird]

for all the army's faults it is defiantly not a low life organization.

What do you know about the Thai Army?

[Jim walker]

They look like a right miserable bunch of numties.

[MrSlatersParrot]

Probably happier now that Man U won!

Mind they could have been shxtting themselves

Waiting it out.

Still Man U aren't relics like these guys.

No sense of proportion. Showing the Thai pop that square bashing ain't as popular as you might think.

[cup-O-coffee]

Didn't some top dog military muckety muck issue a command not long ago that Thai army personnel were forbidden from being involved in any political protests; and especially forbidden from wearing uniform to said protests? Go figure! Ya gotta love these chimps. One day they fling poo this way, and the next day they are flinging poo the other way. Respect is earned, not elicited by means of intimidation or brute force. It seems to me that the army chief could very well be lousy, if he can't control his rank and file, and condones their intimidating behavior against citizenry and the constitution.

[john stevens]

for all the army's faults it is defiantly not a low life organization.

What do you know about the Thai Army?

thai army ..... lol .... more like dad's army ...... they couldn't fight there way out of a paper bag ...... more like girl guides ......

[geriatrickid]

To continue with actions such as these would but them at the same level as the red shirts.

for all the army's faults it is defiantly not a low life organization.

Really? I thought you were opposed to the systemic corruption prvalent in Thailand. How do you think drugs cross the Burma Thai border which is supposedly under the command af the army? The army which is responsible for the south's security is doing a bang up job, right?

[geriatrickid]

They look like a right miserable bunch of numties.

Their batmen must have had the day off.

[geriatrickid]

for all the army's faults it is defiantly not a low life organization.

What do you know about the Thai Army?

He doesn't, but they did effect an illegal coup d'etat that brought his team into power, so I expect it's a knee jerk reaction.

[backtonormal]

for all the army's faults it is defiantly not a low life organization.

What do you know about the Thai Army?

He doesn't, but they did effect an illegal coup d'etat that brought his team into power, so I expect it's a knee jerk reaction.

Thaksin allowing the army chief to send down a few boys to intimidate the people they once defended. Got to love it. Sorry but its game over for the amaat facist political wing the PAD. If I was an amaat member playing poker right now I would start to realise that what ever hand I got dealt in the next few years the games up. Gotta love that Thaksin chappie hes got them all in his pocket LMFAO

[backtonormal]

I hope the Thai army never has to defend the country against proper troops. Those girls would take a dreadful hammering.

It doesn't matter how much those soldiers love their boss, any more than poloticians love their boss, the media should not be pressurised in this way.

The media should have a regulatory body to control the utter tripe they print. Its time to bring media to the fore that supports all political sides. Not just the amaat owned crap thats available now

[chiangmaikelly]

I hope the Thai army never has to defend the country against proper troops. Those girls would take a dreadful hammering.

It doesn't matter how much those soldiers love their boss, any more than poloticians love their boss, the media should not be pressurised in this way.

The media should have a regulatory body to control the utter tripe they print. Its time to bring media to the fore that supports all political sides. Not just the amaat owned crap thats available now

And who would appoint that regulatory body? Not Thai people certainly!

[backtonormal]

I hope the Thai army never has to defend the country against proper troops. Those girls would take a dreadful hammering.

It doesn't matter how much those soldiers love their boss, any more than poloticians love their boss, the media should not be pressurised in this way.

The media should have a regulatory body to control the utter tripe they print. Its time to bring media to the fore that supports all political sides. Not just the amaat owned crap thats available now

And who would appoint that regulatory body? Not Thai people certainly!

What is relevant is that all current newspapers are totally bias towards the amaat and their financial needs. Look at the Nonsense posting about its fifteenth thread about the poor plight of the multi billionaire rice exporters in the last couple of months. Who decides the content because I doubt its the editors

[chiangmaikelly]

I hope the Thai army never has to defend the country against proper troops. Those girls would take a dreadful hammering.

It doesn't matter how much those soldiers love their boss, any more than poloticians love their boss, the media should not be pressurised in this way.

The media should have a regulatory body to control the utter tripe they print. Its time to bring media to the fore that supports all political sides. Not just the amaat owned crap thats available now

And who would appoint that regulatory body? Not Thai people certainly!

What is relevant is that all current newspapers are totally bias towards the amaat and their financial needs. Look at the Nonsense posting about its fifteenth thread about the poor plight of the multi billionaire rice exporters in the last couple of months. Who decides the content because I doubt its the editors

I am with ya pardner but who we gonna get to fix the newspapers? Should we farm it out to another country or bring in Farang editors and make them in charge of the Thai newspapers?