Thai politics still main topic among international press

[webfact]

Thai politics still main topic among international press

BANGKOK, 23 January 2014 (NNT) – Many foreign press agencies have been closely monitoring the ongoing political unrest in Thailand - paying a lot of attention to the government's decision to impose the Emergency Decree.

The invocation of Emergency Decree in Bangkok and nearby provinces has been the main issue circulating among foreign media as they fear the move would cause the conflict to escalate after months of ongoing protests.

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported the Thai government had imposed the state of emergency for 60 days, beginning on January 22, in order to control the unrest. The announcement was made a week after the protesters had been going all out to paralyze the capital.

Meanwhile, Cable News Network (CNN) said the Emergency Decree would empower state officials to arrest perpetrators without a court order and prohibit any unauthorized person from entering certain restricted areas.

Reuters also reported a similar story, saying the Emergency Decree would allow government authorities to apprehend culprits without actual charges or allegations.

In the meantime, the U.S. Department of State condemned the explosions that took place last week and called on the government to bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible. It also urged all sides to exercise restraints and find solution through a peaceful and democratic way.


-- NNT 2014-01-23

[Briggsy]

What a crock.

Syria and Ukraine are front and centre in the international news. The Thai political situation gets barely a mention. Follow any of the Western international news agencies and you'll find this is the case.

One of the reasons is there is no pro-West and no anti-West side in the Thai conflict. Syria and Ukraine conflicts clearly do have a pro-West angle. So they get way much more coverage.

Also, I think the international news agencies are getting the point that this is a truly internal conflict with no ideological or international aspect. So editors have knocked it off the front page of their websites. [until the coup happens, that is]

[edwardandtubs]

Maybe there was once a pro-western side in Syria but at the moment it's more government against Islamists. A bunch of road blocks in Bangkok just isn't that significant a story.

[NongKhaiKid]

What a crock.

Syria and Ukraine are front and centre in the international news. The Thai political situation gets barely a mention. Follow any of the Western international news agencies and you'll find this is the case.

One of the reasons is there is no pro-West and no anti-West side in the Thai conflict. Syria and Ukraine conflicts clearly do have a pro-West angle. So they get way much more coverage.

Also, I think the international news agencies are getting the point that this is a truly internal conflict with no ideological or international aspect. So editors have knocked it off the front page of their websites. [until the coup happens, that is]

Have just watched 30 minutes of BBC World TV News and Thailand didn't rate a mention.

Isn't ironic that a country that gives little thought or regard to the outside world likes to think that everyone else is fixating on what's happening here.

[Scamper]

Yet again, the international media will be tested as to how well they grasp what is happening here, and whether it will still fit into their previous narratives. I read a CNN article yesterday that was absolutely stunning in its naivety. It stated that the emergency decree would be easily accepted by the public as an almost non-event. The political situation in Thailand - in all its complexity - cannot be reduced to a 30 second soundbite, or apparently, even in a three paragraph article. But there is nonetheless a strained effort to make it fit. At all costs. The result is that much is lost, the complexities are papered over, and the West ends up as mystified as it ever was.

[edwardandtubs]

Yet again, the international media will be tested as to how well they grasp what is happening here, and whether it will still fit into their previous narratives. I read a CNN article yesterday that was absolutely stunning in its naivety. It stated that the emergency decree would be easily accepted by the public as an almost non-event. The political situation in Thailand - in all its complexity - cannot be reduced to a 30 second soundbite, or apparently, even in a three paragraph article. But there is nonetheless a strained effort to make it fit. At all costs. The result is that much is lost, the complexities are papered over, and the West ends up as mystified as it ever was.

The emergency decree has been easily accepted by the public as an almost non-event so CNN seem to have grasped that one quite well.

[simple1]

Maybe there was once a pro-western side in Syria but at the moment it's more government against Islamists. A bunch of road blocks in Bangkok just isn't that significant a story.

I guess Western news consumers are a lot more interested in the just released report of an estimated 11,000 people "systimatically tortured and killed" in Syrian government detention centres in the Damacus area alone in the past few years. Plus the extensive coverage of the current Geneva11 Talks that appear to be intractable. We all know that the Assad regeime has been notortious for the torture and murder of it's opponents in large numbers for years, including children, way before the uplift in Al Qaeda and affiliates infiltration into Syria.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/report-syria-tortured-executed-11000-20141211307452644.html

In comparison the current protests in Thailand and the emergency decree are insignficant on the world stage.

[JHenry]

60 sec a day tops on CNN and BBC

[soi41]

International media couldn't care less about, what is happening in Taiwan!!

[soi41]

Maybe there was once a pro-western side in Syria but at the moment it's more government against Islamists. A bunch of road blocks in Bangkok just isn't that significant a story.

.

In comparison the current protests in Thailand and the emergency decree are insignficant on the world stage.

Please, please Sir, don't tell the Thais!! It will break their heart!!

[3NUMBAS]

the BBC has had only minor coverage of thai troubles same with al jazeera and RT theyre mostly covering the Ukraine and middle east fighting .

only brief coverage of thai stuff.

nothing on teletext at all

Edited January 23, 2014 by 3NUMBAS

[bigbamboo]

The political press are more focused on events in the Ukraine and understandably so.... although apparently Thailand is very popular with the cartoonists.

[Ajaan]

Have just watched 30 minutes of BBC World TV News and Thailand didn't rate a mention.

Isn't ironic that a country that gives little thought or regard to the outside world likes to think that everyone else is fixating on what's happening here.

I agree...and I'm currently in the US. There is 0 reporting on Thailand in the news here. I have to get all my news via Twitter, etc.

[NHT]

Yet again, the international media will be tested as to how well they grasp what is happening here, and whether it will still fit into their previous narratives. I read a CNN article yesterday that was absolutely stunning in its naivety. It stated that the emergency decree would be easily accepted by the public as an almost non-event. The political situation in Thailand - in all its complexity - cannot be reduced to a 30 second soundbite, or apparently, even in a three paragraph article. But there is nonetheless a strained effort to make it fit. At all costs. The result is that much is lost, the complexities are papered over, and the West ends up as mystified as it ever was.

Test?

Are you hallucinating?

Besides, what is so interesting to be grasped on this country?

Oh, don't let me list all the stuff what Thai can't grasp. Do they even even grasp themselves?

Further besides, if Thailand would be of anyone's interest, that could be if it was a really nice country with lovely people, caring people, honest people, you know, all this bul***** stuff that make a better community, maybe then some overseas reporters may spend a little more efforts in filling some empty spaces.

It's not what you think you are - it's how other people see you. Of course, this does not apply here neither, we know.

Edited January 23, 2014 by NHT

[JoeThePoster]

I think they mean't the international press in Laos and Cambodia.

[ggold]

First we are lead to believe that the protests are damaging to the reputation of Thailand Internationally, Now it seems as if they are wollowing in the glory of international press headlines.

Maybe they wish it were another Syria or Ukraine? or maybe they think too mut of themselves and their place in the world?

[NHT]

First we are lead to believe that the protests are damaging to the reputation of Thailand Internationally, Now it seems as if they are wollowing in the glory of international press headlines.

Maybe they wish it were another Syria or Ukraine? or maybe they think too mut of themselves and their place in the world?

You're almost right. Just scrap the word "maybe"

[americaninbangkok]

I think they mean't the international press in Laos and Cambodia.

Or maybe in Chiang Mai?

[soalbundy]

Really ? I read 3 English newspapers, an American and a German news Paper online every day. The BBC has mentioned it briefly, Der Spiegel mentioned it a few days ago but not in depth. I think the Thai's are over estimating their own importance on the world stage. Maybe a few hedge funds and a few holiday makers are concerned though.

[Johpa]

Here in the US there is scant coverage of Thai politics. Now if you could get Suthep to rant in English then just maybe you could begin to compete with the very important news cycle centering around Richard Sherman.

[northernjohn]

60 sec a day tops on CNN and BBC

don't know about CNN as we don't get them. But we do get BBC and when they report you wonder what country they arte talking about. Maybe they are still mad that they didn't get a chance to rape Thailand as they did many other countries.

I think the British reporter uses the same speech writers Yingluck does.

[bangon04]

What a crock.

Syria and Ukraine are front and centre in the international news. The Thai political situation gets barely a mention. Follow any of the Western international news agencies and you'll find this is the case.

One of the reasons is there is no pro-West and no anti-West side in the Thai conflict. Syria and Ukraine conflicts clearly do have a pro-West angle. So they get way much more coverage.

Also, I think the international news agencies are getting the point that this is a truly internal conflict with no ideological or international aspect. So editors have knocked it off the front page of their websites. [until the coup happens, that is]

Channel News Asia (based in Singapore) does carry a few short segments but still spends more time on the Syrian and Ukrainian stories. Arirang and NHK and CCTV are doing something similar. It seems to be no big deal. CCTV doesn't like to focus on civil unrest against the government...wonder why?

[englishoak]

If they think this is closely then they have no idea, just see what happens if things escalate. At the moment its not really worth reporting about although it is the anti democracy stance that keeps it of part interest as other places are fighting for it whilst Thailand is trying to stop it.

As time moves on Thailand if things slip further will become more and more in the spotlight, this will in that event be a good thing and it is high time it got the critical and unbiased attention it deserves.

This is the 21st century of tech and communication Thailand cannot hide behind a wall of excuses and claims that no one else understands its thainess, the truth is there is no mystery about thainess it is simply an unwillingness to accept responsibility and transparency, something that increasingly the rest of the world is deciding to be unacceptable as an excuse.

The more international interest Thailand gets the better for the people, the only ones who have something to worry about are those that hide behind a veil of corruption lies and deceit.

[MickGC]

60 sec a day tops on CNN and BBC

don't know about CNN as we don't get them. But we do get BBC and when they report you wonder what country they arte talking about. Maybe they are still mad that they didn't get a chance to rape Thailand as they did many other countries.

I think the British reporter uses the same speech writers Yingluck does.

Don't know why so many on TV gets so stressed out over Thai politics. Been following it closely for 25 years and I'm still clueless. Same as all you lot. Admit it. The locals don't give a flying <deleted> what foriegners think and you have absolutly no influence on either partys thought process. So we are only arguing amongst ourselves. Same as football. You are never going to convince the opposition you are on the winning side. Arguments here are becoming ad nauseam.

[soalbundy]

I have to disagree with you Mickgc on one point, the Thais do care very much what the western world thinks of them,as long as its positive.They have an inbred inferiority complex as far as westerners are concerned. Any critic will be met with a howl of indignation about how we don't understand their "Thainess" whatever that is (Thais don't know themselves ). Thainess has no meaning,its a bulwark against their inferiority complex.

I do agree that whatever happens here has nothing to do with us. We are here on retirement or on holiday,who are we to interfere,they don't even listen to foreign expertise when they have asked for it,Thais know best,which is why the state is so f***ed up

[siampolee]

This is the advice that the Thai government and the Thai's in general should folow concerning their personal and governmental personas.

[Dogmatix]

Readers of the Australian pro-red pseudo academic website, New Mandala, have been lamenting the disappearance of

German photojournalist Nick Nostitz's acclaimedly unbiased reports on the protests since his bruising disagreement with PDRC guards. I wonder where he has gone? Could it be that he has been snapped up by Der Spiegel for an assignment covering the civil war in Syria, protests in Ukraine or some other trouble spot where his skills and studiously non-partisan approach might come in handy?

Or is he preparing a mega millions defamation case against Blue Sky Channel TV and a pseudonymous letter writer to the Bangkok Post, as urged by his New Mandala fans.

Edited January 24, 2014 by Dogmatix

[Publicus]

Thailand has and is in a lot of conflict which is what makes it of interest to Western and regional media because conflict does grab the attention of viewers almost anywhere.

Western television network media eventually sooner or later begin to present one minute bites concerning the what, why and impact of the conflict, which is a lot of time for them to give to a localized something occurring on the other side of the world - reportage concerning the seizure of Swampy is an excellent instance of the nature of the media reaction being discussed in this thread.

Newspapers eventually begin to run opinion, analysis, editorials, about the conflict and the why of it - some of this is already occurring with more developed reportage to come.

Magazines such as the Economist, which consistently report the conflicts of Thailand begin to run longer and more in-depth articles and publish more letters to the editor about it.

Publications of specialized organizations such as the private Council of Foreign Relations in New York begin to run more in-depth features by experts who examine and analyze the conflicts in respect to the United States and the region. (The Council on the Foreign Relations of the United States would be the more accurate moniker.)

The significant limitation on the reportage of Western media in analyzing or expounding on the conflict is the lese majeste law. Any Western or regional reporter or news organization of any kind that violates the law, which reporters too know has a low threshold so is easy to do, gets thrown in jail or thrown out of the country so the whole of the story - its core - never or seldom gets presented.

It'd be a pretty sure bet that when the great event occurs the Western media will swarm here in unprecedented numbers, spend a long time here in extended reporting and coverage of the extended and profound event and its direct implications, and that a greater and fuller airing of the issues will occur. The Great Event is the pivotal development that is at the core of the conflict but that no one can discuss publically until it occurs.

When it occurs Western media will render due respect to Thailand and to the Thai people, but the Thai elites will get completely exposed, stripped naked and their nihilistic ways will be raked over the coals without restraint or limit. I frankly can't wait.