Thailand charges reporters over Pulitzer-winning article

[RadKiter]

Thailand's record for respecting media freedom," said Brad Adams, ...

- Mr. Adams is obviously unaware of the actual record regarding media freedom.

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[chainarong]

Instead of launching knee jerking legal action , would it be more appropriate to hold an inquiry / investigation into these allegations with the international press council and then this will dispel any allegations of corruption within the Thai navy.

[SOTIRIOS]

....hooliganisms....

[chooka]

Instead of launching knee jerking legal action , would it be more appropriate to hold an inquiry / investigation into these allegations with the international press council and then this will dispel any allegations of corruption within the Thai navy.

They probably know that the Navy would sink if they did that. They probably thought by taking these two fingerlings down they would scare the rest of the worlds media off. It has actually had the opposite effect.

[srsv1238]

If those in control can treat these two journalists with such contempt, think how they must view the vast majority of their fellow citizens.

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[chooka]

Just wondering, Yingluk was globetrotting around the world rubbing shoulders with diplomats and preaching on about Thailands Freedoms and freedom of speech. Now we have Yingluk who I also believe is not just the P.M but also the Defence Minister allowing her military officers to sue a couple of journo's of a local community paper.

Why isn't she ordering them to drop this nonsense as she is the one looking like the idiot and hypocrite. Take control of your military woman.

[Sydebolle]

Welcome to the 21st century then ..........

Hope that story fizzles away as all those cases involving some local big wig kiddies - everything else could have a devastating impact on this country - again!

[srsv1238]

Just wondering, Yingluk was globetrotting around the world rubbing shoulders with diplomats and preaching on about Thailands Freedoms and freedom of speech. Now we have Yingluk who I also believe is not just the P.M but also the Defence Minister allowing her military officers to sue a couple of journo's of a local community paper.

Why isn't she ordering them to drop this nonsense as she is the one looking like the idiot and hypocrite. Take control of your military woman.

I doubt this is in her hands. She is just a "care taker" PM now. And surely if she did say something, I'm certain the CC will try to use this as another excuse to remove her from power.

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[aussieinthailand]

The Australian government should be pulling out all stops to pressure the charges being dropped, Every Thai and Australian should be making their concerns be known, unfortunately if they use a computer to do that they then face the very same charges, this misuse of the law should also be under mass scrutiny.

[chooka]

Welcome to the 21st century then ..........

Hope that story fizzles away as all those cases involving some local big wig kiddies - everything else could have a devastating impact on this country - again!

I can see the next headlines

Tourism Authority Sues Navy For Tarnishing Thailand's Reputation.

[hardy1943]

It is time to quit thinking like 250 years ago and join most of the rest of they world if that can ever be possible.We can hope. Right

[LuckyLew]

Bad move for Thailand, they haven't thought of the consequences of such move.

The foreign media will rip them apart.

You are right they will get torn a new one ... but Thailand and Thais do not give a hoot what people say or think about them in this kind of case.

[Morakot]

Two journalists charged with defaming Thai navy

Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathien charged for using excerpts from Reuters' Pulitzer prize-winning reports on people trafficking

theguardian.com, Thursday 17 April 2014 15.25 BST

The Thai authorities have charged two journalists with defaming the country's navy in a news report about the trafficking of refugees from Burma, amid concerns about press freedom in the country.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/apr/17/two-journalists-charged-defaming-thai-navy

[Lupatria]

One again:

[dominique355]

Just wondering, Yingluk was globetrotting around the world rubbing shoulders with diplomats and preaching on about Thailands Freedoms and freedom of speech. Now we have Yingluk who I also believe is not just the P.M but also the Defence Minister allowing her military officers to sue a couple of journo's of a local community paper.

Why isn't she ordering them to drop this nonsense as she is the one looking like the idiot and hypocrite. Take control of your military woman.

She has already been charged with dereliction of duty. One more such crime make no difference to her.

[siampolee]

They were released on bail of 100,000 baht ($3,100) each, while Morison was banned from leaving the country, he said, adding that they will return to court on May 26.

Yet strange as it seems Ko-Tee can vanish without a trace and his comments border both treason and sedition. Convicted bail jumping felons live abroad in carefree paid for luxury with passport restored, yet that creature will not come back to Thailand yet others are barred from leaving Thailand.

Surely not double standards involved here in this issue?

Edited April 18, 2014 by siampolee

[Rimmer]

One post linking to a personal blog site removed

[rick44]

The article in question was not a Pulitzer-winning article and the only thing closely related is the writer lifted one paragraph from the Reuters article. Reuters response to this has been to say their article was fair and balanced (include responses from Thai Police, Navy and they have not been accused of libel. The Reuters Article (award winning) can be found at http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/17/us-myanmar-exodus-specialreport-idUSBRE96G02520130717

Important facts are missing form this story so far.

I suppose the original article in Phuketwan has been unpublished.

But you're saying that it included one paragraph from Reuters. Then the rest presumably was Phuketwan's own reporting. So, was it the Reuters paragraph or Phuketwan's own reporting that resulted in the law suit?

[simondan]

Bad move for Thailand, they haven't thought of the consequences of such move.

The foreign media will rip them apart.

Which will just further entrench the inbuilt Thai inferiority complex and add another chip to the shoulder

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[Thai at Heart]

I hope that the Thai system gets ridiculed completely and that whoever brought this stupid case gets demoted for ruining the reputation of the army.

Anyone for a Facebook campaign?

[simondan]

Of course, governments never try to muzzle the media in the West!

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[rickirs]

There may be a bigger picture to this libel suit.

Thailand faces an automatic downgrade to Tier 3, the lowest rank in the U.S. government's Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report, unless it makes "significant efforts" to improve its record, according to the US State Department. A Tier 3 designation would put Thailand alongside North Korea and the Central African Republic as the world's worst centers of human trafficking, and would expose Thailand to U.S. sanctions - a major embarrassment to Thailand and to its military, ie., Navy.

In March Thailand submitted a 78-page report on its trafficking record for 2013 to the US State Department. Thai officials provided a copy to Reuters. In the report, Thailand includes no Rohingya in its tally of trafficked persons. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that

"We have not found that the Rohingya are not victims of human trafficking," but "In essence, the Rohingya question is an issue of human smuggling."

Thailand's distinction between smuggling and trafficking is critical to Thailand from being downgraded to Tier 3. The sacrafice of a couple reporters' freedom to protect the Navy and Thailand's reputation from US recrimination might be a small price.

[richard10365]

If this is true then shame on the Navy and they should be punished. If this turns out to be not true then shame on the reporters and they should be held accountable. If the wrong law was cited in defamation then toss out the case and file proper defamation charges. A press pass does not give an individual the right to write or reprint false statements about an individual or an organization. If they think they have a serious case it seems to me they should be reporting it to higher authorities and not writing about it. If they witness a murder, do they write about it first and hope the police read their paper or do they call the Police? How is this a different?

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[Thai at Heart]

If this is true then shame on the Navy and they should be punished. If this turns out to be not true then shame on the reporters and they should be held accountable. If the wrong law was cited in defamation then toss out the case and file proper defamation charges. A press pass does not give an individual the right to write or reprint false statements about an individual or an organization. If they think they have a serious case it seems to me they should be reporting it to higher authorities and not writing about it. If they witness a murder, do they write about it first and hope the police read their paper or do they call the Police? How is this a different?

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They didn't write it, they reproduced it.....

Who would ever register and host an internet based newspaper in Thailand? Just stick it overseas.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[richard10365]

If this is true then shame on the Navy and they should be punished. If this turns out to be not true then shame on the reporters and they should be held accountable. If the wrong law was cited in defamation then toss out the case and file proper defamation charges. A press pass does not give an individual the right to write or reprint false statements about an individual or an organization. If they think they have a serious case it seems to me they should be reporting it to higher authorities and not writing about it. If they witness a murder, do they write about it first and hope the police read their paper or do they call the Police? How is this a different?

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They didn't write it, they reproduced it.....

Who would ever register and host an internet based newspaper in Thailand? Just stick it overseas.

I did include "reprint" in my comments.

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[Thai at Heart]

If this is true then shame on the Navy and they should be punished. If this turns out to be not true then shame on the reporters and they should be held accountable. If the wrong law was cited in defamation then toss out the case and file proper defamation charges. A press pass does not give an individual the right to write or reprint false statements about an individual or an organization. If they think they have a serious case it seems to me they should be reporting it to higher authorities and not writing about it. If they witness a murder, do they write about it first and hope the police read their paper or do they call the Police? How is this a different?

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They didn't write it, they reproduced it.....

Who would ever register and host an internet based newspaper in Thailand? Just stick it overseas.

I did include "reprint" in my comments.

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Did it even make it into print form? Or was only web based?

[richard10365]

I don't see much difference.

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[Thai at Heart]

I don't see much difference.

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Massive difference depending on jurisdiction.

They are charged with computer crimes anyway. If they had registered the website outside Thailand, this would never have happened. But anyway, if I sit in Thailand and read it on someone else's website, why aren't they guilt also.

Why isn't Reuters guilty? I hope the judge sees sense and tosses this case into the sea.

If I put the link up on my Facebook am I guilty? Its all stupid legal nonsense to cover their backside instead of disproving the allegation.

[Thai at Heart]

I don't see much difference.

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Massive difference depending on jurisdiction.

They are charged with computer crimes anyway. If they had registered the website outside Thailand, this would never have happened. But anyway, if I sit in Thailand and read it on someone else's website, why aren't they guilt also.

Why isn't Reuters guilty? I hope the judge sees sense and tosses this case into the sea.

If I put the link up on my Facebook am I guilty? Its all stupid legal nonsense to cover their backside instead of disproving the allegation.

[Thai at Heart]

I don't see much difference.

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Massive difference depending on jurisdiction.

They are charged with computer crimes anyway. If they had registered the website outside Thailand, this would never have happened. But anyway, if I sit in Thailand and read it on someone else's website, why aren't they guilt also.

Why isn't Reuters guilty? I hope the judge sees sense and tosses this case into the sea.

If I put the link up on my Facebook am I guilty? Its all stupid legal nonsense to cover their backside instead of disproving the allegation.