Hard-earned press freedom needs serious safeguarding: Thai opinion

[webfact]

STREETWISE
Hard-earned press freedom needs serious safeguarding
Achara Deboonme

BANGKOK: -- Last year, 70 journalists were killed, many caught in the crossfire of armed hostilities. Fourteen more have suffered the same fate this year. Also last year, 211 journalists were imprisoned for their work.

Some 456 journalist have been forced into exile since 2008. And since 1992, well over 1,000 journalists have been killed - nearly one per week.

The records shared by the United Nations on May 3 - World Press Freedom Day - are astonishing. As a journalist, I feel sad for all those colleagues who have suffered from intimidation.

I was put in that situation in 2006, when more than 1,000 pro-Thaksin protesters laid siege to our office, demanding we give up a reporter from our sister publication. The siege started in the morning and I was told not to drive my car to the office. I arrived at the scene at noon, to see protesters surrounding entrances they had roped off. I pretended to be one of them and sneaked in, joining a skeleton staff in the newsroom. Others had been told to work from home for their safety. As the speakers blared outside, we braced for an invasion. Instead, tensions ebbed and the protesters dispersed around 8pm, leaving the path clear for me to leave the office.

So I understand how staff at five TV stations must have felt on Friday when anti-Thaksin protesters seized their buildings. The reason given for the invasion was familiar: the stations' reporting was biased. Well, I admit that journalists can be biased, but there must be a better method of regulation than threats and force.

Modern news reporting dates back to the early 17th century, when the first newspaper was created. Journalism can hardly be described as a well-paid job. But it has thrived because a dedicated few see the value of this form of mass communication. The pride and job satisfaction lies in gathering news from firsthand sources and relaying it to your audience. We cherish the opportunity to report on significant issues like climate change or ageing societies that are, or soon will be, affecting us all.

Yet however dedicated their staff, newspapers go out of business - and one of the reasons is biased reporting.

Thanks to the advent of the Internet and its countless media sources, the public is more sensitive to media bias nowadays. Stories are shared through Facebook or Twitter and any prejudice is quickly exposed.

Adding to the scrutiny are the professional media associations to which newspapers belong, which, alongside industry regulators, monitor the quality of reporting by their members.

It thus surprised me when German photojournalist Nick Nostitz was attacked last week outside the Constitutional Court. It was the second time in six months Nostitz had been attacked by guards attached to the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

Soon after, the PDRC surrounded the five TV stations, accusing them of a lack of neutrality, and demanding that they cease covering government affairs.

I can't help feeling that if the PDRC doubts the quality of reporting, it should lodge official complaints with media associations and the regulator, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). Instead the movement decided to use force against TV stations for the second time since protests began six months ago.

It was good to see the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and Journalists Association respond by demanding an immediate halt to PDRC harassment (a demand that was nevertheless ignored). What surprised me was the NBTC's silence.

The Constitution clearly states that not even the government and the station owners can meddle in TV reporting, whose integrity should rest with reporters.

Journalists the world over work hard to gather information from all sides. Some do their job badly, but this is not a reason to curtail press freedom with threats or use of force, which will only rebound on other journalists. In the old days, newspapers were the only source of information. To preserve their integrity and to maintain press freedom, journalists make sacrifices. How many other relatively poorly paid jobs require that you work odd hours or weekends and demand that you are on-call for any major incident?

The single-source era of newspapers has given way to the many wellsprings of breaking news that flow through Twitter, Facebook et al. Yet for reliable news you need journalists who are trained to maintain high levels of integrity by staying true to the facts and remaining non-partisan. Without them, you are reliant on unregulated citizen reporters (who you don't know).

In 2009, the five protesters who led the siege of Nation headquarters were sentenced to two years in jail by the Criminal Court. Will PDRC leaders be held responsible this latest round of media intimidation?

"Freedom of expression, independent media and universal access to knowledge will fortify our efforts to achieve lasting results for people and the planet," said UN chief Ban Ki-moon this month.

If we want good journalism to survive in Thailand, we must heed that advice.


-- The Nation 2014-05-13

[NongKhaiKid]

Hard earned press freedoms ?

Say that again and I'll sue you for defamation.

[noitom]

This Thai writer fails to face reality. There is limited press freedom in Thailand. Everything written is delusional and circumvents the reality of the Thai situation. The press enables Thai dark mystery by not reporting and following up truthfully. It is virtually blocked from investigative reporting of any meaningful nature. It's time for the Thai press to say so and stop its charade and daily tripe.

[EricBerg]

Hard earned press freedoms ?

Say that again and I'll sue you for defamation.

Yesssssss hardearned. One of my posts here was deleted when I suggested that a certain redshirt minister (name withheld) who now is or is not a certain director which is difficult to explain (name still withheld) and a redshirt leader buddy of his (name withheld) who now is shouting daily all over the news threatening people to make them experience hell (name still withheld) should be transported to the zoo to the other chimps.

At present heaps and heaps of people inside and outside of the Kingdom agree with that deleted opinion. Shows I had vision and not did my (volunteer)job badly. Butttttttt my post got deleted. My freedom of speech squashed. My freedom of expression in TV erased. An outrage...

If Chalerm and Jatuporn can pollute national tv, newspapers and websites, why can't I be allowed to give my expert opinion in here?

[chainarong]

When Thaskin was PM the press had to toe the Thaskin line and only say nice things otherwise you could find yourself on the outer , verbally abused , physical abuse or they might even withdraw your licence, so the press in Thailand should just concentrate on freedom of speech here in Thailand , because there isn't any.

[chainarong]

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Hard earned press freedoms ?

Say that again and I'll sue you for defamation.

Yesssssss hardearned. One of my posts here was deleted when I suggested that a certain redshirt minister (name withheld) who now is or is not a certain director which is difficult to explain (name still withheld) and a redshirt leader buddy of his (name withheld) who now is shouting daily all over the news threatening people to make them experience hell (name still withheld) should be transported to the zoo to the other chimps.

At present heaps and heaps of people inside and outside of the Kingdom agree with that deleted opinion. Shows I had vision and not did my (volunteer)job badly. Butttttttt my post got deleted. My freedom of speech squashed. My freedom of expression in TV erased. An outrage...

If Chalerm and Jatuporn can pollute national tv, newspapers and websites, why can't I be allowed to give my expert opinion in here?

Yeah , even Chainarong had to agree to certain regulation/ rules ,on one particular subject, wink wink nod nod, where as if I was on facebook/ twitter I could say what I liked.

[fab4]

When Thaskin was PM the press had to toe the Thaskin line and only say nice things otherwise you could find yourself on the outer , verbally abused , physical abuse or they might even withdraw your licence, so the press in Thailand should just concentrate on freedom of speech here in Thailand , because there isn't any.

Ah, that old bete noir, the dark Lord Voldemort na Dubai, Thaksin...............

An extract of the open letter from Human Rights Watch to abhisit on Thailands Candidacy to the UN's Human Rights Council

Ensure protection for freedom of expression

Human Rights Watch remains deeply concerned about the safety of journalists in the country and the Thai government's widespread use of censorship. In recent days in Bangkok, your government has undermined media freedom and violated the right to free expression through its use of the Emergency Decree. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban used emergency powers to shut down more than 400 websites, a satellite television station, online television channels, and community radio stations, most of which are considered closely aligned with groups opposing the government.

These actions follow actions in 2009-2010 that closed down more than 18,000 websites because of allegations they were promoting either anti-monarchy sentiments or posing other vaguely defined threats to national security. The charge of lese majeste (penal code article 112) has been used against Thai citizens and foreigners, journalists and academics, bloggers and web board discussants, and government critics, causing a number of them to flee the country. Suwicha Thakor was sentenced to 10 years in prison on April 3 under article 112 and the Computer Crimes Act. On August 28, 2009, Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul was sentenced to 18 years in prison for violating article 112. On March 6 Chiranuch Premchaiyaporn of online news forum Prachatai was arrested and her office raided by police. She was accused of violating the Computer Crimes Act with website postings in October-November 2008. On November 1, the police arrested Katha Pajariyapong and Theeranan Vipuchan for posting on the internet their comments and Thai translations of international media reports. They were charged under the Computer Crimes Act with feeding false information causing harm to national security and the public.

Human Rights Watch calls on the government to repeal the Computer Crimes Act and reform other provisions of law limiting the right to freedom of expression. Thailand should also immediately lift censorship and other restraints on the rights to freedom of expression of online and broadcast media imposed during the current political protests, or appropriately charge the media operators with incitement under the criminal code in accordance with international law.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2010/05/05/letter-prime-minister-abhisit-thailands-candidacy-un-human-rights-council

[Benmart]

This Thai writer fails to face reality. There is limited press freedom in Thailand. Everything written is delusional and circumvents the reality of the Thai situation. The press enables Thai dark mystery by not reporting and following up truthfully. It is virtually blocked from investigative reporting of any meaningful nature. It's time for the Thai press to say so and stop its charade and daily tripe.

"Everything written..."? I've yet to be able to read everything that is written by the Thai Press.

Specific examples are wonderful in supporting ones position. Generalities often weaken it.

[The stuttering parrot]

Maybe it's just me but I get the feeling over the last couple of days the nation is slowly shifting its political veiws.

Perhaps they have realised they have been backing a loser!

[ginjag]

Maybe it's just me but I get the feeling over the last couple of days the nation is slowly shifting its political veiws.

Perhaps they have realised they have been backing a loser!

Ha Ha, It is because there is very little press freedom. It could well be wise until more are pulled over the coals through the (judicial coup courts) Ha Ha.

[aussieinthailand]

ERR YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE RETHINK ON THAT FREIND,

I believe Humane rights watch called mark, "the most prolific censor in resent Thai history"

And Freedom House downgraded Thailand's media freedom to "not free"

And isn't Suthep telling TV stations not to live broadcast any government speeches' or other departments or they will have their power cut?

So what was that you were saying???

[klauskunkel]

Hard-earned press freedom needs serious safeguarding

By whom?...Chalerm? Thai Navy? RTP?

From whom?...Chalerm? Thai Navy? RTP?

so many questions, so little answers...

[wandasloan]

When Thaskin was PM the press had to toe the Thaskin line and only say nice things otherwise you could find yourself on the outer , verbally abused , physical abuse or they might even withdraw your licence, so the press in Thailand should just concentrate on freedom of speech here in Thailand , because there isn't any.

So in your opinion, without Thaksin the press in Thailand was and is again free, responsible and entirely dedicated to good journalism with no sign of censorship and certainly no pressure to "toe the line".

Your opinion is <excised> and <edited> and most of all it's <redacted>. I, personally, can't think of anything more <deleted> you could say in this thread.

<removed> <offensive>!

You don't even know that for seven years there is no such thing as a licence to withdraw. Good grief!

"Everything written..."? I've yet to be able to read everything that is written by the Thai Press.

Specific examples are wonderful in supporting ones position. Generalities often weaken it.

Of course. No one on this forum would have any knowledge of the country or what is going on, or have policies to slag off without *most* of what is written in the Thai press. Identifying the faults with specific examples is ever so helpful. Including "everything written" is nonsense.

.

Edited May 13, 2014 by wandasloan

[Morch]

Thai media is mostly self-censored nowadays (nowadays not as in under PTP/DEM, thing, generally speaking), isn't it?

Most newspapers are not challenging limitations directly, more coping with terms or trying for a bit of innuendo and circumvention.

As an outsider impression they seem to be quite willing, but not blaming them as it's easy enough telling others to play the hero.

[bigbamboo]

...........as they say at Reuters.