PM presents his take on media ethics

[scorecard]

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I'm not actually sure that the media is that much more restricted than it's ever been here. There is a reason that there has never been a true investigative journalist here. It's called the most draconian Lese Majeste and defamation laws in the world.

Even before this current incarnation of Junta rule, what journalist in their right mind would dare to actually publish real news that could potentially get them banged up for years. Now, once again with military courts the process is a shortcut to the Bangkok Hilton for years.

So playmates, just read the Bangkok Post & The Nation and revel in the mind numbing fiction that passes for news

Well yes and no. Yes reporters / journalists need to be careful about defamation laws, that's true.

On the other hand I wonder whether there are any reporters / journalists who are capable of good analysis and therefore asking relevant questions.

On the other hand (that's three?) I share the following. Many years back my company (international business management consultancy) tried to build an alliance with one of the English dailies for weekly articles about business management etc.

The reporters / journalists wanted to come to our office (for good coffee and wines - they had the notion that we drank fine wines all day, not true), they didn't listen to anything we said, they refused to take appropriate literature, after the first discussion I politely asked for them to send a draft so that we could correct any 'misunderstandings'. They refused and loudly indicated they were insulted by my request.

They went ahead and published a half page article, it had so many errors and lacked even simple logic and flow, and one part of their published article had a sexual overtone. Trying to explain that the published article had errors etc., again invoked their claims of being insulted.

We immediately withdrew from the arrangement.

Edited March 7, 2015 by scorecard

[FangFerang]

Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss.

Same, same....but not different.

[Wilsonandson]

Scorecard Ltd. are you suggesting that all journalists in Thailand are buffalos with extreme cultural ways. Come on, just say you suck yellows and are makingcthe story up.

[scorecard]

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Scorecard Ltd. are you suggesting that all journalists in Thailand are buffalos with extreme cultural ways. Come on, just say you suck yellows and are makingcthe story up.

Whatever turns you on. What has my post got to do with yellows?

[Baerboxer]

What a great selection of threads today and oh what joy that there is not 1 junta apologist trying to turn a general gaff into an anti Thaksin thread. Long may it continue

I don't think they can keep up with the amount of threads where their beloved general is making a fool out of himself.

It would be funny if it wasn't such a scary reality that this man is running the place!

(awaits apologist to go "yeah but thaksin blaa blaa blaa)

The man is drunk on power and his 'softly softly' approach has been replaced by his natural 'do you know who you are talking to' approach. He will only get worse

Borderline psychotic is a better description. So now we have a mad monk (Issara), a psychotic pm (Prayuth) a police force being made to look like fools. Great drama you couldn't make this up.

Your being very unfair - the police don't need anyone to make them look like fools, they can manage that themselves very well.

Sadly, not funny fools - especially when they turn a blind eye to murders and violent attacks.

[Baerboxer]

Scorecard Ltd. are you suggesting that all journalists in Thailand are buffalos with extreme cultural ways. Come on, just say you suck yellows and are makingcthe story up.

Ignoring your attempt to put an unwarranted political interpretation on this, do you seriously consider journalistic standards to be high in Thailand?

There is little investigative journalism, follow ups on stories and exposures in the media - they are all shit scared of the various laws and maybe some unlawful deterrents so they keep quiet.

[city]

City, I backed the coup and I don't regret it. Like many others, I also backed the junta in the hope (not belief, as I was here for the previous two coups) that, based on the law of averages, at least one post-coup dictatorial administration in Thailand would be benign and benevolent. There was, and still is, also the hope that this junta would be more attuned to, and be preparing for, a certain catastrophic event that is looming large.

But this is not to be, by the looks of things. Instead of developing a society that can more readily stand on its own two feet, the junta is going in the oppoite direction to all intents and purposes. Perhaps the junta took Thaksin's infamous "the UN is not my father" comment and decided that that is to be its role.

Doesn't matter who he upsets along the way, the junta HAVE to be in control for that event mate, forget the politics of the past year, it's much bigger than that, the long timers here I just don't understand why they can't see the real reason for being in control maybe they're ignoring these facts as they're too scared to think of the consequences of it all going pear shape.

It's not about Thaksin, it's about the future of the country and what it can possibly become. Forget the civil war nonesence all one needs to do is have a look around the place you live and see if the Thais are building sangars and fortifying their homes and stocking up on water and food and that will give you an indicator of what Thais feel about going to war against each other, what people don't understand is that the real enemies of the people are the class system, and how it gets abused by those with money and power, any civil war would never be about colours, it will be poor against rich, the haves against the have nots, and until you have equality amongst all Thais there's never going to be togetherness.

The general is right about that part, Thais will never come together, but that's been the way it's been with mankind for eons, Thailand is divided not by colour, but class !!

It is about Thaksin because it is reported that the future of Thailand has an allegiance to Thaksin. They cant let that scenario play itself out. Pardons for Thaksin are not on the agenda