Four media organisations voice concern over press curb order

[Lite Beer]

Four media organisations voice concern over press curb order

BANGKOK: -- Four media organisations have jointly voiced their serious concern with a provision of Section 44 which empowers security authorities to use their full discretion to deal with any media which presents a report which is deemed a security threat, a distortion of fact which may cause public misunderstanding or which may cause public panic.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the National Press Council of Thailand, the Thai Journalists Association, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand and the Thai Broadcasting Journalists Association a provision or Order No 3.2558 pronounced by virtue of Section 44 of the interim Constitution is a greater threat to the free expressions of the people and the media than the martial law.

The provision in question empowers security authorities to ban news presentation, distribution or dissemination of publications. Those who defy the order of the security authorities are liable to a one-year jail term and/or a fine of 20,000 baht.

The media organisations suggested that there must be clear guidelines or rules for the security authorities in their exercising of discretion.

Moreover, they demanded Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha in his capacity as head of the National Council for Peace and Order to set a clear rule of performance for the security authorities in charge of overseeing the media so that members of the public and the media can rest assured that the use of discretion by the authorities is done in a constructive manner as pledged by the NCPO.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/four-media-organizations-voice-concern-over-press-curb-order

-- Thai PBS 2015-04-02

[Fat Haggis]

And tomorrow there will be no news as the press will all be attending attitude adjustment courses 101

[Srikcir]

"The media organisations suggested that there must be clear guidelines or rules for the security authorities in their exercising of discretion."

I think General Prayut has always made his policy perfectly clear in paraphrasing the following:

"If you have nothing nice to say about the NCPO, Prayut government et al, you have nothing to say."

[kimamey]

Usual red apologists I see..................

yawn yawn yawn

The country is turning into a full fledged ********ship right in front of your eyes, and this is the best you can come up with??

And for the 100th time, believing in democratic ideals doesn't automatically make people red shirts!!

And as I have mentioned before, I would like to see Surin Pitsuwan and/or Korn Chatikavanij (both Democrats)

in charge of this country. That is if they win an election!!

If Thaksins dog should win the next election (2035) it would not make me happy, but I would have to live with the result!!

That would cause a stir when it went on the non stop foreign visits that are apparently so important. Unless of course they decided the dog had a better chance of holding a debate with Abhisit and sent it to parliament.

This wouldn't be so bad if this was used responsibly to stop obvious trouble making for the same of it. I don't have much faith in that happening.

[englishoak]

The Thai media know very well where this can go. Its not totally stupid and knows it must make some stand of be railroaded into silence.

Lets hope the international media gets behind them and adds its own pressure.

[phoenixdoglover]

If the press is fully silenced, and we shall know soon, then all the apparatus for "peace and order" can operate unrestrained. Even opinion polls will be unnecessary.

"Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell tolls,

It tolls for thee."

[deckape]

Wonder how many of the journalists 'voicing their concern' acted as cheerleaders for those hooliigans that got Thailand into this mess. Did they apply any insight into the possible outcome of those silly, sham 'reform before vote' rallies? Hmm?

Too late goofballs. The time to test boundaries and act as though you have cojones has passed. Doing it now is far too little, far too late.

[zaphod reborn]

Wonder how many of the journalists 'voicing their concern' acted as cheerleaders for those hooliigans that got Thailand into this mess. Did they apply any insight into the possible outcome of those silly, sham 'reform before vote' rallies? Hmm?

Too late goofballs. The time to test boundaries and act as though you have cojones has passed. Doing it now is far too little, far too late.

You have a selective memory. The hooligans that got us onto this mess were the PTP. Aside from the rice scam fiasco, I think most people could live with having Yingluck as PM. When PTP illegally tried to ramrod an amnesty act through parliament to bring their puppet-master home is when all sh#t broke loose. Edited April 2, 2015 by zaphod reborn

[webfact]

LIFTING OF MARTIAL LAW
Media seek clarity over 'peacekeeping' officers
WIRAJ SRIPONG
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- FOUR MEDIA organisations yesterday issued a joint statement asking the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to shed more light on Peace and Order Maintaining (POM) officers in order to ensure that the media and the general public will not be affected by Article 44.

The four organisations - Thai Journalists Association, National Press Council of Thailand, News Broad-casting Council of Thailand and Thai Broadcast Journalists Association - were concerned about certain clauses under Article 44 related to what constitutes a threat to "security".

They say the order gives the NCPO, led by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, a lot of room for interpretation. "What seems to be problematic here is the interpretation of the word 'security', which is broad. It could give power users the opportunity to over-exercise their authority," said Attasit Pankaew, a political scientist at Thammasat University.

The lack of clarity about the definition of "security" could lead to self-censorship of the media.

On Wednesday night, the government replaced martial law with Article 44, under which the conditions imposed by the NCPO seem to threaten media freedom. The interpretation of the clause, threat to "security", which might lead the authorities to stop the media from broadcasting, has sparked huge concerns among the media.

"Order No 5 of Article 44 has clearly highlighted the possibility of censorship by state authorities," said Pattara Khumphitak, president of the National Press Council of Thailand.

If the authorities decide to interpret something as being distorted information harmful to security, this may directly hurt the media and people's freedom of expression at large.

Matters related to the order of the NCPO's chief are also unclear, according to Pattara. The NCPO should be more precise about when it has to step in and exercise power.

"Some guidelines on the exercising of power under this specific clause [related to freedom of press] should be provided to officials [to avoid excessive use of power]," he said.

Nutchapokorn Nummueng, a communications officer at the I-law Freedom of Expression Documenta-tion Centre, also highlighted the importance of being more precise about the conditions under which the media could be temporarily prevented from broadcasting information.

Army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr reacted to this concern by insisting that officials would have no need to intervene in matters that do not touch upon security issues. "I would like to ask for cooperation, in particular, from media, which plays a major role in the establishment of common understanding", he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Media-seek-clarity-over-peacekeeping-officers-30257319.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-03

[metisdead]

Troll posts have been removed. Baiting and bickering posts and replies have been removed as well.

[BSJ]

Article 9 doesn't say it as such but the word "messages" does mean SMS,email and I am pretty sure posts on TVF!

[BSJ]

I am pretty sure "messages" will include SMS, email and posts on TVF!

Edited April 2, 2015 by BSJ

[BSJ]

A duplicate! Something screwy going on with TVF this morn.

[yellowboat]

Wonder how many of the journalists 'voicing their concern' acted as cheerleaders for those hooliigans that got Thailand into this mess. Did they apply any insight into the possible outcome of those silly, sham 'reform before vote' rallies? Hmm?

Too late goofballs. The time to test boundaries and act as though you have cojones has passed. Doing it now is far too little, far too late.

You have a selective memory. The hooligans that got us onto this mess were the PTP. Aside from the rice scam fiasco, I think most people could live with having Yingluck as PM. When PTP illegally tried to ramrod an amnesty act through parliament to bring their puppet-master home is when all sh#t broke loose.

"When PTP illegally tried to ramrod an amnesty act through parliament" How was this illegal and how was the coup legal ? It seems legality is as rare as the white rhino in "LoS"

[Somtamnication]

Can't wait to see ALL social media banned in about...... oh 12 hours or so.

[kingalfred]

So how are western countries going to handle this. It did so with sanctions in neighbouring Myanmar

Edited April 3, 2015 by kingalfred

[chainarong]

Like most Governments if you don't like something legislate it out , in this case the bases are covered for anything deemed bad said in the media , as mentioned , I would indeed be most concerned working within the media organisations , one way around this is not to report anything that the government announces or go to news conferences just send them all to Coventry unless it concerns the people things such as TAT , Police, military P.M. Prayut - O news announcements, black ban them, article 44 should be re-branded as 69 , Go suck

[JOC]

A duplicate! Something screwy going on with TVF this morn.

Maybe it the the new "catch44-filter" causing problems..................................

[LuckyLew]

Have the press not learnt there is no freedom of the press i Thailand?

[lewy67]

So how are western countries going to handle this. It did so with sanctions in neighbouring Myanmar

That's the $64 question Fred. Time to put up or shut up for the UN, EU, USA and other freedom loving, democratic, western countries. If the the aim is the re-introduction of freedom of speech, press freedom, freedom of assembly and electoral government in Thailand then the reaction to section 44 needs to be swift and harsh. I doubt any of the above mentioned will do more than talk. None have the stomach for action.

[reiltin]

Shakey ground indeed, though the fifth estate bloggers, outliers, the 90% of bts passengers glued to their screens(each time I take the train anyway...) the central cogs of government here lately only turn when the issues go viral on Facebook .... social media in 2015s not so easily muted.Good luck taking their phones. ....

[timendres]

So how are western countries going to handle this. It did so with sanctions in neighbouring Myanmar

That's the $64 question Fred. Time to put up or shut up for the UN, EU, USA and other freedom loving, democratic, western countries. If the the aim is the re-introduction of freedom of speech, press freedom, freedom of assembly and electoral government in Thailand then the reaction to section 44 needs to be swift and harsh. I doubt any of the above mentioned will do more than talk. None have the stomach for action.

It is not really about having "the stomach for action". Thailand is just not important enough for them to care about. Thailand is virtually meaningless, except for the marginal role they play in the overall South East Asian community, which in and of itself is a relatively minor concern. The West has much more pressing geopolitical concerns. Thailand is barely on the radar.