PM Prayut denies role in Peace TV decision

[webfact]

PM denies role in Peace TV decision
ANAPAT DEECHUAY,
WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday denied being involved with the broadcasting regulator's decision to revoke the licence for Peace TV, but said no one should be afraid if they have not done anything wrong.

The denial came as bosses of the digital TV channel moved to petition the NBTC over the "unfair" decision.

Prayut said: "Please ask the NBTC [National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission]. I don't know anything about the issue that a former politician came out and excessively expressed his opinion. I have already asked the concerned authorities to look into the case.

"I have to ask whether [Peace TV] has breached the NCPO's order or not. The NBTC has their regulations and rules. It is the task of the Thai Journalist Association (TJA) to handle. If the TJA cannot handle it, then it should be abolished," he said.

The premier said he has never prevented anyone to broadcasting news. However, if the information is wrong, then there was a need for it to be corrected.

When asked if Peace TV would be permanently closed, the PM replied: "I don't know. They [the NBTC] have already suspended the broadcasting for seven days once. I have told them and ask for their cooperation. Please talk to their boss, their managing editor and the owner… They have never helped us and merely want to change me. Why don't they change their attitude first?"

Peace Television, operator of the politics-oriented satellite channel, yesterday lodged a petition to NBTC chairman Colonel Natee Sukonrat, calling for a revision of the panel's decision to revoke its broadcasting licence permanently.

Anansak Khamkao, a member of the company committee who led representatives from the red-shirt channel, said his company need a chance to clarify details to the regulator as the decision was unfair.

Anansak said his company faced a tough situation and its partners would be affected. This might cause a huge loss in his business.

"If the decision remains unrevised, we are going to file a lawsuit against the watchdog's decision to the Central Administrative Court for a temporary injunction," he said.

In response to this, NBTC's Takorn Tantasith said Peace TV could continue airing shows until receiving an official notice, which might take time. In the meantime, Takorn would discuss the move with colleagues.

Takorn explained the decision of the broadcasting panel was based on its agreement last year inked with the NCPO and several politics-oriented satellite TV channels, including Peace TV which was formerly known as Democracy News Network (DNN).

On Monday, the broadcasting panel approved by majority votes to revoke a broadcasting licence of Peace TV for allegedly breaching an agreement with the regulator as well as orders issued by the junta. The committee had to decide to terminate a satellite TV licence because it did not see an improvement at the TV broadcaster since March 30, when the committee agreed to suspend broadcasting licences of this satellite TV station and another satellite TV, called "TV24," (or former Asia Update channel) for seven days for allegedly violating a pact with the NBTC and the NPCO's Order No 97/2014 and No 103/2014.

After facing a suspension from April 10 to 17, Peace TV still resumed providing its TV programmes called "Mong Klai hosted by Jatuporn Prompan, a core leaders of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship or the red-shirt movement.

Additionally, Takorn added that the NBTC's media monitoring team found that this programme still created confusion, misled people and made conflicts in society.

Peace TV was among 12 politics-oriented satellite TV channels including the yellowshirt ASTV, Democrat Party-backed Blue Sky and red-shirt's Asia Update that agreed with the terms and conditions laid down by junta. Those satellite channels also agreed to change their names and depoliticise their content.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/PM-denies-role-in-Peace-TV-decision-30258976.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-29

[baboon]

Come on, even his most ardent fans on here must have difficulty believing he had no input into this case. Are you kidding?

[tbthailand]

but said no one should be afraid if they have not done anything wrong.

he says that orwellian line rather often...

The premier said he has never prevented anyone to broadcasting news.

well, he knows that he is lying when he says that...

They have never helped us and merely want to change me. Why don't they change their attitude first?"

said like a true believer in free speech...

[Strangebrew]

No opinion

[NongKhaiKid]

Come on, even his most ardent fans on here must have difficulty believing he had no input into this case. Are you kidding?

Uncle Too thinks ( ? ), the junta acts.

Now where have i heard... ?

[Chao Lao Beach]

I thought that thePM had full controll, no opinion.

[NongKhaiKid]

Thai officialdom at its ' best '. The PM has always made it clear that he is in total control but now when something looks difficult or a bit off it's ' nothing to do with me '.

[wabothai]

Commander in chief mr.general, it does not matter whether you know or not.

Boss man is responsible for whatever his ....... do or say.

[Suffinator]

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday denied being involved with the broadcasting regulator's decision to revoke the licence for Peace TV, but said no one should be afraid if they have not done anything wrong.

I wonder if Prayut would clarify the term 'doing anything wrong'. Is there a list of do's and don't's and if so how does such fit in with a transparent democracy society .... oh yeah that's right you don't have one. Carry of oppressing regardless!

[DM07]

He is such a hoot!

[Srikcir]

With Prayut's rule of Thailand, Thailand needs to be renamed the Twilight Zone where nothing is as it seems.

[Paul Henry]

The Premier said "any one can say what they want but if the information is wrong they should correct it". Another case of Government preaching but not practicing what they preach, don't recall to many Government corrections on all the misleading and incorrect information given to the Thai public.

[oneday]

"I have to ask whether [Peace TV] has breached the NCPO's order or not. The NBTC has their regulations and rules. It is the task of the Thai Journalist Association (TJA) to handle. If the TJA cannot handle it, then it should be abolished," he said.

Is he serious? Does he really want everyone to believe he had no knowledge of this and laying it on the NBTC as if they actually did this on their own without prior approval is a joke.

[rubl]

The PM might not have been involved, but maybe the head of the NCPO ?