Thai politics: Shooting the foreign messengers won't kill the news

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Shooting the foreign messengers won't kill the news
Pravit Rojanaphruk

BANGKOK: -- A disturbing topic that has recently been a top, but off-the-record, point of discussion among many foreign correspondents is the difficulty in getting a work visa and accreditation. Despite being such an important issue, this subject has barely made the news in Thailand.

Reuters recently reported that some foreign journalists were finding it very difficult to get their accreditation. However, it also cited a flat denial from the Foreign Ministry that it was making things difficult.

So, what's all this fuss about?

One veteran foreign correspondent working for a well-known European news organisation summed it up by saying that the government wants to ensure that foreign correspondents are not too critical about two issues - the military regime and the monarchy.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of negative repercussions, said applicants are asked two questions during their work-permit interview by the Foreign Ministry. The first is on their thoughts about the monarchy and the other is about their views on the coup and the current government.

These two questions perhaps provide a clue on who is preferred here.

No matter how diplomatic the applicants try to be with their answers, there is always a "due diligence" conducted by the government to ensure that the answer matches what the applicant has written on these issues in the past.

Clearly, the government wants foreign journalists who are accommodating to the junta and reverent to the monarchy.

Two cases in point:

A European journalist, who had been critical of the coup, eventually got an interview at the Foreign Ministry after she brought the matter of unnecessary delays in her application process to the attention of her embassy. She later said that during the Foreign Ministry interview, she was asked very little about her work experience, and far "too many" questions on her opinions about the coup, the regime and the royal family.

Another European freelance journalist based in Bangkok, who had previously voiced critical opinions about the regime, said his application process was proving to be "increasingly difficult".

In fact, the editor of the news organisation to which this freelance journalist contributes was "invited" by the Thai Embassy in his country for a chat. The embassy wanted to learn about the editor's views on Thailand and also wanted to "share" the official view on Thailand with the editor.

These are just few of many cases, though one optimistic foreign correspondent has suggested that they be compiled and brought to the attention of the Foreign Ministry at once.

However, the very concept of "selecting" only friendly foreign correspondents to cover Thailand during such an important transitional period in politics would end up being counter-productive to debate and analysis of what's happening.

The powers-that-be should not shoot these foreign messengers simply because they don't like what's reported. A mirror, no matter how distorted one may think it is, always opens up the space for diverse reflection and eventually enriches the debate on what's actually happening.

Preventing some foreign correspondents from doing their jobs is ironically attracting attention to what's wrong with Thailand and making it a very bona fide topic.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Shooting-the-foreign-messengers-wont-kill-the-news-30264476.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-15

[phoenixdoglover]

If the Thai media is not allowed to say anything critical, and the international journalists are not accredited and can't report from Thailand, then all kinds of people will fill in the information gaps in a much less reliable way using whatever online resources or smartphone apps are at their disposal.

Despite some mutterings by the current government, I don't think there is a way to stuff the Internet genie back in the bottle once a large segment of society, including those in power, have enjoyed its benefits.

Of course, if Thailand announces an Internet management deal with the Chinese, we will know the game has changed.

Time will tell.

[jonclark]

Tsk - why let the truth get in the way of a work permit application

Welcome to the Chinese Republic of Thailand

[Laughing Gravy]

It seems that those in power are like children who take their bat and ball in when they are out or don't want to play. Childish. What the country needs is more transparency not less. I can see that the way things are going then even more criticism, will be coming Thailand's way, as at the moment it is a weekly occurrence. Soon it could be a daily one. What are they worried about? After all they are the saviours and nothing to hide.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Laughing Gravy

[GarryP]

Those foreign journalists don't understand us. Only Thais can understand the real situation in Thailand. Keep those dumb journalists out.

[Bangkok Barry]

There is an Asian country where any criticism of the government can lead to arrest and detention, where its citizens are brainwashed from birth to worship the leader and any negative comments can be reported by any citizen against another and be punished with a long period in prison, where tv every night shows the good leader helping his citizens enjoy a better life, a country where his picture adorns every public building and is in every home, and defacing any such pictures can lead to a lengthy jail sentence, a country where news is censored and internet sites blocked, and people can be sentenced to prison for speaking the truth. North Korea. Its resemblance to any other Asian nation is purely coincidental.

[Misterwhisper]

All too often, Thailand's government and authorities display an uncanny penchant for shooting themselves in the foot. The sad thing is they don't even realize it, because they're myopic and childishly concerned with image, image, image. Ironically, they only erode their image AND credibility even faster with actions like these. Those journalists will keep working, even if they have to file their Thailand copy from Singapore, Hong Kong or elsewhere - only now it will be saturated with implications that Thailand selectively shuts out the international press because they don't play to the government tune.

A strong government can take criticism in its stride and in fact welcomes it. But a government that tries to gag and bully the press demonstrates itself to be insecure, and thus weak and immature.

[DLang]

The road to true Thai democracy.

[oneday]

They can try to stack the deck as much as they want, but in this day and age of the internet and social media they can't hide what they are doing...not for long.

[soalbundy]

Thailand is just useless at PR, i have no qualifications in such matters but compared to the powers to be here i would be absolutley brilliant

[Psychic]

Normally, I'd be on the side of those that claim the military government is stifling legitimate reporting.

But the fact is, this isn't unique to Thailand. The US vetteed reporters who were allowed to cover military operations and then " embedded" them with strict censorship rules on covering combat.

The searing image of naked Vietnamese children burned by napalm had taught them a lesson on how to run a "clean" war.

Of course, the images of torture etc. emerged eventually, proving that in a world where everyone carries a smartphone there is nowhere to hide. Especially from your own people.

This doesn't seem to have sunk in. There still seems to be an attitude that you can somehow silence criticism and conceal the truth.

The world has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. But there is still an overriding law, censorship has never killed the truth.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Psychic

[ratcatcher]

Tsk - why let the truth get in the way of a work permit application

Welcome to the Chinese Republic of Thailand

Welcome to the Chinese Republic Province of Thailand

[Oziex1]

When they first try to hide and deceive, the obvious reaction from the media and the people is to find out what they're hiding.

What are the trying to hide? that they're a small nation that thinks it's something special, that it's elites are god like, they're culture is something to be revered.

Lot of talk about protecting the country's reputation and not making themselves look bad to others, what others, they seem not to like, trust or respect us.

Protect and hide the fact they are a backward bunch of spoilt crooks, that are not taken too seriously in the wider global community.

As I write it occurs to me this could apply to so many countries.

[anon4546543]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

[musiclover]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

"Septics" ?????? Lol....Surely it's not just Americans who who don't like the current junta ????

[jesimps]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

The only reason violence has ceased is because the military has huge big guns pointed at everybody.

[anon4546543]

jesimps thinks that the Thai military is pointing guns at "everyone". Well not me, not anyone in my village, don't see them at the airport or in the street. You don't live in Thailand and you should keep your uninformed opinions to yourself or whatever agency you belong to.

[atyclb]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

"Septics" ?????? Lol....Surely it's not just Americans who who don't like the current junta ????

LOL. google "US supported brutal dictators"

[Srikcir]

the government wants foreign journalists who are accommodating to the junta and reverent to the junta and the monarchy.

[fish fingers]

IMO the best source of thai news is on a certain journalists site which isn't allowed to be mentioned on here. Ironic really

[Thai at Heart]

The more they bottle everything up the bigger the pop when it opens.

[Thai at Heart]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

Bla bla bla. Freedom to express with permission is not freedom. People will eventually become free, be it 1 year, 10, or 100. It is just a matter of time.

[Cake Monster]

You are not welcome in the P.D.R.T.

[sawadee1947]

Pravit Rojanaphruk: good job.

That described the dilemma of this so called government. The journalists have freedom of speech - when their send home their reports - the people living here - we too - haven't. The government however is not in the position to provide that no news - bad or good (most times however bad) will enter foreign countries. We are indeed very sensitive when it comes to military governments. (look Egypt). First of all they try to establish their own position and then they won't give power to the people. Same here?

[tigermoth]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

You have just proved the point about this regime. At least under the former we did know what was happening. Even if corruption does still thrive, (of course it doesn't??), and the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and violence has ceased, how the hell would you know?

[AlQaholic]

Next step is to shut down the internet completely, not just partially as they are doing now.....

[PaPiPuPePo]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

You seem to have mis-written "sceptics," but the next post jokingly asks if you're referring to Americans, referencing an offensive term used by low-class Brits (including Brits who are unaware they're being low-class by using the term), and you "like" his post. But even the lowest-class of this sort would generally use it just once, jokingly.

More to the point, you say democracy won't work because the last "democratic" gov't was corrupt, thus disproving your point: the last gov't wasn't, in fact, democratic. You go on to repeat the bromide that only a complete lack of democracy can somehow lead to democracy. That a absolutist gov't which allows ZERO criticism of its words/actions can somehow magically bring about the exact opposite, which is what democracy is about. The historical evidence for such is slim to none.

So, your first point about "sceptics" has no relation to your next point UNLESS you're merely winding up a poorly-supported defence of the current undemocratic regime, which is what the rest of your post is. You even bring the royal family into it making the nasty back-handed implication that they wouldn't be included in a democratic Thailand (as if that's even remotely possible), thus making the even nastier and unfounded implication that anyone who wants democracy is anti-royalist, which is so obviously untrue in Thailand and amongst expats in Thailand that it shouldn't need to be defended (of course such exist but they're a tiny minority).

It's obvious to anyone that the so-called "democratic" regimes of Thailand over the years have not been that, and have been corrupt, to the detriment of the vast majority of Thais. Go to Paragon Mall, there's your whole disconnect in a creepy materialistic nutshell. And the violence was getting out of hand, to be sure.

But you offer no good support for your contention that a military junta can lead to democracy. Your whole post is just an apology for the junta by means of positive/negative association without offering anything substantial. And, if you meant "septics," you manage to be insulting as well. As a whole it makes you come across as not too bright, lacking in manners, and as what's known among demagogues as a "useful fool." I hope you aren't, we certainly don't need more of those.

Edited July 16, 2015 by PaPiPuPePo

[AlQaholic]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

Unfortunately you do not know what you are talking about...Here is a clue:

"applicants are asked two questions during their work-permit interview by the Foreign Ministry. The first is on their thoughts about the monarchy and the other is about their views on the coup and the current government."

[Ricardo]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

The only reason violence has ceased is because the military has huge big guns pointed at everybody.

Please could you tell me where to find these "huge big guns pointed at everybody", as visiting (non-journalist) family want to go see them, and have their photos taken in-front-of-them ?

Speaking for myself, I'd be hard-pressed to know where to go here in Chiang Mai, apart from the guard-houses at the local military-bases themselves, to actually see an armed soldier !

I would agree that, for a couple-of-weeks after the coup last May, the military were on the streets, and manning check-points, but I believe that to suggest that this continues now is a gross distortion of the truth !

[Oziex1]

I do not know why so many septics hate the current junta. Septics have, and still do support so many juntas' elsewhere. Democracy was not working in Thailand due to the gap between farmers and the city based peoples, the ethnic variances and most importantly the huge gap that still exists between rich and poor. Under the last "democratic" government, corruption thrived, and as usual, the rich got richer and the poor went backwards. Violence between the parties became the norm. Under the current regime, violence has almost ceased between the two major parties. Maybe the current government can instil non violence to the "democratic" parties before they next vote. I hope the parties can get back toward a voting system, but it seems to me that they need to be guided toward full democracy and fairness to all Thais. I must add the importance of the royal family. They are loved and respected by most Thai people, they are a cornerstone to the culture and should always be included in the future of Thailand.

The only reason violence has ceased is because the military has huge big guns pointed at everybody.

Please could you tell me where to find these "huge big guns pointed at everybody", as visiting (non-journalist) family want to go see them, and have their photos taken in-front-of-them ?

Speaking for myself, I'd be hard-pressed to know where to go here in Chiang Mai, apart from the guard-houses at the local military-bases themselves, to actually see an armed soldier !

I would agree that, for a couple-of-weeks after the coup last May, the military were on the streets, and manning check-points, but I believe that to suggest that this continues now is a gross distortion of the truth !

They may not be in your face but the guns are there and they are ready to quell dissent after all it is a Military government established by a Military Coup.

It's the threat of the Military's fire power that has quietened things down.