Foreign correspondents based in Thailand being denied media visas

[elgordo38]

Mr Heads biased and inaccurate BBC reports are probably part of the reason for the restrictions on unaffiliated (freelance) "journalists".

Any Journalist employed by a genuine, legal , news organization will not have a problem which explains Mr Heads continued presence in Thailand

PS number 4 has many more likes than you do on your post.

[elgordo38]

Just trying to keep the outside world from knowing the truth. Can not control or trust those foreign journalist to write what we want. So we will just not let them in. We only want Happy Stories. Nothing bad

Seems to be along the same line as Mr. Xi from China. He seems to have turned away from an open door policy to one of repression and scripted media. A direct 2 steps back from his predecessors. Things are looking up a little bit though in China now as Macau seems to be making a bit of a profit. I guess the moneyed gentry are lunging at their leash again to see how far they can push things.

[elgordo38]

Since the Red Shirt demonstrations, the New York Times (Thomas Fuller in particular) and BBC (ever see Zeinab Badawi's interview with Abhisit?) have spouted the "Elites and Royalists vs Downtrodden Poor and their hero, Thaksin Shinawatra". Both were biased, as if they were written by the Red Shirts themselves.

That said, the foibles and errors of Prayut Chan-o-cha's term should be fair game. It's a shame the current regime is so thin skinned and reacts to every perceived slight with an iron fist.

Kind of a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. All politicians/rulers/junta have their strengths and weaknesses. Thaksin was a populist which the present junta does no favor. 30 baht card for health care and other populist measures. His programs were even mimicked by other countries in Asia. Was he a saint hardly. The junta however seem to be loading up with WMD. Not a week goes by where they are not making some weapons procurement. If you had a choice between the government doing something to benefit you or benefit the military to protect you from some unknown bogeyman which would you choose. Maybe they expect a bogeyman from within?

[seajae]

Talking of whom...

Very true. The BBC is just a vassal of the loony UK left these days. All it does is bang on about global warming and how millions of migrants should be let in to the EU.

OK - let me put it another way - Jonathan Head's reporting as the BBC's correspondent here has been very much against the Junta, and has criticised them at every juncture. In view of this, and given that the Junta are a prickly and humourless bunch of old army Generals, the Junta more than likely has a very low opinion of Jonathan Head (or the biased BBC) and, as a consequence of this, the Junta will delight in doing the very opposite of anything that Jonathan Head asks of them.

I'm as in favour of a free press as you are, but to use Jonathan Head as a spokesperson in asking the regime to reconsider a decision, when the regime hold all the cards, is unlikely to result in the desired outcome. A more neutral spokesperson would be a more sensible choice.

pretty spot on, while I think there is a need to stop some of the more biased journo's from writing crap they do need to allow free press and not demand they only write favourable press releases. What Thailand needs is honest, old fashioned journo's that dont simply use innuendo or are apologists for either side. Blocking the truth from coming out is not a good idea for either side.

[Yann55]

Is anyone surprised since foreign journalists tend to report issues as they are and not as the government wants and we know that criticism is one of the biggest No No's around.

You are both right and wrong here, kid.

Right when you say that criticism here is a no no. It's not new, not specific to this government, and in fact quite typical of all Asian cultures, due to historical, social and cultural reasons that go way back. It's actually an issue that deserves to be discussed, because criticism in many cases is not only unnecessary but deliberately destructive, and when it becomes a way of 'shooting the ambulance', then it can and should be questionned. The world does not belong to journalists and no matter how loud they scream their mantra about the sacrosanct 'Freedom of the Press', that freedom has done as much harm as it has done good in the past. So, forgive me for not being politically correct here, but I believe that Freedom of the Press would and should be the norm in a world where all journalists have unquestionable ethics. Not this world, obviously.

Wrong when you say that foreign journalists tend to report issues as they are, because in 90% of cases, they don't. More often than not they report things as they want them to be, or in order to make them fit with some stereotyped idea which they are bent on proving. There are some remarkable exceptions among the crowd of Western journalists, but as a whole, what they lack most is accuracy, sincerity, competence, objectivity, and above all humility. Most articles are written by copying other articles, hastily gathering un-verified information, repeating hackneyed clichés and confusing opinion and fact.

Do I like modern-day journalists ? No, I don't. Most of them are nothing like Emile Zola when he wrote his famous 'J'accuse' and thus gave journalism its badge of honour, they are self-serving opportunists without much concern for the truth (if that thing exists), or the people's best interest.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Yann55

[English_M_in_Bkk]

-snip- I do believe that the BBC is " a genuine, legal, news organization!"

I'm glad you didn't say "truthful" or "accurate".

Cheers.

Sadly NeverSure your post reflects a painful truth.

The BBC, at one time, was an organisation who could be relied upon to offer honest,truthful and balanced reporting,

Then it was taken over by EU funded "lovies " who have destroyed the credibility of anything the BBC now offers.

Very true. The BBC is just a vassal of the loony UK left these days. All it does is bang on about global warming and how millions of migrants should be let in to the EU.

BBC run by the loony left? Did the Daily Mail tell you that? BBC are and always will be part of the status quo, there is nothing lefty about them at all.

[properperson]

I'm not familiar with Mr. Head's work. But, I do believe that the BBC is " a genuine, legal, news organization!"

It's his brother, Richard, i feel sorry for....

[JAG]

Talking of whom...

Very true. The BBC is just a vassal of the loony UK left these days. All it does is bang on about global warming and how millions of migrants should be let in to the EU.

OK - let me put it another way - Jonathan Head's reporting as the BBC's correspondent here has been very much against the Junta, and has criticised them at every juncture. In view of this, and given that the Junta are a prickly and humourless bunch of old army Generals, the Junta more than likely has a very low opinion of Jonathan Head (or the biased BBC) and, as a consequence of this, the Junta will delight in doing the very opposite of anything that Jonathan Head asks of them.

I'm as in favour of a free press as you are, but to use Jonathan Head as a spokesperson in asking the regime to reconsider a decision, when the regime hold all the cards, is unlikely to result in the desired outcome. A more neutral spokesperson would be a more sensible choice.

pretty spot on, while I think there is a need to stop some of the more biased journo's from writing crap they do need to allow free press and not demand they only write favourable press releases. What Thailand needs is honest, old fashioned journo's that dont simply use innuendo or are apologists for either side. Blocking the truth from coming out is not a good idea for either side.

Heaven forbid but I find myself - partially - agreeing with both of you!

Whilst I don't think that Jonathan Head is particularly biased, and nor do I accept that the BBC is exactly the "vassal of the loony left", its reporting of facts is pretty accurate although at times I disagree with its' editorial stance; I agree that freedom of the press is very important.

I also think that the average consumer of current affairs,Thai or international, is sufficiently savvy to recognise spin, bias or bullshit when they see, hear or read it. The junta trying to dictate what is published/broadcast is a waste of their time.

[rijit]

-snip- I do believe that the BBC is " a genuine, legal, news organization!"

I'm glad you didn't say "truthful" or "accurate".

Cheers.

Sadly NeverSure your post reflects a painful truth.

The BBC, at one time, was an organisation who could be relied upon to offer honest,truthful and balanced reporting,

Then it was taken over by EU funded "lovies " who have destroyed the credibility of anything the BBC now offers.

What absolute bollucks. And kindly explain where you got your information from ? Or is it just well known?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tbthailand]

Mr Heads biased and inaccurate BBC reports are probably part of the reason for the restrictions on unaffiliated (freelance) "journalists".

Any Journalist employed by a genuine, legal , news organization will not have a problem which explains Mr Heads continued presence in Thailand

have you hugged a general today?

[sunnyjim5]

-snip- I do believe that the BBC is " a genuine, legal, news organization!"

I'm glad you didn't say "truthful" or "accurate".

Cheers.

Sadly NeverSure your post reflects a painful truth.

The BBC, at one time, was an organisation who could be relied upon to offer honest,truthful and balanced reporting,

Then it was taken over by EU funded "lovies " who have destroyed the credibility of anything the BBC now offers.

What absolute bollucks. And kindly explain where you got your information from ? Or is it just well known?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Check some fact before resorting to using expletives !

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/world/europe/bbc-failures-show-limits-of-guidelines.html?_r=0

[tbthailand]

When did this turn into a discussion about the bias or non-bias of the BBC?? The point here is that the junta are slowly turning the screws on freedom of expression (as well as other freedoms) and it should be plain to see for all but the most right wing nutters that this is heading the wrong way.

how true.

btw, the right wing nutters seem to all be present...

[MZurf]

When did this turn into a discussion about the bias or non-bias of the BBC?? The point here is that the junta are slowly turning the screws on freedom of expression (as well as other freedoms) and it should be plain to see for all but the most right wing nutters that this is heading the wrong way.

how true.

btw, the right wing nutters seem to all be present...

Well, EJ has been oddly quiet for the last few weeks.

He probably quit TVF in disgust due to the number of posters critical of the present regime and is busy trying to get us expelled.

And I'm only saying that partly in jest!

[rijit]

-snip- I do believe that the BBC is " a genuine, legal, news organization!"

I'm glad you didn't say "truthful" or "accurate".

Cheers.

Sadly NeverSure your post reflects a painful truth.

The BBC, at one time, was an organisation who could be relied upon to offer honest,truthful and balanced reporting,

Then it was taken over by EU funded "lovies " who have destroyed the credibility of anything the BBC now offers.

What absolute bollucks. And kindly explain where you got your information from ? Or is it just well known?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Check some fact before resorting to using expletives !

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/world/europe/bbc-failures-show-limits-of-guidelines.html?_r=0

Yeah so what? Im quite happy with my original statement your still

talking crap.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited March 4, 2016 by rijit

[thaihome]

Mr Heads biased and inaccurate BBC reports are probably part of the reason for the restrictions on unaffiliated (freelance) "journalists".

Any Journalist employed by a genuine, legal , news organization will not have a problem which explains Mr Heads continued presence in Thailand

Scroll down a bit and read post number 4 if you cannot read it is self explanatory. You state that any journalist with a genuine legal news organization will have no problem? Hmm are you sitting at the right hand of the PM with ear whisper privileges?

Apparently one of the "bona fid" journalists that Mr. Head was referring to is going to get his visa once he supplies a letter from a acknowledged media company (The Nation), apparently the Kuwaiti Times does not qualify in Thailand.

What Mr. Head did not state in his rather sensationalist attempt at headlines is if the journalist in question had current contracts with real Media companies. This is fairly typical for him, he does not lie, he just tends to leave out the inconvenient parts.

TH

Edited March 4, 2016 by thaihome

[phoenixdoglover]

Mr Heads biased and inaccurate BBC reports are probably part of the reason for the restrictions on unaffiliated (freelance) "journalists".

Any Journalist employed by a genuine, legal , news organization will not have a problem which explains Mr Heads continued presence in Thailand

Scroll down a bit and read post number 4 if you cannot read it is self explanatory. You state that any journalist with a genuine legal news organization will have no problem? Hmm are you sitting at the right hand of the PM with ear whisper privileges?

Apparently one of the "bona fid" journalists that Mr. Head was referring to is going to get his visa once he supplies a letter from a acknowledged media company (The Nation), apparently the Kuwaiti Times does not qualify in Thailand.

What Mr. Head did not state in his rather sensationalist attempt at headlines is if the journalist in question had current contracts with real Media companies. This is fairly typical for him, he does not lie, he just tends to leave out the inconvenient parts.

TH

What's wrong with the Kuwaiti Times? Plenty of people from the Middle East travel to Thailand and are interested in the country. I work in Oman. Mention Thailand to a local and you are in for a 15 minute conversation.

[dcnx]

There you go again suggesting that the Thais are uneducated. The contempt you have for the Thais is despicable.

Generally speaking, they are uneducated. The same can be said about the entire region. That's just how it is.

If you don't like that nasty truth, make it your life work to change it.

Edited March 4, 2016 by dcnx