'Reporters Without Borders' says Thai press freedom poorer this year



BANGKOK: -- Thailand was ranked the 136th place in press freedom among 180 countries surveyed by the Paris-based "Reporters Without Borders", a press freedom advocating organisation.

Calling Thailand’s press freedom under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) or the military junta’s rule as “Gagged by ‘Peace and Order’ “, the ranking this year by the organisation fell from the 134th place it received in 2015.

The 2016 World Press Freedom Index released this week by Reporters Without Borders, the ranking this year made Thailand’s press freedom even poorer than its ASEAN neighbours Cambodia and Indonesia which were ranked 128th and 130th respectively.

Cambodia’s ranking improved 11 places while Indonesia 8 places from 2015.

For Thailand, Reporters Without Borders attributed its downgrade on Thai press freedom to the military junta’s
exercises of permanent control over journalists and citizen-journalists as reasons.

It said ” Uiquitous and all-powerful, the NCPO summons them for questioning and detains them arbitrarily. Its leader, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, is given to frequent verbal attacks and even death threats against journalists. He is a new predator of information.”, The Nation reported.

It gave Thailand 44.53 points on global scores from last year’s 40.07.

The worst performer this year is Brunei of which ranking dropped 34 places to 155th.

The World Press Freedom Index unveiled this week is indicative of a climate of fear and tension combined with increasing control over newsrooms by governments and private-sector interests.

It reflects the intensity of the attacks on journalistic freedom and independence by governments, ideologies and private-sector interests during the past year.

Seen as a benchmark throughout the world, the Index ranks 180 countries according to the freedom allowed journalists. It also includes indicators of the level of media freedom violations in each region. These show that Europe (with 19.8 points) still has the freest media, followed distantly by Africa (36.9), which for the first time overtook the Americas (37.1), a region where violence against journalists is on the rise. Asia (43.8) and Eastern Europe/Central Asia (48.4) follow, while North Africa/Middle East (50.8) is still the region where journalists are most subjected to constraints of every kind.

Here are the rankings of other ASEAN nations:

Country Ranking Change

Laos 173 (-2)

Myanmar 143 (+1)

Philippines 138 (+3)

Singapore 154 (-1)

Malaysia 146 (+1)

Vietnam 175 no change

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/160616


-- Thai PBS 2016-04-22

Shocked, how could this be!

Clearly they don't understand!

Not that we care anyway...

Laos 173 (-2)

Myanmar 143 (+1)

Philippines 138 (+3)

Singapore 154 (-1)

Malaysia 146 (+1)

Vietnam 175

Interesting ASEAN "partners"/"examples" ...

+ Cambodia and Indonesia which were ranked 128th and 130th respectively.

Say it ain't so! Look like there is scope to tighten the wheels further. 44 more countries to go

'Reporters Without Borders' says Thai press freedom poorer this year

yet still better than most of its Asean neighbours

Edited April 22, 201610 yr by SABloke

No sh.t Sherlock!

Thailand was knew to be quite better than its neighbours about freedom of Press and speech...it changed a bit it seems.

Go for it Prayut, tell us they didn't understand the thainess of the press...

Even in the most progressive democratic countries...the press is controlled to a certain extent...the news is spun and slanted to suit the owner and his political cronies...

I would give my opinion but I fear in may result in the website being closed down

not that it matters since Thailand could care less anyway

How much you wanna bet they didn't submit this report until they were OUTSIDE the border?!?

I would give my opinion but I fear in may result in the website being closed down

Don't flatter yourself, the TV mods are on the job. Then again, you may be bluffing.

How much you wanna bet they didn't submit this report until they were OUTSIDE the border?!?

Still, they may receive all expense paid trips to Koh Tao.

This fact cannot be dismissed. As much as I don't agree with this fact it has to be respected. I will not dismiss this fact or denounce the people behind it.

A good lesson for people to adhere to when facts do not suit their agenda.

This fact cannot be dismissed. As much as I don't agree with this fact it has to be respected. I will not dismiss this fact or denounce the people behind it.

A good lesson for people to adhere to when facts do not suit their agenda.

You don't agree with facts? Sounds about right. At least you admit it.

This fact cannot be dismissed. As much as I don't agree with this fact it has to be respected. I will not dismiss this fact or denounce the people behind it.

A good lesson for people to adhere to when facts do not suit their agenda.

You don't agree with facts? Sounds about right. At least you admit it.

Oh I love to see Thais journalists prostrating themselves infront of Kim, with him patting them like pets...it's so much more friendly and peaceful, than him shouting at them.