Media outlets warned to use the”somdech” title for top officials or their licenses may be revoked

[webfact]

Media outlets warned to use the”somdech” title for top officials or their licenses may be revoked

PHNOM PENH: -- Media outlets in Cambodia have been warned that they may lose their operating licenses if they refer to Prime Minister Hun Sen and his top CCP officials without the royal title of “somdech”, according to Cambodia Daily on Friday.

“If any agency does not follow the Ministry of Information’s advice to use the correct title, we won’t renew the license for them when their expiration comes,” said Phos Sovan, director of the ministry’s information and broadcasting department, on Thursday.

Media outlets were told to attend a morning meeting at the department to be informed about the new rule. In December, the ministry issued a directive demanding that Mr Hun Sen and the other officials holding the royal title to be referred to as “somdech” rather than Mr in news articles, but did not specify what punitive actions they may face for not following the rule.

Mr Sovan said local radio outlets would no longer be allowed to syndicate programmes from foreign radio producers such as Radio Free Asia, Voice of America or Radio France International if they do not abide by the rule.

“In the West, Mr Prime Minister is enough, but here is the title based on the royal decree, you have to respect our culture,” said Mr Phay Suphan, spokesman of the Council of Ministers.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/163210


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-13

[canopus1969]

Pathetic jumped up little Muppet

[bobmac10]

Our glorious leader must be green with envy

[klauskunkel]

what about the other title they could use: S.o.B.?

[Merylhighground]

Well Thaksin was his idol for a while and he has now completed in Cambodia what Thaksin wanted in Thailand but couldn't see through to the end.

Seems like PM Hun Sen was a better dictator than Thaksin wanted to be. Can he take it all the way to the Cambodian Throne?

[ggt]

I thought they were supposed to use "sombeach" as the title for top officials...

[connda]

Pathetic jumped up little Muppet

Considering that the Cambodia PM insists that broadcasters use a term reserved for royalty to address non-royalty government officials, I'd have to agree. It would be a cold day in hell when that happens here in the land of smiles.

[Trouble]

Just another way of trying to prop up a corrupt regime using the old Asian concept of respect for authority without having to explain why. Seems like not one of these southeast Asian countries has press independence and they just become a basic mouthpiece for the regime in power.