OPINION

 

Proposed media ‘reform’ bill is redundant and dangerous
By Suthichai Yoon
The Nation

 

BANGKOK: -- A committee tasked by the National Reform Acceleration Council with scrutinising the media has proposed radical changes to the law. The committee members apparently equated “reform” with “control”. The resulting draft law will open the way for politicians and bureaucrats to decide who can or cannot become media professionals.

 

Under the proposed new rules, anyone who wants to make media their profession would have to seek a licence before being employed. Conferring authorities with licensing power automatically means the same authorities also have the right to deny or revoke the licences.

 

What’s worse, the draft bill dictates that permanent secretaries of at least four ministries sit on the committee that will issue and revoke licences for individual journalists.

 

The bill, in a nutshell, would enable the powers-that-be to place their people in the position to control – and thus influence – the work of media professionals in all fields.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/opinion/suthichaiyoon/30303907

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-01-12

The bill, in a nutshell, would enable the powers-that-be to place their people in the position to control – and thus influence – the work of media professionals in all fields.

 

 

In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

 

If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever.

 

Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.

 

George Orwell

Ahhh, nothing like a hot stinking cup of "reform before election" first thing in the morning

 

If you want to control the people, you must control the information. Can not have them knowing too much. Must control the internet, media, and the journalists. 

And another step towards banana republic status.

 

Meanwhile, any morally and ethically corrupt fella with ambitions for grandiose self-importance, power, greed and ill-gotten wealth can decide overnight to forthwith be a politician. No licence needed for that; and no qualifications either - apart from being rotten to the core.

More reforms you will love, or else.

4 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

The bill, in a nutshell, would enable the powers-that-be to place their people in the position to control – and thus influence – the work of media professionals in all fields.

 

 

 

In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

 

If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever.

 

Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.

 

George Orwell

Brilliant quotes - from the unsurpassed, supreme political commentator and predictor of all time.

 

And still I do not see anywhere the raging fury, the seething anger and incandescent rage amongst the Thais that might be the expected (if not welcomed) response to all that is going on. And it is no use keep saying, 'Oh, they might be shot'. People throughout history across the world have stood up and said 'NO!' at great personal risk and wrested their freedoms from powerful autocrats. Millions died in the war against fascism and dictatorship. People felt that freedom and human dignity were so vital and so inseparable from living a truly human life that taking immense risks to secure that was worth the huge danger.

 

In Thailand - I see downtrodden, submissive people - with not even a spark of fiery resistance or non-compliance left in them. Oh, it is sad indeed (not that I am advocating violence, of course - which brings more violence in its wake) ...

 

"Proposed media ‘reform’ bill is redundant and dangerous"

 

So are coups in general dangerous and should be avoided for countless reasons.  For one of the top ten, please see sentence above. 

1 hour ago, Misterwhisper said:

And another step towards banana republic status.

 

Meanwhile, any morally and ethically corrupt fella with ambitions for grandiose self-importance, power, greed and ill-gotten wealth can decide overnight to forthwith be a politician. No licence needed for that; and no qualifications either - apart from being rotten to the core.

Not merely a politician, for god's sake, try prime minister!