Junta lawmakers advance plan to 'license' all media

[webfact]

Junta lawmakers advance plan to 'license' all media

By Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

 

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha splashes water on the media on April 12 to mark Thai New Year at Government House

 

BANGKOK — Weeks after a controversial media bill was sent back to its drafters for revisions, it was back on its way toward becoming law Tuesday with little change.

 

Drafters continue to insist on establishing a national council with the power to grant and revoke journalists’ licenses despite protests from media professionals nationwide that it be dropped. The full draft has not been made available for review.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2017/02/21/junta-lawmakers-advance-plan-license-media-reporters/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-02-22

[webfact]

NRSA reduces number of govt officials on medial council, but journalists protest
By PRAPASRI OSATHANON,
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN
THE NATION

 

BANGKOK: -- THE National Reform Steering Assembly’s (NRSA) media reform committee has agreed to cut the number of permanent secretaries that will sit on the media professional council from four to two after protests from news outlets.

 

The permanent secretaries on the council will come from just the Culture Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. The two vacant seats will be filled by representatives from independent agencies – the National Human Rights Commission and the Consumer Protection Board.

 

Media outlets, however, remained unsatisfied with the changes.

 

Thepchai Yong, president of the Confederation of Thai Journalists, said yesterday that regardless of the number of state officials on the council, the intention remained clear – the new body was an attempt to control the media.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30306899

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-02-22

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

power to grant and revoke journalists’ licenses

If you would like to be a journalist, you best write what the government likes.  Licensing journalists has got to be the stupidest thing ever thought of. 

[ramrod711]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

the new body was an attempt to control the media.

Pathetic

[Misterwhisper]

And another step closer to a totalitarian state...

[quadperfect]

30 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Stupid

It is but no more than 90 percent of the news here.

[Orac]

Technically this would cover anything on facebook live apparently so a huge stick to use for political purposes.

[hawker9000]

And another step closer to a totalitarian state...

One more step? How many "steps" in a 100-yd Dash?

[johng]

6 minutes ago, hawker9000 said:

How many "steps" in a 100-yd Dash?

I think they crossed the finish line a couple of years ago.

[ikke]

I bet he called with his friend Kim about how to handle this....

 

[TheFishman1]

Well no surprises here PM more power more money less freedom TIT

[nong38]

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

If you would like to be a journalist, you best write what the government likes.  Licensing journalists has got to be the stupidest thing ever thought of. 

Freedom of the PRESS, one of the cornerstones of Democracy, or at least it used to be!

[BigBadGeordie]

Looks like all the news will be like this soon.

 

[fruitman]

Ohhh just like anybody can buy a "press-card" at kao sarn road after shopping for copycopy brandname stuff??

[Lupatria]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha splashes water on the media

A miracle ! ! ! He turned banana peels into water. Well, we all know how the guy who came up with tricks like that ended more than 2.000 years ago.

Strange- I already misread the headline for:

Junta lawmakers advance plan to 'silence' all media

 

[manhood]

Well seems the PM learns quick from Trump to  eliminate the press and to make only pronouncements. This is the true democracy that is being pursued here in Thailand.

but USA is on the same track....they leanred well from North Korea!!!!!!!

Probably the documents about handling the press Prayut was reading were sponsered from North Korea, Russia and other "democratic" countries!!111

[Orac]

Well seems the PM learns quick from Trump to  eliminate the press and to make only pronouncements. This is the true democracy that is being pursued here in Thailand.
but USA is on the same track....they leanred well from North Korea!!!!!!!
Probably the documents about handling the press Prayut was reading were sponsered from North Korea, Russia and other "democratic" countries!!111

I hear that the PMs ego is getting a bit bruised as Trump manages to get a huge response every time he sends a tweet but every time Prayuth sends out a mass telex message nobody bothers answering him.

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The full draft has not been made available for review.

Sign of what is to come.

[Bluespunk]

"“The two representatives from the government cannot intervene in the media professional council because resolutions would be adopted by voting, “ said the head drafter, retired Air Chief Marshal Kanit Suwannet. “So the other 11 members shouldn’t conform to minority voices from the government’s side.”

 

Yeah right.

 

Will the other reps have weaponry at their command?

[worgeordie]

If the Government does not like what journalists write,all

they have to do is revoke their license,so now journalists

have two ways of totally controlling what they print,been

sued,and losing their licence. 

regards worgeordie

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Joseph Goebbels must be smiling in his grave now!

[nong38]

Looking a bit further down the road and after Thailand return to a "new form of democracry" it will interesting to see what a new administration,  which might less militaristic would do with the new law, keep it, amend it or scrap it.

If you want to run the show you have to be prepared to accept what comes along with it and if you can't handle it you must ask if you are the right person for the job, everyone makes mistakes and its to be hoped you are big and bright enough to learn from them.

I know its difficult for a people who dont admit to making mistakes and perhaps the new law just reinforces that position.

[sawadeeken]

Communism at it's finest.................

Russia got rid of comunism years ago...............

If you have a look around her you can see where it went..........

[wirat69]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

NRSA reduces number of govt officials on medial council, but journalists protest

Medial = in the middle.... isn't that the problem .... the media is not in the middle???

[johng]

59 minutes ago, sawadeeken said:

Communism at it's finest................

Its not communism  its more like feudalism

[elgordo38]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha splashes water on the media

In more ways than one. His media bill is coming under fire so he is reverting to plan 2. Quite a devious fellow our PM. There is more than one way to skin a cat. 

[elgordo38]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the intention remained clear – the new body was an attempt to control the media.

Well said Watson.

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, yellowboat said:

If you would like to be a journalist, you best write what the government likes.  Licensing journalists has got to be the stupidest thing ever thought of. 

I agree but to the government its an alternative move. One way or another they will have their way. 

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Looks like all the news will be like this soon.

 

Watched her on TV a couple times she really bangs it out. Makes one wonder if she isn't sitting on a "wired" chair acting as a prompter. 

[Redline]

So, one can be arrested for posting on social media because they have no license?