Midweek rant: Name and Shame – stop this defamation drivel!

[webfact]

Midweek rant: Name and Shame – stop this defamation drivel!

 

 

We have heard it time and time again!

 

The school where the teachers tied up the kindergarten kids was not named.

 

The hotel where the lift fell down was not named.

 

The department store where the car drove off the fourth floor of the car park…..yes, of course, you guessed it..... 

was not named.

 

Ok, I can appreciate not naming businesses and organizations that are in no way connected or culpable in news that might present them in a bad light. We don’t necessarily need to know the name of the condo where someone jumped or the hotel where the dead tourist was found.

 

You weren’t to blame so it seems fair to keep your name out of the news.

 

But we sure as hell need to know the school where teachers and even the director think it is quite alright to blindfold children to make them concentrate. Or hotels where lifts plummet several storeys injuring guests. Or department stores where building regulations might have been flouted making them a danger to the public.

 

To me and my family.

 

Sure. News stories are often inaccurate and there may not be anyone to blame. But we need to know even when an investigation is under way. The public are not fools; if there really was no wrong doing we can move on.

 

But by not naming the parties involved all you are doing is creating uncertainty which may lead to completely unconnected businesses and establishments being implicated.

 

Ever heard of guilt by association and innuendo?

 

And when there is a case to answer. Where guilt has been admitted. Then surely we have a right to know.

 

A right to know that will help us inform the decision where not to send our children.

 

A right to know where it might be dangerous for us to enter a lift to go to our room.

 

A right to know where we might avoid parking our car due to inadequate safety provision.

 

A right to know where hospitals put profit ahead of the care of their patients, and other such cases.

 

Of course the Thais hide behind their Draconian Criminal Defamation Laws and Computer Crime Act.

 

News organizations are terrified of being sued even if they are proved to be in the right. Damages can be large, people can be jailed and serve more time than even the ones in the wrong!

 

Everyone understands the need to protect people from libel, from slander, from malicious reporting or malicious statements.

 

But where do you draw the line? Does the public not have any rights to know what danger they might be putting themselves or their loved ones in?

 

Do we not have a right to know the truth so that we can make informed decisions?

 

The law and weakness of news media in being cowed by it is thoroughly detrimental to the well-being of the public.

 

Who in addition have to face the absurd situation whereby they are threatened with action from officialdom – such as police for example - even when a case is proven. Even when it is as plain as the nose on your face.

 

Is this fear of criticizing not counter-productive to the claims that the police make of wanting to be more friendly, more in tune with the wishes and needs of the public?

 

That is a rhetorical question. Of course it is.

 

Schools, hotels, restaurants, shops, department stores, hospitals – you name it –they all need to be named in the public interest.

 

If they behave disreputably then their reputation deserves to be tarnished – not protected so they can just carry on regardless.

 

When nothing is proven we can understand the words and phrases: “it is claimed”, “alleged”, “as yet unfounded allegations”.

 

But we need to know when an investigation is in progress and who exactly it involves. We need to know when it is resolved and how.

 

The media need to inform us and we need officialdom to show us some respect. We have a right to transparency.

 

We have a right to know.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-03-15

[Thaiwrath]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

A right to know where hospitals put profit ahead of the care of their patients,

EVERY private one.

[ricku]

I agree, but don't expect any changes soon.

This is a country where saving one's face, is more important than doing what's right,

[Chang_paarp]

You missed the Police and Military who also sue when unflattering reporting occurs, ask Phuket Wan or the folk who have reported corruption.

[rkidlad]

This epitomises so much of a what's wrong with so many business here; pure arrogance and entitlement. 

 

Not only do they want you to buy what they're selling without having to charm you or sell a decent product, but they want to bend you over and for you to say nice things about them after. 

 

 

[Eligius]

Good and true article.

'We have a right to transparency. We have a right to know', says the author. Of course in a civilised land, that would be the case.

 

BUT the reality is that under the new Constitution there are effectively ZERO rights for the Thai people (foreigners don't even get a look-in): every single 'right' that is given the Thais is immediately rescinded by the clause 'unless this is against good morality of people'. This means that the Rulers can each time decide that absolutely anything including, for example, mass protesting is 'against good morality of people' (unless it is led by Suthep, of course!). 

 

So the Alice in Wonderland land of 'truth is no defence - you have defamed me' - will continue forever and a day - until the Thais 'grow a pair' and finally stand up and say about this and the entire tyranny: 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - We are not going to take this any more!' - and say it in their MILLIONS!

[yellowboat]

This face saving has always made Thailand look really weak overall. 

 

Work with some great Thais who admit when they make a mistake.  Ones who don't get tossed aside immediately. 

[maoro2013]

10 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

This face saving has always made Thailand look really weak overall. 

 

Work with some great Thais who admit when they make a mistake.  Ones who don't get tossed aside immediately. 

Its much more widespread than just Thailand, maybe SE Asia and probably more. It is a practice which holds progress back because no one wants to bring up issues with others because someone might lose face. Things are therefore slow to improve.

[daveAustin]

Article is bang on, but when even the average joe gets all bent out of shape when a mishap occurs at their doing, there is no hope of change. It is all-pervasive: top, middle, bottom.

[mtls2005]

The entire Thai social contract is based on sakdina. The entire "legal/judicial" system is based on this concept as well.

 

Naming people of higher social status is against the law(s), and can/will result in significant criminal (not civil) prosecution.

 

The higher your social status the more "evidence" is required.

 

My guess would be that the amart would not want things to change; I know I wouldn't if I were in that class. 

[clockman]

The slander and libel laws, were put in place by criminals. To protect criminals. T.I.T.

[manhood]

I am wondering about all the pics and videos taken in police stations!!!!!!! Or on accidents where people are hurt or killed and their names are right in the public. Thats wrongdoing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just filling the voyeurism and has nothing to do with facts!

 

How can you publsih this as newspapers or TV with full names of the people with no proof yet of their culpable behavior!

Why is press always at the scene first before anybody responsible did any investigation: all depends on speculatiosn and nothing more.

 

So i would never allow somebody take a pic from myself in any sucumstances as this is absolutly against human rights and my personal rights and this is mistreated here daily.

 

Also the press must show more respect. I worked for TV broadcasting and news but we would have never doing news and reports in that way!!!!!!!!

 

That's all shameless!

[toofarnorth]

A good topic OP. and most certainly schools should be named and shamed as mentioned . Getting ripped off at my local T/Lotus one has to tread with care as it could be just a local thing for example .  Cars leaping from car parks ....again  " It was a car park at the end of  middle soi  in Chitabug " There could be 2 car parks one each end of  middle road and the one not at fault ........................ But yes , name the schools and hospitals where nefarious deeds go on.

[baboon]

"The media need to inform us and we need officialdom to show us some respect. We have a right to transparency.

 

We have a right to know."

 

You should have thought about that when you were angling for a coup, then, shouldn't you?

[KIWIBATCH]

The media have no balls in Thailand....gutless wonders....naming and shaming needs to start from when the media  first report the story....until the media grow a pair it won't happen...

[Eligius]

12 minutes ago, KIWIBATCH said:

The media have no balls in Thailand....gutless wonders....naming and shaming needs to start from when the media  first report the story....until the media grow a pair it won't happen...

I agree with you, Kiwibatch. Absolutely right. But in fairness I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised by one or two hard-hitting articles that have been published recently. Let's hope the 'pair' you and I refer to grows even stronger!

[rodney earl]

They treat everyone over here like mushrooms. Keep them in the dark and feed them on bull....

[Get Real]

Very well written and interesting article, but what´s new?
This is the mentality is well known, and appearently nobody has managed to change it in 200 years. Why try now? Accept the faith of staying in or visiting Thailand. That´s unfortunately all you can wish for.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Get Real

[marko kok prong]

Yeah,i brought a g string it was to small,when i took it back for a refund they told me i was too big'  Euro size' they told me,i asked if they wanted to measure me,it all ended happily .

[Encid]

I read a classic case this morning in another Thai news publication about EGAT filing defamation lawsuits.

 

Quote

EGAT files lawsuits against power plant opponents

 The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has filed defamation lawsuits against people accusing it of causing environmental destruction.  

On 13 March 2017, Pranee Tangseree, Assistant Governor of EGAT’s Legal Affairs Bureau, revealed that EGAT had filed 15 complaints to the police against people posting content on social media accusing its power plants of pollution leading to sickness and death.

EGAT accused them of violating Article 326 of the Criminal Code, the law against criminal defamation, and Article 14 of the 2007 Computer Crime Act, the law against the importation of false computer content.

 

A link to the full article is here.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Encid

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, KIWIBATCH said:

The media have no balls in Thailand....gutless wonders....naming and shaming needs to start from when the media  first report the story....until the media grow a pair it won't happen...

The PM has a bill in the process right now that wants to cut em off. Again this goes back to the class system and the media is lower down the brass pole than the PM and his power group. Would be interesting to know who is above the PM

[Xaos]

Lieland

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[farcanell]

Several years ago, I was looking a villas... one had a sign up to the effect off "don't buy here... builder will not honor his commitment"... so I had a wee chat with him.

 

amongst other problems , his new villas pool had cracked open.... the builder refused to fix it.

 

a couple of months later, I noticed the sign gone, and assumed the builder had been shamed into fixing the guy's problems.

 

lol... no... he had taken the guy to court, for defamation, and won! ( pool still <deleted>)

[Reigntax]

2 hours ago, KIWIBATCH said:

The media have no balls in Thailand....gutless wonders....naming and shaming needs to start from when the media  first report the story....until the media grow a pair it won't happen...

 

Its not just the media lacking balls. Add every part of society.

[Reigntax]

1 hour ago, marko kok prong said:

Yeah,i brought a g string it was to small,when i took it back for a refund they told me i was too big'  Euro size' they told me,i asked if they wanted to measure me,it all ended happily .

 

Can we all judge by seeing a picture?

[Farangdanny]

This 'offence' has a name, like lese majeste is speaking bad of monarchy etc. I have forgotten the name, can anyone remind me please.

Many years ago, I was arrested because I accused an employee of theft, caught in the act !!! I was inger printed etc.  Only let go after I paid him some money. I wish I could remember the name of the offence ?