Thailand looks to limit voice of online media in wake of sensational stories

[webfact]

Thailand looks to limit voice of online media in wake of sensational stories

By Coconuts Bangkok

 

Photo collage includes recent coverage of the death of Belgian tourist Elise Dellamagne, and portrayal of bar girl murder suspect Preeyanuch “Preaw” Nonechai.

 

BANGKOK: -- It looks like the government plans to crack down on online media in Thailand. Monday, members of the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) voted to begin legislature regarding both short and long-term reform for laws pertaining to online media—which means they plan to tighten their control over online news sources.

 

The debate, and subsequent 144 to 1 vote to move forward, is directly related to the way online media in Thailand presents news as sensational and criminals and suspects as glorified, according to the NRSA’s deputy chairman, Pisit Pao-in, reported Bangkok Post.

 

It may not be a baseless allegation. The recent bar girl murder of Warisara Klinju and mysterious death of Belgian tourist Elise Dellamagne on Koh Tao have provided endless stories that could be described as sensational. But readers show their approval for these by clicking, sharing, and making the stories go viral.  

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/thailand-looks-limit-voice-online-media-wake-sensational-stories/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-07-05

[robsamui]

erm . . . let me just work this one out . . . 

 

The govt may eventually - if they feel they have just cause - block any media outlets in Thailand from spreading 'defamatory' comments.

 

So that takes care of all the Thai people, as they can't access these blocked sites online.

 

err . . . do any of these top administrators understand that there is the entire great wide world outside, all of which is still able to access the information coming out of Thailand?

 

Such as this up-to-date article from 'Asia's leading independent news source'
https://asiancorrespondent.com/2017/06/dangerous-thailand-authorities-denial-smoke-mirrors-exercise/#w2qSzkt3Jo3UjU3d.97

So what is the thinking behind this latest 'limitation' exercise - what are they trying to achieve?

[InMyShadow]

Haha he has no idea what sensational is. Just wait until he trips over TV.. The world's leader hahah[emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]

[angsta]

Genius. Absolute genius. 

[Smarter Than You]

In Juntaland, more censorship is always the answer.

[Moti24]

"The debate, and subsequent 144 to 1 vote to move forward, is directly related to the way online media in Thailand presents news as sensational and criminals and suspects as glorified, according to the NRSA’s deputy chairman, Pisit Pao-in, reported Bangkok Post."

 

The news is always sensational; why else would we have all the top brass on the photos, along with the criminals and suspects.  It seems the problem here is caused by some of the BiB wanted their moment of fame, instead of just solving a case and moving-on to the next.  After all, isn't that what they're paid to do!

 

[Moonmoon]

It is better to educate the citizens in critical thinking than making them sing military songs for classes so that they can think for themselves when they see any sort of news or media online. 

 

They can never stop the internet from reaching anyone. 

[darksidedog]

What they really want is for there not to be any nasty stories about Thailand, that could suggest it might be considered unsafe or corrupt, and where its people never criticize its government.

[Just1Voice]

Sooo, what's next?  Shutting down the internet in Thailand?  That's the only way they can stop the things that upset them.  Ignorant, paranoid idiots.

 

[clockman]

Thailand is the biggest user of Facebook, after Brazil!

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

media in Thailand presents news as sensational

strange, it thought that is why they call it 'news'; in any event, more denial and desire for absolute control by the rulers

[midas]

52 minutes ago, Moonmoon said:

It is better to educate the citizens in critical thinking than making them sing military songs for classes so that they can think for themselves when they see any sort of news or media online. 

 

They can never stop the internet from reaching anyone. 

Yes they can by providing only an intranet to the people like they do in North Korea

[Bluespunk]

I understand the cabinet will be honoured with a poem celebrating this move, later this week. 

[colinneil]

Please be good people, not speak bad things, we maybe get upset.

Then we will have to take your sweeties away.

Sounds like a parent chastising a delinquent child

[stephen tracy]

I don't believe any of this sensational stories about criminals <deleted> as being a prime motivator for all this.  The real reason is stop "bad" people voicing opinions, particularly of the political nature, that the man-child doesn't like.

[WhizBang]

15 hours ago, stephen tracy said:

I don't believe any of this sensational stories about criminals <deleted> as being a prime motivator for all this.  The real reason is stop "bad" people voicing opinions, particularly of the political nature, that the man-child doesn't like.

 

Correct, the sensational news excuse is just a smoke screen for the real reason, which simply is to have total control over the flow of information TO the people and BETWEEN people.

 

This guy would have a heart seizure if he knew what people were saying hushed voices behind closed doors.

 

[YetAnother]

Stories are too negative to be published ?really?!

Talk about censorship....

[MichaelJohn]

It'll just be another "bad news" item for the global press to add to the others; deaths on Koh Tao, Rapes of foreigners, Rip off on the Jet Ski, Coups, Army Control, Cover up the Skimpy pants, ........

Fast becoming a laughing stock and then people wonder why tourists stop coming (except the Chinese of course).

[bangrak]

Couldn't the NRSA members rather have been thinking about how (they could contribute) to prevent criminal acts from happening in the first place? What would there then be left for the media to make 'sensational' news with? But, or course, I do realise the immensity of the job that would be: 'reform' the RTP, in depth, destroy all the mafia organisations,  fight hard against corruption, etc. No doubt it's much easier to shoot the messenger, not to lose face... But does that solve, any, problem? Have the people-in-power in fact, ever, really, truly, been busy with bringing definitive solutions to the basic, essential problems which are gangrening(!) the lifes of the Thai citizens? Not even attempting to do so, I'm afraid. Power, money and corruption are as much a closed team as the three monkeys are. Nothing, positively(!) meaningfull for 'the people', will change or be reformed, I lost my hope. In the Kingdom of Denmark there was something rotten (in a play), here I don't know what isn't, alas. 

[quadperfect]

I wonder if the one guy who voted against this mob gets to be a different person each vote ,just so things dont look so obviouse like everyone agree to the motion.

Or if its the same guy whos job it is to vote against the mob every time.

[drgoon]

If all of these idiots got what they wanted this place might end up like North Korea.

 

 

[Juan B Tong]

Memo to staff:

Let us review:

Military control of government.......................check

Reframe military leader media presence.......check (initial steps)

Control of media..............................................This will be a tough one, were not talking newspapers and radio.  Were talking the internet.

Internet is do-able, but what about VPNs?

 

If we are going to have the kind of society we want to have, we have continue to surpress dissidents and somehow control social media

 

Put our best brains on it!

 

The Big Man

[observer90210]

we better all hurry up and use up our quotas of ranting...seems that the days of glory are soon going to pass...and some crackdowns may follow against those living in Thailand, posting hostily towards the country and it's regime....not justified, but understandable...

[stephen tracy]

1 minute ago, observer90210 said:

we better all hurry up and use up our quotas of ranting...seems that the days of glory are soon going to pass...and some crackdowns may follow against those living in Thailand, posting hostily towards the country and it's regime....not justified, but understandable...

They'll need to learn to read English first, or who knows, maybe they could start hiring native English speakers to monitor TV. 

[observer90210]

3 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

They'll need to learn to read English first, or who knows, maybe they could start hiring native English speakers to monitor TV. 

well Sir,  Sun Tzu said in the Art of War...never underestimate thy opponent©

[Lupatria]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand looks to limit voice of online media in wake of sensational stories

Like new poems, songs, and movies from the PM?

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, stephen tracy said:

They'll need to learn to read English first, or who knows, maybe they could start hiring native English speakers to monitor TV. 

Nah, they'll get that Thai/Singaporean soldier to do it for them. 

[George Feedback]

If they cleaned house and actually reformed the police, sacked all the inactive posts, enforced the ending of TV interviews and "reenactments" by them and got a days work of those left enforcing road safety etc there would be no need to censor social media.

Maybe it's just easier to switch it off and forget the problems...

[claffey]

6 hours ago, MichaelJohn said:

It'll just be another "bad news" item for the global press to add to the others; deaths on Koh Tao, Rapes of foreigners, Rip off on the Jet Ski, Coups, Army Control, Cover up the Skimpy pants, ........

Fast becoming a laughing stock and then people wonder why tourists stop coming (except the Chinese of course).

The Chinese are tourists too and spend a lot more than Western Tourists. I was in Don Muang last night and there were hundreds of Chinese Tourists passing through immigration and only about 10 westerners some of which looked like they lived here. Western tourists dont matter anymore. Its all about the Chinese and most of them are on strictly controlled tours.

[George Feedback]

Inside "communist" China, what social media do they get?

(I haven't been there since 2000)