(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) news release on the 2002 media situation in Thailand. The report was prepared by SEAPA member TJA: TJA Says 2002 was the Year of Media Co-optation The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) says the year 2002 marks the year of media co-optation, when overall abuses […]
(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) news release on the 2002 media situation in Thailand. The report was prepared by SEAPA member TJA:
TJA Says 2002 was the Year of Media Co-optation
The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) says the year 2002 marks the year of media co-optation, when overall abuses against press freedom declined as the government’s interference with the media become more sophisticated and subtle.
In its annual report, released on January 2, TJA said the most serious violation of press freedom in the history of Thai democracy was the government’s instruction to the Anti-Money Laundering Organization (AMLO) to probe the assets of editors and columnists who are critical of the government and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The report attributed the overall decline of abuses, compared to last year, to the continuing public free-media campaigns raised by media advocacy groups and academics. Another factor was that government tactics of media interference have become more sophisticated.
TJA pointed out that while cases involving state intimidation against broadcast media and physical attacks on local journalists decreased, state intimidation remained well entrenched.
It said government agencies intimidate critical radio and television programs that come out with reports considered to be damaging to the image of the government and the country. In effect, program producers were forced to tone down their news content to ensure their economic survival.
According to TJA, the government’s use of economic pressure as a bargaining chip to prod newspapers to toe its line has become more prominent. Two editors were forced to resign.
TJA attributed the decline in physical harassment against the media to the fact that influential local figures became more vulnerable to law enforcement, and vice versa. Local media coverage of corruption cases involving influential figures in the provinces has dropped due to fears of a political backlash.
TJA said momentum in media reform in accordance with Article 40 of the 1997 Constitution continued at a slow pace. Despite some progress made in the redrafting of broadcast laws and the legalizing of community radio stations, the draconian Printing Act of 1941, which prevented a free press, remained in place despite repeated calls for its repeal.
Concerning the violation of media ethics, The Press Council of Thailand (TPCT), a media self-regulatory body that supervises media ethics, has received 13 complaints, mainly concerning inaccurate reports, the violation of women’s rights and misplaced displays of advertisement. In the majority of cases, media observed TPCT rulings to compensate the complainants when they were found to have violated ethical standards. Other cases were dropped after the TPCT ruled that the news reports in question were professionally treated.
TPCT also issued a statement outlining guidelines for newspapers’ reports on rape and murder with due respect for the victims’ dignity and the rights of women, children and less fortunate groups. TPCT will also cooperate with the AIDS Patients’ Rights Protection Center to draw guidelines for media coverage of AIDS cases, to avoid violating the human rights of patients.
Violations against the media recorded by TJA were as follows:
State’s Abuses of Power Against the Media
1) The Parliament’s program on Channel 11 was cancelled and replaced with a state agency’s public relations program.
2) The Army Energy Department issued an order to its radio concessionaire on March 5, 2002 to withdraw The Nation’s news talk program from its station on grounds that the program was too critical of the government.
3) The Anti-Money Laundering Organization sent letters to commercial banks on March 6, 2002 to scrutinize the assets of executive editors of The Nation, the Thai Post and Naew Na, who were critical of the government.
4) A group of reporters from Trang province filed a complaint against the Trang governor’s threat to use its authority under the 1941 Printing Act to close the local newspaper Khao Seri. The governor said the newspaper’s reports caused instability.
Threats and Physical Intimidation Against the Media
1) March 7, 2002: A prime ministerial aide threatened to slap the face of a Thai Post reporter attached to the Government House, as he was discontent with the newspaper’s articles on the Amlo investigation.
2) June 17, 2002: Four men disguised as police officers raided a house belonging to an INN radio station reporter, claiming the reporter’s news coverage antagonized someone at the National Police Bureau.
3) June 30, 2002: The editor of Trat Daily was attacked by the staff of a ferry company at Laem Ngob District while photographing the company’s workers loading automobiles onto the ferry.
4) July 17, 2002: An unidentified attacker smashed the windows of a pick-up truck belonging to the editor of Pattaya Weekly. It is believed that the attack was a form of retribution for his expose on a gambling den in Pattaya.
5) September 15, 2002: A female reporter from Matichon newspaper accused veteran politician Sanan Khachornprasart of molesting her while she was on duty at a hotel on Ratchadapisek Rd.
