(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a 21 February 2003 joint press release by TJA and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA): Thai Media Advocates Join Forces Against Government’s Attempt to Curb Media Freedom On 20 February 2003, three journalists’ associations protested against a government bill they say curbs press freedom. In a joint press conference, […]
(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a 21 February 2003 joint press release by TJA and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA):
Thai Media Advocates Join Forces Against Government’s Attempt to Curb Media Freedom
On 20 February 2003, three journalists’ associations protested against a government bill they say curbs press freedom.
In a joint press conference, the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, the Thai Journalists Association and the Business Reporters Association condemned the bill as counterproductive to the on-going media reform process and said it would enable politicians to exert control over broadcast media.
The bill, proposed by 20 members of the ruling Thai Rak Thai party, would allow a council to issue ethical guidelines and punish offending media outlets. Offending items could be taken off the air and broadcasters and operators suspended or jailed.
Thepchai Yong, vice-chairman of the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, attacked the process by which the bill was drafted as lacking transparency, as it was written by a political interest group, without prior consultation with professional media groups. No public hearing on the bill was held.
Mr Thepchai said a provisional clause allowing the prime minister to pick council members confirmed the government’s intention to control the media. “This goes against media reform, which is intended to grant media freedom without political influence,” Thepchai stated.
Thepchai said the jail sentences imposed by the bill would give the above-mentioned disciplinary council illegitimate power, since sentences for media offenses are already in place under other laws, including criminal law.
Veera Pratheepchaikul, president of the Thai Journalists Association, said barring people who did not hold a media licence from broadcasting interfered with the constitutional right to freedom of expression.
Under Article 39 of the Constitution, radio and television station owners have their own mechanisms for screening broadcasters. A system of accountability enables media professional groups to cross-check one another.
Thai Rak Thai members of parliament are promoting the bill after the Independent News Network (INN) last week ran an interview, in which Deputy Prime Minister Purachai Piumsombun criticised Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for removing him from the post of justice minister.
The associations said the use of the INN context was an attempt to divert attention from conflict in the Thai Rak Thai party and to justify controlling the media.
The three associations urged the politicians involved to stop pushing the bill. Instead, they said the government and parties concerned should show their commitment to media reform, promote press freedom and stop monopolising broadcast frequencies.
