(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a 30 December 2001 TJA report: Year 2001 “year of interference”, TJA reports The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) has dubbed the year 2001 “the year of media interference”, citing five major attempts by Prime Minister Thaksin’s administration to both directly and indirectly interfere with news reporting. The association urged the […]
(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a 30 December 2001 TJA report:
Year 2001 “year of interference”, TJA reports
The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) has dubbed the year 2001 “the year of media interference”, citing five major attempts by Prime Minister Thaksin’s administration to both directly and indirectly interfere with news reporting.
The association urged the government, politicians and local vested interest groups to stop interfering in the press, to ensure its freedom. Existing social and legal mechanisms could be used to tackle the press in the event of unfair reporting, the association said.
It also urged police to be vigilant of actions deemed to threaten press freedom especially and prosecute those who have violated press freedom, to ensure the safety and freedom of the press.
In its special report released on December 30, TJA noted less violence was recorded in the year 2001 for threats and physical abuses against the press. However it documented two cases of journalists being killed in what police believed to have been linked to their reporting. Among the casualties are nine cases, recorded in 2001, of journalists being either physically abused or threatened.
TJA also reported widespread abuses of media ethics and professionalism. The worse case of the year is the bizarre Mukdaharn shooting in which a Thai Rath reporter shot dead three others working for rival local dailies before killing himself. Police believed the incident was linked to a personal matter stemming from their business conflicts in Mudaharn.
The November 18 incident prompted the Press Council of Thailand to issue a statement on December 10 warning news organisations, especially newspapers, to tighten their management and recruitment procedures, especially those that applied to provincial reporters.
It urged press organisations to discipline violators and ensure standards were maintained.
TJA said that although Thailand was praised as a land of press freedom and was selected to host the June assembly of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), press freedom and rights in general are in doubt.
TJA said there remained a lack of progress on the part of the government to abolish the draconian Press Act of 1941, which it deemed is out of date and partly contradicts the present constitution. Moreover, the state agencies still employ this law to axe press freedom, it said.
TJA also criticised the government for the lack of will to press for the media reform process, in particular the enactment of the broadcasting bill, in accordance with Article 40 of the constitution.
On the contrary, the government had heavily publicised its performance through state-owned media and ignored the reservations of academics and press organisations opposed to such “propaganda”, it said.
TJA noted there was ample evidence that proved the government used its executive power to interfere with the management of the state media. This resulted in the termination of several programmes on state-owned media, which were critical of its performance.
TJA said even privately-owned newspapers could not avoid the state’s influence. The government hosted a seminar on media reform and press development that was actually a forum to influence journalists to work in the direction the government favoured.
Use of business influence was also evident in press interference, it noted.
The association cited several incidents supporting its negative assessment, as follows:
Abuse of State Power, Interfering with the Media
1) The army-run Channel 5 blocked the Joh Jai (Frankly Speaking) and Thee Nee Prathet Thai (This is Thailand) programmes, which would have aired interviews with a Thai female monk, Dhammananda Samaneri, formerly Chatsumarn Kbilsingh, a feminist and Buddhist scholar ordained in Sri Lanka. (In violation of Article 39 of the constitution, which ensures freedom of expression and of Article 40 regarding the broadcasting media reform.)
2) The army’s June 29 order for its radio and television stations to air constructive news about the prime minister and cabinet ministers and to publicise government policies and measures. (In violation of Articles 39 and 41 of the constitution, which guarantee freedom of the press.)
3) The Public Relations Department also terminated two programmes, Rian Song Dan (Two Sides of a Coin) and Tarm Ha Kaen Dharma (The Core of Dharma), on the grounds that the host, Chirmsak Pinthong, did not have an announcer’s licence.
4) The cabinet secretariat had told ministers to use the Public Relations Department’s television channel 11 to publicise the government’s performance. (Misuse of state-run media.)
5) The issuance of August 2 letters by Special Branch police, warning Thai Rath and Krungthep Thurakit newspapers for their reports on the share concealment case against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. (In violation of Article 39 of the constitution, which guarantees the right to speak, and Article 40, that is for media reform.)
Threats and Physical Abuses against the Press
1) Thawee Keeratirangsan, Daily News’ reporter for Chum Pae, Khon Kaen was assaulted on February 3, 2001. The motive was believed to have resulted from his reporting on the demonstration of Chum Pae municipality employees demanding a job extension.
2) A bodyguard of Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh pushed and threatened a reporter at the Transport and Communications Ministry on March 16 while interviewing Chavalit.
3) Withayut Saengsopit, a radio host in Surat Thani, was murdered after revealing corruption allegations involving the local municipal council.
4) Kitti Maneechote, Thai Rath’s reporter for Saraburi, was attacked on April 10, believed to have been motivated by his reporting on illegal transport business.
5) Kaset Phuengpak, Thai Rath’s reporter for Aang Thong, was shot dead on May 2. Police suspected his reports revealing the illegal business of a provincial mafia ring as a motive behind the killing.
6) Thanomsak Noonoum, Matichon’s reporter for Trang, was assaulted by a group of five youngsters armed with weapons while he was driving. Police were suspect of his news scoops revealing the thriving sex trade of women under the age of 18.
7) A brief detention on June 28, 2001 of three iTV reporters by a female transport truck operator, who mistook them for an ally of a police gang who takes kickbacks from truck operators.
8) While in the vehicle of Voravit Patcharaan, The Nation’s reporter for Uttaradit, the editor of Uttaradit Newspaper was assaulted while parking. Police believed the incident was linked to his reports on vote rigging and irregularity in a construction deal for the provincial hall.
9) Veenus Eiamsa-ard, Thai Rath’s reporter for Ubon Ratchathani, was threatened with an M-67 grenade placed in front of her office on December 19. Police suspected her report exposing the vested interests of uniformed personnel was a motive.
Abuses of Media Ethics and Professionalism
1) A stringer for Thai Rath and Daily News for Prathum Thani were involved in a move to overturn the criminal court case involving a senator who was accused of molesting a girl under age 15. The newspapers in question later fired this stringer.
2) The Press Council of Thailand issued a statement dated September 27 urging newspapers to exercise caution in printing pictures or cartoons in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on America, which were deemed to cause national disunity.
3) The Press Council of Thailand issued a statement dated November 16, urging newspapers and other printing documents to tighten their ethic codes and professional standards in response to a complaint that provincial reporters of certain local dailies have misused their profession for business interests.
4) The Press Council of Thailand issued a statement dated December 10 urging newspapers to tighten management procedures and recruitment criterions and penalty codes for offenders for provincial reporters as a deterrence to future abuses of media ethics and their professions.
5) The Press Council of Thailand issued a statement dated December 10 urging reporters and news organisations to refrain from taking valuable gifts from government officials or politicians during New Year Celebrations and vice versa, government officials and politicians to refrain from giving valuable gifts to reporters and news organisations. Offenders in media circles are subject to ethical scrutiny.
