Press freedom?

[Oliver]

A disturbing report in today's Guardian reveals how journalists investigating stories of national and international concern (in this case the human-traffic scandal) are treated by the junta.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/j ... ing-report (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/14/australian-and-thai-journalists-on-trial-for-human-trafficking-report)

[thaiguest]

A disturbing report in today's Guardian reveals how journalists investigating stories of national and international concern (in this case the human-traffic scandal) are treated by the junta.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/j ... ing-report (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/14/australian-and-thai-journalists-on-trial-for-human-trafficking-report)

Now SGF might be treated the same.

[bkkguy]

A disturbing report in today's Guardian reveals how journalists investigating stories of national and international concern (in this case the human-traffic scandal) are treated by the junta.

Never one to let the facts get in the way of a good bit of propaganda are you Oliver!

The Guardian article does not in any way imply the junta is responsible for, or is in any way involved in, the current trail of the PhuketWan journalists, though many commentators quoted in the article decry the continuing decline in media freedom in Thailand.

The decline did not start with the coup in May 2014 however. In fact the case currently being heard by the courts was initiated by Thai police at the request of the Royal Thai Navy in December 2013 in relation to an article published in July 2013, so your beloved Yingluck government who was in power at the time was obviously no more interested in defending press freedom that any other Thai government before or since - "democratically elected" or not!

bkkguy

[Up2U]

Related article......

14 July 2015
Journalists Sued by Thai Navy Optimistic After First Day of trial

BANGKOK тАУ The two journalists facing a defamation lawsuit filed by the Royal Thai Navy said they were hopeful after the first day of their trial concluded on Tuesday.

Naval officers sued Thai reporter Chutima Sidasathian and her Australian colleague, Alan Morison, over an article the pair published in July 2013 on the local news website Phuketwan. The article carried excerpts from a Reuters report that accused "Thai naval forces" of accepting bribes in exchange for protecting human traffickers who smuggled Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar into southern Thailand.

The journalists are facing up to seven years in prison for charges of libel and violating ThailandтАЩs Computer Crime Act.

In the lawsuit, the navy said the two Phuket-based journalists defamed the navy by publishing the following paragraph from the Reuters report:

"'The Thai naval forces usually earn about 2000 baht per Rohingya for spotting a boat or turning a blind eye, said the smuggler, who works in the southern Thai region of Phang Nga [north of Phuket] and deals directly with the navy and police."..... (read more).....

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... 6&section= (http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1436879584&typecate=06&section=)

[Oliver]

However restrictive Thai governments have traditionally been when it comes to the media, it's no use denying that this bunch has plumbed new depths as it seeks to root-out opposition. For heaven's sake, it even closed the DMC TV channel when it came to power. Meditation is subversive?

SE Asian authority figures are extraordinarily adept at using defamation laws to minimise the notions of "freedom of speech" or "press freedom". Singapore's ruling clique have turned this into an art form. The notion that a government body can sue for defamation of "character" is ludicrous to us, but that's the case here - it's the Thai Navy that's prosecuting this case. Lese majeste is a similar law. It has nothing to do with the complexion of the government in Thailand - not that that will stop Oliver doing some left-wing bleating. His favourite organisations (the anti-Israel lobby) are equally opposed to press freedom - just google "Hamas freedom of speech" (go figure - but the Left has never been a paragon of consistency).

However all is not completely lost. An Australian politician has recently failed in a defamation case over the story accompanying the headline "Treasurer for sale"; he won a minor victory over the headline being quoted with no context (how could it be?) on placards and Twitter but was awarded derisory damages which one could characterise as "get a life". His legal costs are multiples of what he won in damages.

[Smiles]

However restrictive Thai governments have traditionally been when it comes to the media, it's no use denying that this bunch has plumbed new depths as it seeks to root-out opposition. For heaven's sake, it even closed the DMC TV channel when it came to power. Meditation is subversive?
Somehow Ollie, the Thai way ~ as non-western as it is ~ seems to me a tad less dramatic than the Hamas version of stifling one's opponents: i.e. tossing them head first off roof tops, their hands tied behind their backs. And no defence lawyers to boot.
But you do love to revel in your blood thirsty little world view, don't you.

[bkkguy]

However restrictive Thai governments have traditionally been when it comes to the media, it's no use denying that this bunch has plumbed new depths as it seeks to root-out opposition.

I can see where you are coming from here - in a similar fashion while corruption has always been a perennial problem in Thailand the various Taksin (and his puppet) administrations took it to dazzling new heights.

but these point-scoring comparisons and your misleading intro to the Guardian article miss the point - without a fundamental change in attitude another 20 years of military, Taksin or Bangkok elite rule is going to do nothing to improve press freedom in Thailand yet alone move towards the creation of a civil society where democracy can take root and thrive!

An interesting op-ed piece in the Bangkok Post:



As long as our culture is deeply rooted in militarism and racism, don't expect a smooth ride towards democracy. I've come to this conclusion after trying to understand why a large number of educated middle-class people still support military dictatorship or why the so-called pro-democracy groups refuse to question Thaksin's authoritarianism.

You might argue that as arch enemies, the Prayut and Thaksin rules are worlds apart. But are they?

Democracy? Don't hold your breath (http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/622868/democracy-don-t-hold-your-breath)

bkkguy