Do the Junta want too much control over the Media?
There are growing concerns both in Thailand and abroad about a new law by the Junta that would permit greater and unnecessary control on private media outlets as well as journalists in the country.
The National Reform Steering Assembly and the government could have directed its energy more productively elsewhere by ensuring greater media freedom, independence and protection. The Assembly is made up of people appointed by this government backed by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
They were instructed to draft a “bill on rights, protection, ethical promotion, and standards of media professionals” as part of the NCPO’s reform agenda. But these drafters seem to regard “reform” and “control” as synonymous.
In a sign that the country’s media will be taking a big step backward, the bill requires all journalists to be licensed by the government.
The legislation is currently under review by the NRSA media reform panel. The fact that the current junta has proven to be extremely thin-skinned when it comes to handling criticism should be a matter of concern.
As pointed out by the Thai Journalists Association, Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, the National Press Council of Thailand, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand, the Online New Providers Association, and the Thailand Cable TV Association, the bill will invite state interference in the media.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Centre for Protection of Journalists said it shared the same concern.
The requirement for a media outlet and reporters to be licensed could easily overturn the entire foundation on which the media rests. The granting of a licence will no longer be a right; it will become a privilege granted by the state. It will cause journalists to censor themselves for fear of reprisal from the government. It does not take a genius to predict how this will play out – media outlets that submit an application to the government authority will, naturally, be given a licence.
Besides doing away with this draft legislation, the junta should also repeal military order No 97/2557 and No 103/2557. The orders ban news reporting that could “create confusion, instigate unrest, or deepen divisions among people”, or be considered “malicious”, or “misleading” about how the NCPO conducts itself.
When the junta launched the coup over two years ago, their constant emphasis was on “reforms”. But reforms took a back seat once the junta turned their focus to winning a referendum on the draft constitution to claim legitimacy.
After two years, the country remains divided while the referendum outcome cannot be considered an absolution of how the junta seized power.
Instead of hiding behind fancy words like “national security, protecting the political system and the moral values of the people”, people and the world will respect this government more if it could make a clean breast about its intention to cement a place in Thai politics.
All along they have claimed their actions were in the people’s interests, but this is still very much open to debate.
Source: The Nation
