Sonthi denies trying to stifle media

[Braveheart]

Extracted from the Bangkok Post

 

POST REPORTERS

 

The Council for National Security (CNS) has played down its ban on broadcast media coverage of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying it was aimed at uniting Thai society. CNS chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin dismissed the idea that the ban was an attempt to stifle the freedom of the press, saying the CNS was asking for cooperation on a voluntary basis. The move drew protests from the media.

 

''We're asking for cooperation. If they don't cooperate, it's fine. It is voluntary and they can choose when to cooperate,'' said Gen Sonthi.

 

Assistant army chief Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr, assistant to the CNS secretary-general, said the broadcast ban was not meant to intimidate or challenge the media. He said the council's primary concern was television programmes and certain hosts who were deemed to be ''emotionally involved''.

 

Warnings would be given to programmes that did not cooperate and seizing the frequencies or stations would be the last resort.

 

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont also defended the CNS decision, saying it was up to the media whether or not to do what the CNS asked of them. He said the government was so far open to public opinion, and the media should exercise proper judgement when reporting.

 

According to Gen Surayud, the CNS did not single out broadcasters or individuals who gave the former leader too much coverage because it would draw more criticism that it was biased.

 

The order, which was issued on Wednesday, drew strong protests from the Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR), which said it reflected a narrow-minded abuse of power. It urged the media community to oppose the CNS, whose order was an open and direct intimidation of the media. It said the order would further weaken the state-controlled broadcasters, which were largely deprived of independence. ''The CNS move deserves a protest from the media community and the public at large before the rights and freedom situation further deteriorates.

 

''The CNS's next target is the print media which is starting to voice a different political standpoint, after it has tried to control the broadcasting media including community radio and the internet,'' read the CPMR's statement.

 

The Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and the Thai Journalists Association yesterday issued a joint statement voicing disagreement with the CNS and called for the ban to be lifted.

 

The organisations were concerned that the move would hurt press freedom, thus affecting the public's basic right to information.

 

''We urge the CNS to review the measure and use other means to give information and facts to the public rather than controlling them,'' read the statement.

 

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Campaign for Popular Democracy secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila joined the chorus of disagreement with the ban.

 

Both believed that the CNS should refrain from imposing control and try to communicate better with the public.

 

''The CNS should single out programmes or hosts who are acting as mouthpieces of the old power clique. They have yet to learn to use state-owned media to facilitate their work,'' said Mr Suriyasai.

 

Mr Abhisit said Mr Thaksin had the right to speak and defend himself, and the CNS should show the public when lies were told.