SEAPA News Release

March 10, 2002

BANGKOK -- A public forum on Saturday urged Thaksin government to cease behaviors deemed as threats to media freedom and fully commit to protect this basic right guaranteed under the 1997 Constitution.

In the five-point resolution, media professionals, academics and advocacy groups called the Defense Energy Department’s suspension of The Nation radio program and Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO)’s investigation into the accounts of prominent journalists who are critical of the government a breach of not only media freedom but also basic rights of the people (right to know, right to free expression ) as stipulated in the Constitution.

Some 300 audience from local and foreign media, press advocacy groups and the public attended the forum entitled “Towards Media Freedom and Academic Freedom” that adopted the resolution the end of its session.

Jointly organized by Confederation of Thai Journalists, Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and Committee to Campaign for Media Reforms, the forum is a move in a series of public campaign against the government’s increasingly heavy-handed approaches on critical media and public opinion.

The resolution also urged the government to stop actions deemed as threat to the letters and spirit of the constitution, with due respect to basic rights of the people as media consumer.

The resolution stated the government must clearly explain to the public about the AMLO’s investigation by putting in place a neutral scrutinizing body comprising members of independent bodies like Parliament, the Ombudsman, the National Human Rights Commission.

It said the process should shed lights on the validity of the investigation as well as who masterminded it and whether it was constitutional or not.

The resolution called upon the government to spell out clearly its media reform policy directions to guarantee against future interference in media affairs of all forms.

This, it said should include a denouncement of state intervention in the government agencies supervising media affairs and broadcast licenses, and of previous interference in the media works so as to provide the public a better and impartial access to information.

The forum noted the rampant threats and intimidation against media freedom stemmed from the lack of faith and sincerity on apart of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the democratic system under constitutional monarchy.

The forum called upon the government to reinstate all radio and television programs suspended ever since the start of the administration.

Participants agreed to hold a follow-up session on March 14 at Chulalongkorn University.