TJA Statement on World Press Freedom Day
TJA Appeals Government for Concrete Implementation of Media Reform Plan

May 3, 2002

BANGKOK -- As the World Press Freedom Day, as endorsed by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation Organization (UNESCO) marks its 11^th anniversary on May 2, 2002, Thai Journalists Association (TJA) would like to commend Thai media for sticking out together in performing its duty freely while maintaining both the principle of media freedom and journalistic ethics in show of its responsibility to media consumers and society as a whole.

On this auspicious occasion, TJA would like to bring the attention of the government, politicians, civil servants and media friends and the people to the present legal issues and the government policies which obstruct the public to fully exercise its freedom of expression and the rights to know, envisaged in the 1997 Constitution. These predicaments are as follow:

1. The government led by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his cabinet never introduced any concrete measure to guarantee against a direct or indirect abuse of power by any official agency to threaten or intimidate, interfere with the media. Any indication to its change of mind will be to introduce a penal code to punish those civil servants that resist the government’s policy to support the media freedom in presenting news and expressing their opinions.

2. The Government never paid attention to the process of drafting the Broadcasting Bill, which is a crucial legal instrument to determine the formula and guidelines for the media reform. Needless to say, its ignorance of the reform in the radio and television industry often brought about problems in pursuance of its commitment to the letters and spirit of the constitution with regard to the media freedom.

For example, a recent order to close down the community radio stations which were airing on trial basis, constitutionally in conformity with the media reform. This government action is totally in contrast to the policy to develop and support community media of UNESCO to which Thailand is a member.

3. Despite the government’s proclamation in its policy statement, there is still a lack of progress in amendment to the 1997 Official Information Act, which came into force in 1997 but encountered the problem in its implementation.

4. The Government still paid a scant interest to the revocation of the 1941 Publishing Act, which is outdated and contrasted with the spirit and letters of the present constitution. To scrap this draconian act without any substitute is crucial to the image and credibility of Thailand in the international community.

It is our highest hope that cross sections of the Thai society would share its full cognizance of the important role the media profession plays in the politic, economic and social changes. To demonstrates this share of responsibility is to help support the media freedom and at the same time help scrutinize media performance

Thai Journalists Association