Thread: Thailand: Defence Minister Sukumpol frets over too much press liberty

Sukumpol frets over too much press liberty | Bangkok Post: news

Sukumpol frets over too much press liberty

• Published: 29 Mar 2013 at 00.00
• Newspaper section: News

Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat says he is worried about the amount of freedom which the media enjoys to report on security issues.

He will discuss press freedoms with top military officials and how the media reports on contentious issues.

The way they report certain issues can stir unrest which gives cause for concern, he said.

The minister was speaking after a meeting of the Defence Council yesterday.

The media currently enjoys a lot of freedom when presenting their news reports and that is something that must be considered by the military, ACM Sukumpol said.

The minister said foreign media outlets, including CNN, which is based in the US, rarely attack the US government.

ACM Sukumpol said he was worried about media reports on sensitive issues.

Political tension is predicted to rise next month when a bill sponsored by senators and MPs on charter amendments is expected to go before parliament.

When asked if he was concerned about a possible outbreak of political unrest coinciding with the bill reaching the House, the minister said this sort of speculation would not exist if the media did not report on certain issues.

Pradit Ruangdit, the president of the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), said he was disappointed with ACM Sukumpol's stance on press freedom.

"The TJA will closely monitor what ACM Sukumpol says to senior army officials about media freedoms.

" We will never let them interfere with press freedom," he said.

Mr Pradit called on ACM Sukumpol and the government to respect Section 45 of the constitution which guarantees a person's liberty and freedom to express his or her opinion.

The law prohibits closure of a newspaper or other mass media businesses in a way that stifles such freedom, he said.