SIX MEDIA organisations yesterday demanded that the junta-backed media reform committee reconsider the draft of the media bill and proposed a counter draft, which includes a committee as a self-regulating mechanism and aims to protect media rights and freedom.

The organisations are: the National Press Council, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand, the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, the Online News Providers Association and Thailand Cable TV Association. They submitted a letter, including their own draft, to Kanit Suwannet, chairman of the media reform committee.

Representing the organisations, TJA president Wanchai Wongmeechai yesterday denounced the draft bill, saying it paved the way for the state to interfere in the media, which goes against the principles laid out in the new constitution.

“The draft law is not based on the principles of protecting the rights and freedom of media members. Rather, it underlines control over media, using state authority to interfere with the media that works independently,” Wanchai said. “And that is not in line with the draft constitution passed in the referendum. It is intended for the media to independently regulate themselves without interference by the state.”

The media regulation bill proposed by the reform committee under the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) regulates that media practitioners should apply for a licence, he said.

However, the law also laid out a professional council comprised of four permanent secretaries who have the authority to revoke the licence, the TJA president said, stressing such a practice authorised state interference. It was a violation of media freedom, he said.

The draft bill is now being considered at the committee level and has not yet been approved by the reform assembly. It remains unclear when it will be passed into law.

The six organisations yesterday proposed their version of the draft bill, which puts in place a committee to protect media rights and freedom and promote media professional standards in place of the National Media Profession Council proposed in the draft bill.

The council has the authority to develop central media standards to be imposed on media professional agencies and practitioners through the regulation of media organisations. Members of the council who fail to comply will be dismissed or have to pay a fine of up to Bt30,000, according to the draft bill.

Bid to maintain press freedom

Some major media organisations have opposed the draft law and insist on self-regulation to maintain press freedom.

They have said that the code of conduct stipulated in the bill could allow politicians to exploit this loophole and undermine media independence.

The draft bill was part of the junta-appointed NRSA’s endeavour to reform media, as it was neglecting its social responsibility.

Proponents of this controversial law have said the media never proved it could self-regulate, so the reform committee had to draw up rules to do so.

Communication arts lecturer from Chulalongkorn University Pirong-rong Ramasoota said the best thing would be if the media could regulate itself, but the question lies very much on how effectively they can do so.

“Besides legal issues such as national security that should be overseen by the state, the rest should be left for media organisations to take care of themselves,” she said.

However, the current mechanism has weaknesses that resulted in the failure of self-regulation, Pirongrong said. Among them was the fact that membership was on a voluntary basis and could not be enforced inclusively or effectively, she added. Hence, the academic suggested that responsible bodies come up with a solution.

The public sector could also contribute to resolving the media issue by lodging an official complaint with media organisations and calling for action instead of posting empty complaints on social media.