Media groups study police action over online posts
Professional media associations are studying whether police intimidated the media when they summoned social-media users, including a Thai PBS news editor, over their Facebook posts.
The Society Online News Providers and the Thai Journalists Association will meet today to decide their views over the police taking action against TPBS political news editor Sermsuk Kasitipradit for his Facebook post on the possibility of a looming coup.
Meanwhile, TPBS managing director Somchai Suwanban on Tuesday issued a statement in response to the police’s move to summon Sermsuk to face charges for violating the Computer Crime Act.
The statement said Sermsuk made the comment with honest intention, a right guaranteed by the Constitution. If Sermsuk’s action was in violation of any law, investigation should be conducted in a fair manner without discrimination or hidden agenda.
The Thai PBS managing director has instructed Sermsuk to exercise caution in expressing his opinion via media channels, being aware that his comments must not adversely affect his organisation and his own credibility as a media professional, the statement said.
Thai PBS has upheld the media code of conduct and ethics in carrying out media work, including expressing opinion on online media networks. The agency would conduct a probe into the incident involving Sermsuk and take appropriate and fair measures accordingly, the statement said.
On Monday, Pol Maj-General Pisit Paoin, commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division, said four suspects, including Sermsuk, posted messages via social media, saying they anticipated a coup and urged people to stock up on food and water in preparation for a shortage. Such statements could cause people to panic, he said. Anyone who pressed "Like" or shared the messages could also be liable for punishment.
Pisit said yesterday that a suspect, whose Facebook name is Pu Chon Buri Nak Su Tulee Din, had turned himself in while Sermsuk would meet the police tomorrow.
A cyber law expert, who asked not to be named, read Sermsuk’s Facebook messages and said that Sermsuk did not violate the law.
"I am confident that he did not violate either Article 116 of the Criminal Law or the Computer Crime Act," he said.
