Weaker media reform plan endorsed by NRSA as critics worry about freedom

After strong criticism, the committee backed down on the plan to have a licensing system to control journalists and media organisations, replacing it with “media certificates” that would be issued by the operators of media organisations, according to ACM Kanit Suwannet, chairman of the committee studying the issue. 
A second contentious plan to have state officials sit on the media professional council was adopted. 
The NRSA endorsed the controls with a vote of 141 to 13, with 17 abstaining.
The committee on media reform has 30 days to amend the original draft in accordance with the new proposals. 
During the debate yesterday, former journalist Kamnoon Siddhisamarn said the idea to control the media was undemocratic as it violated freedom of expression. “The National Council for Peace and Order declares clearly the road map to complete democracy. As such, the fundamental principle of it should not be violated by any means, especially concerning freedom of expression as well as press freedom,” he said.
 Others, including bureaucrats, senior military officers and professionals including doctors, supported the bill, saying that the media had influence over society so there should be a new professional council, accreditation or licensing, and ethical standards to help regulate the practice. 
Politician Nikorn Jamnong said the bill’s content apparently went against its own principle of promoting media protection and ethics by imposing several control measures and penalties against the media. 
General Lertrat Rattanavanich, a former vice chief charter drafter, said there was hardly any content in the proposed bill that clearly addressed the promotion of media protection and ethics despite the title of the bill.
Former foreign minister Kasit Piromya expressed his concern about the committee chairman’s attitude towards the media. 
While Kanit cited examples of media regulation in Singapore and Malaysia, Kasit said those countries were not democratic in their dealings with the media.
Kasit said the media in Thailand should be encouraged to regulate themselves to help ensure morality in society, based on democratic |principles, just like in any other democratic county.
Earlier yesterday, the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) submitted a letter to NRSA vice president Alongkorn Ponlaboot calling for the proposed media reform draft bill to be withdrawn.
TJA president Pramed Lekpetch said the draft bill violated the principle of press freedom. The press should be self-regulated or regulated by the public, but not by a media professional council, as stipulated in the draft bill, he said.
Alongkorn said enactment of the law needed to involve the Cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly, with the pros and cons of the proposal analysed in accordance with Article 77 of the new Constitution.
Representatives of the TJA will petition Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha today, asking him to reject the proposed media reform bill.