แถลงการณ์คณะกรรมการรณรงค์เพื่อการปฏิรูปสื่อ (คปส.)

Article by VOA News

Internet, Satellite Communications Widen Political Debate in Thailand

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
08 July 2009

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-07-08-voa18.cfm

This morning before dawn, I posted short messages on Twitter and Facebook to commemorate the day of revolution for Constitutional Democracy in Thailand on the occasion of June 24 , lot of netizen friends re-tweeted the messages on this matter continuously. The role of social media or social network has played more vitally in Thai society especially among the Net generation. I wonder if a number of  Internet users are dramatically increased, how Thai Government will deal with the livelier community of social network in cyber world.    The role of Twitter has shown a dramatic consequence in Iran uprising as we’ve seen. I was requested by netizen friends to change my location and time zone in my Twitter to Iran’s time in order to cause technical jam when Iranian government attempted to hunt the dissident netizens who mobilizing themselves from online to offline world.

Internet is not only the media or medium for human communication but in fact a different world to live and share.

What has been discussed in the Internet might not be the agendas or stories selected by mass media.

Yesterday, I was at the workshop for activists on civil journalism, they’re encouraged to voice out and publish their own stories via online channel. This becomes a trend but how far social media could direct this country for changes politically, culturally and socially, it is so interesting to observe.

I meant to talk about the Siamese Revolution Day but just spoke about the media. I just wish to see mass media contribute airtime and space for historical stories like what happened today 77 years ago so the general public and young generation could learn about Thai history much more oriented.  But in fact we rarely heard about this kind of story from mass media. It’s never been a big news if compares with such a dramatized news of baby Panda or the orphanage child, Keigo.  I am not sure this early morning how many of people would have come to commemorate the day at the Royal Plaza where the symbol of the Revolution established in that area. I was once able to manage to go there since it’s too early. Before the September 19 coup in 2006, we could see various activists organized the event together. It was still a good memory to remind  that.

77 years on, where do we go next? I also don’t know but at least we came a bit far because the change at early dawn in 1932 contributed to certain level of liberty and democracy that I could enjoy. But many people do not think so.

I do not have any suggestion for now but I hope democracy in this country will be sustained and stregnthened despite the ongoing conflict. Hope we are willing to accept the reality and allow citizens to learn and discuss the history fully more, therefore we could understand the present and be cautious or prepare for the future. Mass media is important for this role, please do not ignore, try a bit harder and it will help a lot.

Continued posting this news from The Nation written by a young rising journalist, Taweeporn Kummetha, she wrote series of media and politics for The Nation recently, her points are crucial. I felt a bit tired when gave her interviews since she always asked many (good)  questions She didn’t  only want me to fill her story but enthusiastically love to learn and argue with. She said she tried her best to write impartial reports in this partial world of journalism, which is not easy task I must say. Every time I see young journalists who are  obsessed with the role of journalism I feel happy and inspired. Despite the media is highly being criticized because it’s biased and very commercialized but I still do take the role of journalism seriously and count it as the solution. More importantly, no matter what kinds of medium are, the essence of journalism is carrying the truth based on facts and free opinion.

Red media thriving, despite govt crackdown By Thaweeporn Kummetha
The Nation
Published on June 16, 2009

Although the Abhisit government grabbed a chance during the emergency decree - sending troops to raid and shut down the pro red-shirt media, D Station and community radio stations - the red media reincarnated after only a month.

…………………………….
Supinya Klangnarong, a media-rights activist, said political media was not a new phenomenon in Thailand. The creation of the red-shirt media was a mirror to the beginning of yellow-shirt media. With the sense of being a minority and the government’s opposition, they had to make space to voice their opinions, she said.

The difference between red-shirt media and yellow-shirt media, Supinya said, was in the means of suppression administered by the government.

“The suppression of red-shirt media by the Abhisit-led government was no different from the suppression of the yellow-shirt media by the Thaksin-led government in 2006. However, the means of suppression differed as the Abhisit government used the law to shut down the media, while the Thaksin government used defamation suits [to attack the media professionals],” she said.

Excited to moderate this panel, which the panelists are PAD&UDD’s leaders.

กำหนดการ โครงการสัมมนา

“คนรุ่นใหม่ กับการให้การศึกษาทางการเมือง(Civic Education)”

14 มิถุนายน 2552
ณ โรงแรมแม็ก ถนนพระราม 9 กรุงเทพฯ

(Maxx Hotel Bangkok 288 Rama 9 Road)

จัดโดย ศูนย์ประสานงานเยาวชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย(YPD)

และมูลนิธิฟรีดริค เอแบร์ท(FES)

13.00-13.30 น.                    ลงทะเบียนการผู้เข้าร่วมการสัมมนา

13.30-13.45 น.                    กล่าวเปิดงาน พร้อมฉายวีทีอาร์ (VTR)

โดย ศูนย์ประสานงานเยาวชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย (YPD)

และมูลนิธิฟรีดริค เอแบร์ท (FES)

13.45-14.15 น.                    นำเสนอ ข้อเสนอของเยาวชน

จากการสัมมนา “คนรุ่นใหม่ กับการให้การศึกษาทางการเมือง(Civic Education)”

1.สถานการณ์ปัญหาอุปสรรคของสังคมไทย ต่อกระบวนการ Civic Education

2.แผนงาน Civic Education ของเยาวชน

14.15-15.00 น.                    เวทีเสวนาทัศนะวิจารณ์แผนงานเยาวชน และความสำคัญในสถานการณ์ปัจจุบัน

ต่อกระบวนการสร้าง Civic Education เพื่อพัฒนาประเทศไทย

ร่วมเสวนา โดย    รศ. ดร. พฤทธิ์ ศิริบรรณพิทักษ์         สภาพัฒนาการเมือง

พิภพ ธงไชย พันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย

ผศ. จรัล ดิษฐาอภิชัย แนวร่วมประชาธิปไตยต่อต้านเผด็จการแห่งชาติ

15.00-16.15 น.                    เยาวชนและผู้เข้าร่วมฟังเวทีเสวนา ร่วมแลกเปลี่ยนความคิดเห็นและคำถาม

ผู้ดำเนินรายการ   สุภิญญา กลางณรงค์           รองประธานคณะกรรมการรณรงค์เพื่อการปฏิรูปสื่อ

16.15-16.30น.                     สรุปและปิดการสัมมนา

สอบถามรายละเอียดที่ 081-455-5928, 089-927-2234

……………………

I am glad indeed to moderate this political event tomorrow afternoon at the Maxx Hotel though I feel a lot excited since  two panelists are Mr.Pipbop Thongchai, PAD’s leader and Mr.Jaran Ditthaabhichai, UDD’s. They were  close friend and colleague before the political turning point in September 2006.

Both of them are senior activists whom I do always respect especially Mr.Pipbop who was helping to establish Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR) in 2001. He was one of  my great mentors and advisers in political activities, until nowadays he is like my senior relative though we rarely meet and talk to each other.

I am nervous to moderate this event but I believe the discussion will be fruitful.

I feel honored to do this role too.For me, politics could not ruin true friendship, compassion can ease confrontation.

No matter what my head said but my heart was moved by what I had seen tonight.  It keeps moving, inevitably.

http://www.matichon.co.th/mtc-flv-window.php?newsid=1243259901 (PAD received a consensus to set up new political party by the supporters on May 25, 2009)

Rain was falling, so romantic and dramatic.  It is a good news and sign I guess.   Must be glad with.

May I drop short message to my friend who is out there.

Whatever it was and whatever it will be, I wish you good luck for what you have chosen.

The world is so wide but the path is so narrow now. Walk slowly, calmly, still passionately but with more tolerance.

Most important than anything: keep safe, be safe and stay safe from every cause of dangers.

Hope Thai politic will not be so wilder than it was.  Good luck to you and everyone.

Today , May 17th,

17 years ago, it was important day for political incident in Thailand. May I join the others to commemorate the Black May 1992 and convey my tribute to all late heroes and the disappeared ones who sacrificed their lives to protect Thai democracy. Also my respect to the relatives of all heroes which every year have to come to Suan Santiporn at Ratchadamneun Avenue on 17th May to keep the memory of this incident and the heroes survived.
This year the relatives have expected to hear good news for the progress of the establishment of May 1992 Memorial which is just about to be constructed.

Last Sunday on May 10th, I joined the panel discussion on the topic ‘The Lesson-learned from Black May 1992′.

From this event, I was touched by the speech of Ms.Pratabjit Neelapaijit, the daughter of missing human-rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit who was abducted several years ago and still the missing person.

Pratabjit said in the panel that ‘Actually I do not know how to share opinion on this topic since Thai society has never ever attempted to make any lesson from any  incident, therefore we could not assume that we have yet had any lesson to learn from this incident since the history is not yet revised.’  Indeed, it’s unfinished business, truth yet prevail. How could we have a lesson?

Mr.Adul Kiewboriboon, chair of the May 1992 Committees of Heroes Relatives, spoke on that day that “We can forgive but we never and will not forget, we still tirelessly seek for the truth, we never blamed the military, we just want to get the bones of our loved ones back, we just want to know where they are?”

17 years gone, all of missing heroes would been dead but that is not important for them now,
for the suffering relatives, only the truth about the missing ones will liberate them from pain and unresolved feeling.

Impunity! impunity! impunity! impunity! that’s always the tradition in Thailand isn’t it? Why? No such power-holders have to take responsibility for the missing, killed and injured victims happened by/for political cause?

On Tuesday May 19th, Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, was submitted a letter of request by the May 1992 Committees of Heroes’ Relatives on the matter of the container found in the Cholburi Sea, the relatives wanted the Government to investigate the truth; what are in the mysterious container?  That’s all. They do not want something else even an apology if the assumption is proved true.

Long long time, there have been rumors that the fishermen who have found somethings related to the bodies of human being around the container under the sea. These rumors connected to the assumption that the container was thrown into the sea by the military after the anti-dictatorship protesters shot dead during the uprising in May 1992. No one could prove this rumor for 17 years.

To simply solve this mystery, why is it too difficult to get the answer if the bones of heroes are in there?

It is absolutely worthy and meaningful to find.  Lot of budget to be spent?  No it is never too much to revise the history of Black May which more than 300 victims made disappeared NOT only 30-40 as claimed by Thai Government.

But what I heard today is not encouraging  because  Prime Minister spoke on TV show saying that ‘container not related to May 1992 bloodshed’ (see news in http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/30102846/PM-says-container-not-related-to-May-1992-bloodshe)

This statement would have made hope of all relatives quickly gone once again.
Before finalizing it, why should not we prove it first?

Media should be urged to keep asking authorities questions on this mission.

We do not have anything to be afraid of , truth is not such thing we have to fear for, is it?

How long we are still kept with so the secret and undisclosed stories?
How can we move forward without revise and make it as real history?
Let’s finish it each one. Do not let the unfinished history haunting us again and again.
Please just get it off the sea or go deep to the bottom and show us what are in there.

If there are really the bones of human beings to be found, no matter they were heroes or not, please do not let them drowned in there forever.

“I do not think there is a word for evil in Buddhism. I think this is something you must ask real Buddhist scholars. But we speak of ill will, we speak of ignorance, we speak of greed, but we don’t speak of evil as such. There is no evil, just stupidity.”

Aung San Suu Kyi, in conversation with Ivan Suvanjieff, Rangoon, August 1995

Thanks for cover picture and words I quoted from the book Perfect Hostage. A life of Aung San Suu Kyi written by Justin Wintle, 2007

….

Sending our gooowill  to all in Burma.

As the conflict escalates and the government reverts to crude censorship and veiled threats, all kinds of journalists here are bracing for what they fear could be an assault on their ability to neutrally gather and present the news, and a blow to press freedom.

http://cpj.org/blog/2009/04/media-caught-in-the-middle-of-thai-conflict.php

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