BANGKOK, 25 September 2012 – A Privy Councilor has expressed that although the Thai media have received more freedom than before, still they lack moral responsibility. He urged journalists to present news from all sides.
During a seminar on press ethics, organized by the National Press Council of Thailand on its 15th anniversary,Privy Councilor Charnchai Likitjitta indicated that the press have received a lot more freedom nowadays than in the past, when the contents were strictly controlled.
He cited three examples of press control abroad: (1) the system that allows the public to control the media content; if there is a mistake, the people will take them to task, (2) the system that the media is controlled by the government and law, which the privy councilor believes is obsolete, and (3) the system that the media control themselves by allowing outsiders to monitor them. The press, according to the Privy Councillor, must be ethical so that they remain credible.
Mr Charnchai then urged print journalists to have good governance, allowing others to check on their performance, and fairly present news from all sides.
