By Suchada Tupchai
In mid-August the National Human Rights Committee hosted
a seminar entitled “Promotion of Human Rights for the Local Media.”
Members of the media from several eastern provinces attended, exchanging
ideas and opinions with senior committee members who in turn offered advice
and information on the importance of human rights for the media.
The human rights issue is not new in Thailand. Thai
people have long fought for their freedom in expressing their thoughts and
opinions. The constitution was amended in 1997 to address this very issue,
and it was the first time in Thai history that such a document sought to
clearly protect the rights and freedoms of the individual in all aspects of
life. The document also protects the freedom of the press at all levels,
but here the need for further understanding is clear.
Under the constitution the media has the right to report
and provide information to the public from government and other sources. It
opens pathways to allow residents to air valid grievances, and it is also
aimed at preventing politicians and government personnel from taking
advantage of people due to their positions. As a result, (in theory)
society now has more people in government on the straight and narrow and
who work for the benefit of the greater good.
The negative side of this, however, is that government
is still able to exert influence over the media, for in the real world
economic priorities tend to make themselves heard rather easily. And
legislation in place to protect the individual can be turned against a
reporting organization.
Power is in the hands of the knowledgeable. As for the
media and its freedoms we must approach everything with the right attitude
and report responsibly. The world is becoming smaller through technological
developments, and news travels faster. Reporters in turn must be fast and
accurate.
But we, the media, must guard our rights and freedoms
and not be puppets of the government, no matter what possible ways are used
to influence the reporting. The media and the issue of human rights must go
hand in hand as does the constitution and the people it is meant to
protect. As the media, therefore, we must remain vigilant and work harder
for society.
In the end it all comes down to the rights and the
dignity of the individual. In an ideal world, it would be taken for
granted. But the world is not ideal, and the fact is, it has to be worked
for.
