BANGKOK, THAILAND—The military seized control of the Thai government on 19 September while controversial Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was in the United States. Army Commander General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and a group that calls itself the Democratic Reform Council led the bloodless coup d’état. Thaksin attempted to assert emergency powers but was unsuccessful.

The coup in Thailand was not unexpected. Thaksin, elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2005, faced the beginning of a political crisis in January 2006 when his administration’s policies were challenged by anti-Thaksin groups that held massive rallies. He stepped down in April 2006 only to return in May of the same year to resume his post. Thaksin’s regime, according to the Asian Human Rights council, brought about extra-judicial prosecutions, arbitrary arrests, and disappearances in its war on drugs and in countering the insurgency in the southern part of the country.

Meanwhile, Shin Corporation, a company owned by Thaksin, was also exposed for having benefited from his position. Supinya Klangnarong of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform, the journalist who made the controversial exposé, won a 2-year-long libel suit against the corporation. Her win vindicated the call for more freedom of expression by media activists in the country.

Opposing views

In an interview with Isis International-Manila, Supinya expressed her disappointment with the coup. She said that while Thaksin heavily controlled freedom of expression, military rule could also lead to a show of force, especially with the abolition of the Constitution. She cited how articles 39, 40, 41 of the 1997 Constitution had at least guaranteed media freedoms, even if nothing much had changed in those 9 years that the Constitution was in effect. “Now we have to start all over again,” Supinya said in her statement from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia where she received an award for Communication and Social Change. A change in leadership may not be the answer to Thailand's human rights issues, since a military leadership could still impose a regime of force that could potentially commit more abuses.

Thai Women Watch Vice President for International Affairs Pawadee Tonguthai, in a separate interview (see Movements Within section), said human rights violations were so numerous under the Thaksin administration that Thailand’s top human rights advocates do not condemn the coup. She cited the Head of the National Human Rights Commission Saneh Jamarik, who said that although in principle he does not support the unconstitutional taking of power, “the constitution has already been torn up by the Thaksin government.” Tonguthai also mentioned that leading human rights lawyer and Ramon Magsaysay awardee Thongbai Thongpao viewed the coup as “a much needed solution.” Both Jamarik and Thongpao urged the people to monitor the coup leaders’ actions closely and asked the coup leaders to take it as an urgent mission to return sovereignty to the people.

Democracy, Media Freedom Elsewhere in Asia

SEPTEMBER—While democracy and human rights in Thailand is being threatened by the coup led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the Philippines is celebrating its democracy by commemorating its coming out of the shadow of Martial Law.

The Philippines recalls today the beginning of its 9 years of anguish under Martial Law declared by then President Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, some 34 years ago. Martial Law officially ended it in 1981 but went on until Marcos was ousted in 1986. In those 14 years, Marcos took on dictatorial powers, authorised arrests of political dissidents, and took control of business and media. Among those jailed and tortured were women political prisoners.

This year, protesters marched on 21 September in remembrance of Martial Law and accused current President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for setting a similar repressive rule, citing the 752 political killings, including journalists, which have occurred since she became president in 2001.

But Philippine media is not alone in this plight. Since 2005, freedom of expression has been declining in many Asian countries. Reporters Without Borders gave the lowest rankings to several Asian countries in its World Freedom Index 2005 with Burma ranked 163rd, China at 159, Vietnam at 158, and Laos at rank 155. It is in these countries where journalists have the toughest time and where government repression or armed groups prevent the media operating freely. At the very bottom of this list are North Korea, Eritrea and Turkmenistan, which are designated as “black holes” for news, and where freedom of expression is nonexistent.

More recently Isis reported on media situations in Nepal, Philippines and Thailand. In Nepal, community and commercial radio were banned form broadcasting news and public affairs starting June 2005. In the Philippines, 42 journalists and broadcasters were killed since 2001, while several small radio stations were either closed down or bombed. And in late 2005 in Thailand, a community radio station faced criminal charges when it allegedly could not comply with stricter state guidelines, when the real reason for persecution was its critical stand against the government.

Sources:
Reporters without Borders http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=554
http://www.isiswomen.org/pub/we/archive/msg00235.html

Media Control

In the middle of the Thai coup d’état, as in any political crisis, it is the media—because of its role as purveyor of information—that takes the brunt from conflicting camps. While Thai media’s freedom was wanting during the Thaksin administration, media freedom is no less secure with the present military takeover.

The coup leaders used media as the main tool to execute their plan. They seized the television channels and came on air to announce their intentions, while local channels and international channels BBC and CNN were reportedly taken off air and patriotic songs played in the background. Bloggers, and independent news and media filled the gaps in coverage while Thais tried to get some news despite the media blackout.

Two days after the coup, Boonyaratglin called for media executives to the army headquarters asking them to stop displaying popular opinion, such as flashing messages sent by mobile phone, on television.

Whether or not Thai media will completely be free is yet to be ascertained.

International and Thailand-based groups slam coup

International and Thai-based groups expressed their alarm and disappointment over the military takeover:


Focus on the Global South:

“Undoubtedly, corruption and arrogance on the part of the Thaksin Shinwatra government undermined democracy and the Constitution, and it led people to challenge the legitimacy of the regime.

However, the usurpation of power and trampling of rights and liberties by a group of officers calling themselves the Democratic Reform Council is in no way justifiable. Indeed, before the coup, there were already attempts to resolve the political crisis by democratic participation within the framework of the Constitution. These were forestalled by the military intervention.

As faithful advocates of participatory democracy, we demand respect for the 1997 constitution. This constitution was derived through the process of extensive consultation with all sectors of society, and is the only one that could be rightly called the people's constitution.”

(From http://www.focusweb.org/)

Asian Human Rights Commission

“The argument in favour of a military coup is akin to the argument used by proponents of torture. Torture, they say, is sometimes a regrettable necessity. Where the lives of many are at stake, the physical integrity of one may be violated. Likewise, a coup is sometimes described as a regrettable necessity. Where a country is at stake, a government's integrity can be violated.

Both arguments boil down to the same wrong-headed notion: that a coup, like torture, can be started and stopped with convenience. It cannot. Torture, once it is introduced into a system of investigation, mutates and spreads. It affects not only the victim but the persons who use it, their institutions and the perceptions of society about what is permitted and what is not. Likewise, a military that obtains power through a coup infiltrates and distorts all areas of governance, as well as public attitudes and expectations. Once admitted, it is not easily removed. Its presence is felt long after it is physically gone…

The Asian Human Rights Commission reiterates its call to the Royal Thai Army for an immediate return to civilian control and restoration of the constitution, without any amendment other than that to pave the way for prompt and fair elections....”

(From: http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2006statements/742/)

International Federation of Journalists

“The IFJ’s Nepal affiliate, the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), who have recently experienced the disastrous impact on free media and journalist safety following a coup in Nepal in February 2005, have expressed solidarity with their Thai colleagues and called for the immediate restoration of press freedom in Thailand.

Coup d'etats are never the answer and almost always lead to a crackdown on freedom of expression, most recently evidenced in Nepal…

The IFJ is deeply concerned that in the coming days we will see a further retreat from a free and open society in Thailand and we urge the coup leaders to act immediately to ensure that the Thai people’s right to freedom of expression is respected.”

(From: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=4237&Language=EN)

Campaign for Popular Media Reform

CPMR asks the coup leadership to:

1. Retain and Uphold the principle of free press, freedom of expression, right to know and free flow of information, according to Article 39,40,41 as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Article 19.

2. Abolish Martial Law and let citizens freely exercise their political rights and liberty.

3. Stop blocking the free flow of information inside and outside Thailand.

4. Encourage the existence of community radios and all kind of media in order to work fairly under a climate of freedom from fear

5. Bring back the political power to the people as quickly as possible.

(From: http://www.popmedia.in.th/)

Southeast Asian Press Alliance

“..National broadcasting networks had been advised of guidelines for reporting on 21 September, and since then the authorities have shut down more than 300 community radio stations in the upper provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Mae Hong Son, where Thaksin has strong support.

While there are no guidelines specifically applying to the print media, and while journalists seem to still be enjoying freedom to move around Bangkok and to gather news and information, general media guidelines “urge” the press to refrain from “negative” reporting. SEAPA is concerned that the “request” is strong enough to trigger self-censorship among Thai media players. Websites known to be supportive of Thaksin, for example, are still accessible but their contents have shifted to merely featuring the latest news, indicating that its editors and webmasters have perhaps begun censoring themselves.”

(From: http://www.seapabkk.org)

Sources:
Asian Human Rights Council
Thailand: Coup Threatens Human Rights
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/09/19/thaila14221.htm

Thai coup leaders summon Thaksin aides, media bosses
http://www.lse.co.uk/FinanceNews.asp?shareprice=&ArticleRef=54339&ArticleHeadline= Thai_coup_leaders_summon_Thaksin_aides_media_bosses

Pressure for Thai prime minister resignation intensifies