'Choose the media - or political job'
Thirty political reporters whose usual job it is to cover events at Parliament House signed a letter yesterday calling on three representatives of media organisations named to join the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to choose between maintaining their roles as media professionals, or joining the NLA.
"The media have a duty to conduct surveillance in society. How can [media professionals] entering politics - and claiming to do so as media representatives - create trust in the profession? How can the public have confidence in their examining role?" the letter said.
The reporters said the media must keep some distance from state power. Moreover, the three representatives were not elected to represent all media professionals in the NLA, the open letter said.
Meanwhile, the three representatives named to join the NLA issued their own open letter, promising to use their membership of the assembly to protect people's rights to freedom and participation.
Earlier, the Campaign for Popular Democracy called on the three media groups to get together to end the row.
The Council for National Security has appointed Press Council chairwoman Banyat Tassaneeyavej, Thai Journalists' Association chairman Pattara Khampitak and Broadcast Journalists' Association chairman Somchai Sawangkarn.
Bancha Khaengkhan,
Prapasri Osathanon
The Nation
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