"The media is the fourth estate, but this time they want to become another estate too," said Pirongrong Ramasutr Rananand, head of print media studies at Chulalongkorn University.

"Power corrupts," she said, adding the three individuals in the NLA may be jeopardising the media's reputation.

However, she said she doesn't want to judge the media representative's actions summarily as either right or wrong.

Media reform campaigner Supinya Klangnarong said it was indecent for the media to be part of what they're supposed to be keeping honest.

It's also against the Press Council's code of ethics for media professionals to be working for or advising either the private or public sector in a situation that may result in a conflict of interest, she said.

"The wearing of two hats, even if these people are respectable, is against the law, unless they change the rules. Ideologically speaking, it is contradictory for sure."

Altogether 41 journalists signed a petition calling for the three not to join the NLA because they believe "it's against the rightful principles of media professionalism".

The September 19 anti-coup group issued a statement supporting the call for the three to quit the NLA.

"Ethically speaking, those in media professions cannot support or become a tool of any person or political group. What's more, the media's responsibility is to scrutinise the state so if they became part of it they cannot perform their role. This amounts to conflict of interest and will ruin the credibility of the media," the statement read.

The group called on all the mass media to scrutinise the new regime and blamed the media for helping to create the impression that the coup was justifiable.

The three NLA members are Press Council chairwoman Banyat Tassaneeyavej, Thai Journalists' Association chairman Pattara Khampitak and Broadcast Journalists' Association chairman Somchai Sawangkarn.

Press Council secretary Chaovalong Limpatapani said the three had told yesterday's meeting that they would donate whatever remains of their Bt104,000 NLA salary after deducting personal expenses and taxes to their respective media organisations. The decision came after six media associations met amid growing pressure on the three representatives.