At a seminar yesterday organised by the Thai Journalists' Association, Peerawat Chotithammo, TITV's morning news editor, said TITV had been subject to heavy political interference during its transition from iTV to TITV.

The news station was recently instructed verbally not to present the images or voices of Thaksin, his lawyer Noppadol Pattama and 111 former Thai Rak Thai Party executives.

The station was also banned from covering protests by Thaksin's supporters at Sanam Luang and could not use the words "Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship" but only "protesters".

Somkiat Tangkitwanit, an academic from the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) said that one article in the Public Television Bill, which is being drafted, stipulated that politicians could be charged with media interference.

The bill will be forwarded for Cabinet approval next week and is expected to take effect within three to four months after deliberation by the National Legislative Assembly.

Another piece of proposed legislation, the Broadcast

Bill, will also be forwarded

for Cabinet approval next week. If these two bills are passed into law, all media should see their independence protected.

Darunee Hiranrak, of the Chamber of Commerce University's Communication Arts Faculty, said that TITV reporters had to be patient during the transition period until the bills were passed into law.

Nation Group editor Thepchai Yong supported TITV in its fight for independence, saying that all media were being interfered with but only TITV had called for justice.

He voiced concern that after the Public Television Bill was passed into law, TITV reporters may still face interference because the Public Relations Department's deputy director-general is the chairman of the station's editorial board.

"I am not sure the National Legislative Assembly will pass the two bills easily because some of them are military officials who do not want to see the existence of public media, because they view the media as a threat," he said.

Prapasri Osathanon

The Nation