Media misused to incite violence

Thai media marked World Press Day this year by focusing on Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's behaviour in dealing with the media. The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) came up with a 142-page media study, concluding that the Thai prime minister's antagonistic discourse toward Thai media posts threats to freedom of the press and is counter-productive to the development of democratic society.

But critics said there are more urgent problems the media professional organisation should have treated as priorities instead of focusing on such a trivial issue. One looming issue is what a group of progressive academics described as "the media role in inciting hatred and violence" in the country.

A day after World Press Day, two respected academics sent an open letter to the TJA, the National Press Council of Thailand, the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and all media professionals, criticising professional media institutes for their silence on the abuse of the media role.

The professors are Chaiwat Satha-anand, whose role as peace advocate is widely recognised in the country and the international community, and media expert Ubonrat Siriyuwasak.

"There are some toxic media acting irresponsibly by inciting hatred, which can lead to violent clashes among different sectors in society," the letter said.

Earlier, historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul of Thammasat University reminded Thais of the country's history, in which some media organisations incited hatred that led to the massacre of students in the heart of Bangkok in 1976.

In his article published on Prachatai news online, the historian recalled how the media role was abused by military-run radio station Yankroh and right-wing newspaper Dao Siam.

The two raised the issue of

les majeste to incite hatred in the society.

They accused students of committing les majeste in a play the activists performed during a protest against the ousted prime minister who was attempting to return to the country.

Yankroh radio called on listeners to come out on the street and decisively deal with the students. Just a few hours later, people joined hands with state officials to attack the demonstrators at Thammasat University's Tha Prachan Campus. A total of 46 demonstrators were killed and six people were burnt alive in front of the Grand Palace.

In the current situation, the historian cited the "Metro Life" radio programme on April 29, raising the issue of the student who was facing les majeste charges for refusing to stand when the Royal Anthem was played in a cinema theatre.

A radio programme host went so far as to tell listeners that if they launched physical attacks on the student, they would only be fined Bt500. The host also asked listeners to phone in to suggest other methods to attack the student, Somsak said.

Meanwhile political scientist Prajak Kongkiriti expressed his concern about the media from afar. Prajak, who is pursuing a doctorate in peace studies at the University of Wisconsin in the United States, wrote in his article "Wave of Hatred: Media and Violence" that the media, in many cases, were used as tools to incite violence.

Prajak reviewed a book titled "The Media and the Rwanda Genocide" published by Pluto Press in 2007, citing the role of media in stirring up hatred during the civil war in the African country.

Media in Rwanda at the time played a key role in the violence. A radio show host disseminated names and hiding places of the Tutsi minority. They were massacred soon after.

"It is unfortunate in that some Thai journalists and radio stations want to create waves of hatred. Members of the society should united to criticise and stop them before it leads to another tragedy," Prajak said.

      At a glance

n Thai Journalists Association marked World Press Freedom Day with a damning report against the government, calling the administration a threat to freedom of speech.

n Academics criticised Thai

professional media institutes for being silent on the abuse of the media to incite violence.

n Historian reminded Thai society about the role of media in the 1976 slaughter of student activists in Bangkok.