PHUKET: Two Phuket journalists being sued by the Royal Thai Navy have suggested that a quick resolution to the case would be in the best interests of Thailand.
The Navy's pursuit of the Phuketwan reporters has brought strong criticism from international groups including the UN's human rights body, the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists and other organisations.
Australian Alan Morison and his colleague Chutima Sidasathian maintain they are innocent and that the Royal Thai Navy's use of criminal defamation and the Computer Crimes Act against them cannot be justified in any democratic nation.
In a message delivered a few days ago to a US delegation now visiting Thailand, the journalists propose a possible solution that would quickly resolve the case and clear their names.
The Phuketwan pair have won international acclaim for their coverage of the exodus from Burma of the stateless Rohingya boatpeople.
Last year's US State Department Trafficking in Persons report mentioned the case unfavorably in downgrading Thailand to Tier 3, the lowest level.
The case is likely to be mentioned in this year's TIP report again unless it can be ended, which is the express wish of the Phuketwan pair and senior officials at the highest level of Thailand's Government.
Morison and Khun Chutima will be speaking to journalists about the case this week and next week in Australia.
In March they plan to attend the International Press Institute's annual general meeting in Burma, to explain the unprecedented military versus media action to journalists from 120 countries.
A speaking tour of Europe in being scheduled for April.
Last week, Khun Chutima visited the office of the Prime Minister of Thailand with human rights lawyers to present a letter asking for the case to be brought to an end.
On Monday, human rights lawyers presented another letter to US officials visiting Bangkok to review Thailand's Trafficking in Persons status.
Evidence in the trial is due to be delievered on Phuket in mid-July.
Letter Given by Human Rights Lawyers in Thailand to US Officials
THE TWO reporters involved in the Royal Thai Navy versus Phuketwan criminal defamation case believe that the best interests of Thailand and of all parties concerned would be served by bringing the trial forward.
If the prosecutor at Phuket Provincial Court could then be persuaded to offer a nolle prosequi submission, the trial could come to an end immediately. [Nolle prosequi is Latin for ''We shall no longer prosecute.'']
Journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian believe this would be a just and fair outcome to a misguided action that continues to damage the reputations of the Royal Thai Navy, Phuketwan and Thailand.
The charges under criminal defamation laws and the Computer Crimes Act were laid without justification by the Navy, Morison and Khun Chutima believe.
The pair say that they were merely doing their jobs by publishing a news article extracted from a longer Reuters news agency feature that included a paragraph to which at least one officer in the Navy took exception.
The paragraph was republished word for word from the Reuters report, with quotation marks around it.
Although Reuters originated the paragraph, the agency journalists who were its authors have not been charged, nor has the agency.
Others news outlets in Thailand that published the same information have not been charged.
The reporters say that the proper course of action by any officer offended by publication would have been to contact Reuters or Phuketwan or both directly to seek a clarification or publication of an alternative viewpoint.
All large organisations also have the option of holding a media conference to clarify the facts.
By prosecuting Phuketwan and only Phuketwan, the Royal Thai Navy is being perceived as undertaking a vendetta based on the online site's seven-year award-winning coverage of the exodus of the Rohingya boatpeople from Burma.
The original paragraph in English referred to ''naval forces'' but the translation into the Thai language provided to police and the Phuket prosecutor mentioned ''the Royal Thai Navy'' three times.
Morison and Khun Chutima say they have always had the greatest respect for the Royal Thai Navy. At no stage have there ever been political or personal reasons for them to report about the Navy in a less than positive way.
The journalists point out that in the case, they have been the victims.
As a direct result of the charges, Phuketwan has lost a large amount of advertising revenue. The site may not survive.
The pair have been shunned by Navy supporters on Phuket. For several months they were banned from the Navy base, with Khun Chutima's photograph displayed for all visitors to see at the entry guardhouse.
Stress has been intense, particularly as the reporters chose to continue to report what was happening to the boatpeople, bringing them into contact with authorities who were aware of the Navy's action.
The two have spend five hours in cells beneath Phuket Provincial Court, awaiting a decision on bail.
Morison's passport remains in the hands of court officials and he has expended large amounts of time and energy regaining the document temporarily to visit his ailing 91-year-old father in Australia.
The pair have had to meet the cost of frequent trips to Bangkok.
Despite the difficulties, the journalists bear no grudges. However, they do continue to believe that their exoneration is the only just way of settling the case.
They maintain that they have done nothing wrong and have no cause to apologise because they have done nothing wrong.
Morison and Khun Chutima believe it would be fair and reasonable for the Royal Thai Navy to accept that a mistake was made by one or two officers, acting on bad advice.
It is still the reporters' belief that the military versus media prosecution was misguided and out of character for the Royal Thai Navy. Such a mistake merely shows that the military is human.
If the action comes to a quick and just end, the reporters believe it is unlikely to have a detrimental effect on the excellent reputation of the service.
The journalists do not believe in using bad laws to seek redress and would welcome settlement of the matter and a return to a normal relationship with the Royal Thai Navy as soon as possible.
Full Cartoon from The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/nationphoto/show.php?id=30&pid=16667
The Navy's pursuit of the Phuketwan reporters has brought strong criticism from international groups including the UN's human rights body, the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists and other organisations.
Australian Alan Morison and his colleague Chutima Sidasathian maintain they are innocent and that the Royal Thai Navy's use of criminal defamation and the Computer Crimes Act against them cannot be justified in any democratic nation.
In a message delivered a few days ago to a US delegation now visiting Thailand, the journalists propose a possible solution that would quickly resolve the case and clear their names.
The Phuketwan pair have won international acclaim for their coverage of the exodus from Burma of the stateless Rohingya boatpeople.
Last year's US State Department Trafficking in Persons report mentioned the case unfavorably in downgrading Thailand to Tier 3, the lowest level.
The case is likely to be mentioned in this year's TIP report again unless it can be ended, which is the express wish of the Phuketwan pair and senior officials at the highest level of Thailand's Government.
Morison and Khun Chutima will be speaking to journalists about the case this week and next week in Australia.
In March they plan to attend the International Press Institute's annual general meeting in Burma, to explain the unprecedented military versus media action to journalists from 120 countries.
A speaking tour of Europe in being scheduled for April.
Last week, Khun Chutima visited the office of the Prime Minister of Thailand with human rights lawyers to present a letter asking for the case to be brought to an end.
On Monday, human rights lawyers presented another letter to US officials visiting Bangkok to review Thailand's Trafficking in Persons status.
Evidence in the trial is due to be delievered on Phuket in mid-July.
Letter Given by Human Rights Lawyers in Thailand to US Officials
THE TWO reporters involved in the Royal Thai Navy versus Phuketwan criminal defamation case believe that the best interests of Thailand and of all parties concerned would be served by bringing the trial forward.
If the prosecutor at Phuket Provincial Court could then be persuaded to offer a nolle prosequi submission, the trial could come to an end immediately. [Nolle prosequi is Latin for ''We shall no longer prosecute.'']
Journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian believe this would be a just and fair outcome to a misguided action that continues to damage the reputations of the Royal Thai Navy, Phuketwan and Thailand.
The charges under criminal defamation laws and the Computer Crimes Act were laid without justification by the Navy, Morison and Khun Chutima believe.
The pair say that they were merely doing their jobs by publishing a news article extracted from a longer Reuters news agency feature that included a paragraph to which at least one officer in the Navy took exception.
The paragraph was republished word for word from the Reuters report, with quotation marks around it.
Although Reuters originated the paragraph, the agency journalists who were its authors have not been charged, nor has the agency.
Others news outlets in Thailand that published the same information have not been charged.
The reporters say that the proper course of action by any officer offended by publication would have been to contact Reuters or Phuketwan or both directly to seek a clarification or publication of an alternative viewpoint.
All large organisations also have the option of holding a media conference to clarify the facts.
By prosecuting Phuketwan and only Phuketwan, the Royal Thai Navy is being perceived as undertaking a vendetta based on the online site's seven-year award-winning coverage of the exodus of the Rohingya boatpeople from Burma.
The original paragraph in English referred to ''naval forces'' but the translation into the Thai language provided to police and the Phuket prosecutor mentioned ''the Royal Thai Navy'' three times.
Morison and Khun Chutima say they have always had the greatest respect for the Royal Thai Navy. At no stage have there ever been political or personal reasons for them to report about the Navy in a less than positive way.
The journalists point out that in the case, they have been the victims.
As a direct result of the charges, Phuketwan has lost a large amount of advertising revenue. The site may not survive.
The pair have been shunned by Navy supporters on Phuket. For several months they were banned from the Navy base, with Khun Chutima's photograph displayed for all visitors to see at the entry guardhouse.
Stress has been intense, particularly as the reporters chose to continue to report what was happening to the boatpeople, bringing them into contact with authorities who were aware of the Navy's action.
The two have spend five hours in cells beneath Phuket Provincial Court, awaiting a decision on bail.
Morison's passport remains in the hands of court officials and he has expended large amounts of time and energy regaining the document temporarily to visit his ailing 91-year-old father in Australia.
The pair have had to meet the cost of frequent trips to Bangkok.
Despite the difficulties, the journalists bear no grudges. However, they do continue to believe that their exoneration is the only just way of settling the case.
They maintain that they have done nothing wrong and have no cause to apologise because they have done nothing wrong.
Morison and Khun Chutima believe it would be fair and reasonable for the Royal Thai Navy to accept that a mistake was made by one or two officers, acting on bad advice.
It is still the reporters' belief that the military versus media prosecution was misguided and out of character for the Royal Thai Navy. Such a mistake merely shows that the military is human.
If the action comes to a quick and just end, the reporters believe it is unlikely to have a detrimental effect on the excellent reputation of the service.
The journalists do not believe in using bad laws to seek redress and would welcome settlement of the matter and a return to a normal relationship with the Royal Thai Navy as soon as possible.
Full Cartoon from The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/nationphoto/show.php?id=30&pid=16667
Dear Editor
This is a very good summary of what has transpired so far.
There are many good people hoping that this unfortunate episode will come to a favourable conclusion for you and Khun Chutima very soon.
Until then you will continue to receive plenty of international support.
Ian Yarwood
Perth, Western Australia
Posted by Ian Yarwood on January 28, 2015 13:42