Please find below the statement on Supinya's case from SEAPA
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SOUTHEAST ASIAN PRESS ALLIANCE
538/1 Samsen Road, Dusit, Bangkok, 10300 Thailand
Phone/Fax (662) 2435579, Email: seapa@seapabkk.org
PRESS STATEMENT - THAILAND
23 June 2004
Thai Criminal Court Decision to Accept Libel Suit Alarming
Source: Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Bangkok
The following is a 22 June 2004 statement by SEAPA:
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is alarmed by the decision of a
criminal court in Thailand to accept a libel suit filed by a Thai
telecommunications conglomerate owned by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's
family against media reform campaigner Supinya Klangnarong, a local
newspaper and three of its editors for a story alleging that the company was
benefitting under Thaksin's tenure.
The court ruled on 22 June 2004 that Supinya, the secretary-general of the
Campaign for Popular Media Reform and the four other defendants from the
local-language Thai Post "could be found guilty under the Criminal Code for
conspiring to publish a libelous statement against Shin Corp". The court set
6 September 2004 as the start of the trial in Bangkok.
The court's decision marks the beginning of what could be a landmark case to
test the justice system's impartiality and gauge civil society's resolve in
keeping government and its business cronies in check.
It would also test the government's adherence to constitutional guarantees
on the public's right to free expression and information.
Shin Corp's libel suit stemmed from a story quoting Supinya, who said that
based on facts that she had gathered, it appeared that the corporation was a
major beneficiary of Thaksin's policies, judging by the sharp rise in its
profits since he became prime minister in February 2001. The story was
published by the Thai Post on 16 July 2003. The court started hearing the
complaint on 01 December 2003.
SEAPA is concerned that the court decision allowing the libel suit to
proceed could undermine the right of journalists and civil society to
scrutinise and question government policies or decisions which are inimical
to the public's interests and set a precedent for future cases which the
government could use to intimidate and silence its critics.
"I am not totally surprised by the court's decision, although I feel a
little bit upset about it," Supinya told SEAPA.
Supinya insists she has the right to express herself, adding her statement
was based on facts and a long-time research on an emerging pattern of media
ownership by big business groups in Thailand. "If I shied away from speaking
up, who would dare speak up when our data is clear enough to take a company
with a conflict of interests with politics to task," she said.
Founded in 1983, Shin Corp controls iTV television station, owns the country
's biggest mobile phone company and Internet provider and holds a monopoly
on the satellite communications business.
According to the company's financial statement, its income rose to the
equivalent of 3.0 billion U.S. dollars in 2002 from 2.02 billion dollars in
2001.
(This statement was sent to Shin Corp in Bangkok on June 23, 2004))
We call on IFEX members to send protest letters to the following address:
Boonklee Plangsiri
Chief Executive Officer
Shin Corporation Public Company Limited
414 Phaholyothin Rd
Phayathai, Bangkok
Thailand
Tel: 66-2-2995555
Fax: 66-2-2995039
Thank You
SEAPA Alert Coordination
----- Original Message -----
From: Myriam Horngren <mh@wacc.org.uk>
To: Alan G. Alegre <alalegre@fma.ph>; <communication@wsisasia.org>
Cc: <crisinfo@comunica.org>; <alt.wsis@lists.riseup.net>; NetAktibista Group
<netaktibista@yahoogroups.com>; asia-ir <asia-ir@list.jinbo.net>;
<apc.council@lists.apc.org>; Corinna SEACA <clopa@seaca.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 7:09 PM
Subject: SUPINYA KLANGNARON vs the SHIN Corportation
Dennis Smith is President of the WACC Latin American Region. The
following is a letter from Dennis sent out to the Shin Corporation in
relation to Supinya Klangnarong case on behalf of the WACC Latin
American Region. For further information on the case, please check the
attached rtf document.
22 June 2004
Mr. Boonklee Plangsiri
Chairman of the Group Executive Committee
Shin Corporation Plc.
414 Phaholyothin Road
Samsennai, Phayathai
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
Dear Mr. Boonklee Plangsiri,
Re: Shin Corp. Libel case against Ms Supinya Klangnarong
As an association concerned with freedom of speech in Thailand and the
whole world, we strongly urge the Shin Corporation to drop the suit
filed against Ms Supinya Klangnarong, Secretary General of the Campaign
for Popular Media Reform (CPMR).
According to the information we have received, the preliminary decision
will be given in a civil suit filed by your Shin Corp against Ms Supinya
Klangnarong on 22 June 2004. The libel case was filed after Ms Supinya
observed that Shin Corp's profits have skyrocketed since Mr Thaksin
Shinawatra became Prime Minister.
Latin America's hesitant but persistent steps toward democracy and
steady economic growth have been closely related to the growth of a
strong, inquisitive and independent media. In the case at hand, Ms.
Supinya's support for long-overdue media reform is linked to the
realization of the new Constitution of Thailand introduced in 1997,
which set in place provisions for the democratization of the media.
However, until now the only television station not controlled by the
government or military is owned by Shin Corp. Similarly, radio stations
that have been started by local communities have been threatened by the
government with closure on the grounds that they are "illegal". Under
these circumstances, Ms Supinya has identified Shin Corp as a new media
monopoly emerging between the commercial and government sectors, as
media concessions are issued to Shin Corp and other businesses close to
senior politicians, thereby defeating the purpose of the constitutional
reforms.
Media reform on the basis of provisions in the new Constitution is
essential for opening discussion on serious violations of human rights
and other concerns currently faced by the people in Thailand. If the
case will be taken to the next stage, this will have serious
implications not only for Ms Supinya personally, but for all efforts to
democratize media in Thailand.
Therefore, the more than 150 communications institutions and
communications professionals that make up the Latin America Region of
the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) strongly urge
the Shin Corp. to drop the suit against Ms Supinya immediately. As a
media corporation you have a social responsibility to uphold freedom of
speech; therefore we request that you take part in media reform and
create a better environment for democracy.
Yours sincerely
Dennis A. Smith, President
WACC-AL
Myriam Horngren
CRIS Network and Campaign Coordinator
c/o WACC
357 Kennington Lane
London SE11 5QY
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 (0) 207 582 9139
Fax: 44 (0) 207 735 0340
web: www.crisinfo.org
email: mh@wacc.org.uk