sorry if you receive this more than once...
----- Original Message -----
From: Myriam Horngren <mh@wacc.org.uk>
To: <crisinfo@comunica.org>; CRIS members <Cris-active@comunica.org>;
<alt.wsis@lists.riseup.net>; <activist@mediatank.org>
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 9:33 PM
Subject: [alt.wsis] SHIN in the Media: Libel Case September 06, 2004
> Dear all,
>
> This letter was sent out this morning. Please feel free to distribute
> widely to your networks and publish on your websites or send similar
> emails and faxes.
>
> This letter was sent out to the Prime Minister's offices, the Thai Rack
> Thai Party, the Human Rights Commissioner for Thailand and the UN
> Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Geneva (cc'd in email below).
>
> For your information I have also copied at the end of this email some
> background information on the case as published originally by Asia Human
> Rights Watch.
>
> The case will start up again on 6th September 2004 when bail will be
> set.
>
> Thank you
>
> Myriam Horngren
> WACC Network and Advocacy Coordinator (CRIS)
> 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
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Myriam Horngren
> Sent: 23 July 2004 12:07
> To: 'investor@shincorp.com'
> Cc: 'thaksin@thaigov.go.th'; 'govspkman@mozart.inet.co.th';
> 'sudarat@sudarat.com'; 'spokesman@thairakthai.or.th';
> 'commission@nhrc.or.th'
> Subject: SHIN in the Media: Libel Case September 06, 2004
>
>
>
> Mr Bonklee Plangsiri
> Chairman of the Group Executive Committee
> SHIN Corporation Plc
> 414 Phaholyothin Road
> Samsennai, Phayathai
> Bangkok 10400
> Thailand
>
>
> Dear Mr Plangsiri,
>
> The World Association for Christian Communication is a global
> association comprising more than 900 communication institutions and
> communication professionals in more than 90 countries.
>
> As an association concerned with freedom of speech and the strengthening
> of democratic institutions in Thailand and the whole world, we strongly
> urge you to drop the libel suit filed against Ms Supinya Klangnarong,
> Secretary General of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform.
>
> In Ms Klangnarong's case, support for media reform is built upon the
> noble principles expressed in the new Constitution of Thailand
> introduced in 1997, which set in place provisions for the
> democratisation of the media. The libel suit pursued by the SHIN
> Corporation goes against these provisions as it aims to punish the
> defendant for simply voicing an opinion on the relationship between the
> corporation and the current Thai government. This goes against the basic
> foundation of freedom of expression enshrined in Article 19 of the
> United Nations Human Rights Charter.
>
> SHIN Corporation's decision to pursue the case against Ms Klangnarong
> has serious implications not only for Ms Klangnarong personally, but
> also for Thailand's standing in the community of nations.
>
> Therefore we, the World Association for Christian Communication,
> strongly urge the SHIN Corp. to drop the suit against Ms Supinya
> Klangnarong.
>
> Yours sincerely,
> Dr Musimbi Kanyoro Rev Dr Randy Naylor
> President General Secretary
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -
>
> FURTHER INFORMATION: Information released originally by Asia Human
> Rights Watch:
> The television and radio media in Thailand have been under a government
> and military monopoly since their introduction to the country. Although
> the new Constitution of Thailand introduced in 1997 set in place
> provisions for the democratization of these media, these provisions have
> not been realized. The only television station not controlled by the
> government or military is owned by Shin Corp. There is what the CPMR has
> identified 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. Shin Corp in particular has
> totally dominated all sectors of the commercial media in Thailand, as it
> owns 24 companies running telecommunications, television, radio,
> internet, satellite and other communications throughout the country, and
> even into neighbouring Cambodia, Laos and Burma. The result is that
> outside a limited number of newspapers and low distribution journals,
> there remains virtually no independent media in Thailand, thereby
> greatly damaging the prospects for opening discussion on serious
> violations of human rights and other concerns currently faced by the
> people there. In particular, there are no avenues for the expression of
> popular concerns from the local level in Thailand.
>
> Ms Supinya set up the CPMR (Campaign for Popular Media Reform) to
> advocate media reform and counter these trends on the basis of
> provisions in the new Constitution intended to liberalise and
> democratize electronic media in Thailand.
>
> THE LIBEL CASE:
> On 16 July 2003, the Thai Post newspaper published an article in which
> Ms Supinya Klangnarong, Secretary General of CPMR, observed that the
> profits of Shin Corp had increased enormously since its founder, Mr
> Thaksin Shinawatra, had become Prime Minister of Thailand. In the
> article, Ms Supinya pointed out that since Mr Thaksin founded his Thai
> Rak Thai political party five years earlier, his company's profits had
> increased four times over, and were projected to increase many times
> still. She gave details-based upon sound research-of how Mr Thaksin had
> used the political system to manipulate business in favour of Shin Corp.
> She also noted that Shin Corp's business interests were all in public
> communications-mobile phones, satellite transmissions and television-and
> therefore matters over which there should be public debate as matters of
> national concern. Additionally, she pointed out that the profits from
> Shin Corp were being channelled back into the Thai Rak Thai company,
> effectively integrating Mr Thaksin's political and commercial interests
> into a single highly powerful enterprise.
>
> After the report was released, Shin Corp filed a libel suit for about
> ten million Thai Baht (US2,000). The case has been in preliminary
> hearings since 1 December 2003, and the court has now decided, on 22
> June 2004, that the case can proceed to full court. BAIL FOR MS SUPINYA
> WILL BE SET BY THE COURT ON 6TH SEPTEMBER 2004.
>
> For other reports on the case and background, see the following sites:
> ABC (Australia) News:
> http://www.abcnews.net.au/asiapacific/location/asia/GAPLocAsiaStories_10
> 06728.htm
> Asia Media: http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=5363
> Committee to Protect Journalists:
> http://www.cpj.org/attacks03/asia03/thai.html
> CorpWatch: http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=9333
> WACC: http://www.wacc.org.uk/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1412
> Herald Tribune: http://www.iht.com/ihtsearch.php?key=BANGKOK
>
> Myriam Horngren
> WACC Network and Advocacy Coordinator (CRIS)
> 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