Thai PM Faces Allegations of Media Freedom Breach. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has found herself under scrutiny following a petition filed by Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a frequent petitioner, accusing her of breaching media freedoms. Mr Ruangkrai has claimed that her recent interactions with the press could result in her removal from office. ASEAN NOW



Picture courtesy: Springnews

 

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has found herself under scrutiny following a petition filed by Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a frequent petitioner, accusing her of breaching media freedoms. Mr Ruangkrai has claimed that her recent interactions with the press could result in her removal from office.

 

On Monday, Mr Ruangkrai submitted a formal request to the Election Commission (EC), urging an investigation into Ms Paetongtarn's response to a journalist during a press interaction. He argues that her remarks were not befitting a public officeholder, potentially breaching Section 184 of Thailand's Constitution. If verified, this could lead to the prime minister losing her position as dictated by Section 170.

 

The controversy began during a media engagement at Government House. A particular interaction, featured on the ch3plus.com website, captured the prime minister's dissatisfaction with reporting related to the government's stance on constitutional amendments. This stemmed from a query about disagreements with coalition parties regarding proposed amendments perceived as a policy reversal.

Ms Paetongtarn expressed her preference that such questions be avoided, reiterating that coalition consultations on key issues occur regularly. She also noted that current government priorities were focused on flood relief efforts, pushing amendments to a lower priority.

 

The prime minister further suggested that cohesive governance was in the national interest, cautioning against questions that might incite division. Mr Ruangkrai, however, contends that her responses could be seen as infringing on the media's constitutional rights to report on governmental affairs.

 

This is Mr Ruangkrai's second petition against Ms Paetongtarn, the first being an accusation of ethical misconduct related to appointing advisors with criminal records. The EC's findings will dictate whether the matter escalates to the Constitutional Court for a conclusive ruling, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-10-15