PUBLISHED: 21 Aug 2024 at 13:21
The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand and the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association have formally requested an ethics inquiry into the actions of Palang Pracharath Party leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, following an incident where he allegedly slapped a reporter during an event last Friday.
NBCT president Supan Rakchuea highlighted a video circulating online that shows Gen Prawit expressing frustration and threatening the reporter after she questioned him about the election of Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the new prime minister.
“This unacceptable behavior from a public figure raises serious concerns about ethics in political communication. It is crucial that the media’s role in reporting events is respected,” stated Mr. Supan.
He emphasized the importance of establishing standards to ensure politicians understand their obligations to the media: “If they choose not to answer, they can simply say ‘no comment’ instead of resorting to aggression.”
The complaint references clauses 12 and 13 of the House of Representatives’ code of conduct, which mandates MPs to respect the rights and freedoms of others and prohibits threatening behavior or assault in any setting.
Consequences for violations can include warnings, condemnation, or mandatory apologies during House sessions.
The Palang Pracharath Party, led by Gen Prawit, ranks as the third largest coalition party with 40 MPs. Complicating matters, party secretary-general Thamanat Prompow recently declared an independent faction that aligns with him rather than Gen Prawit, claiming allegiance from 29 party MPs.
Mr. Thamanat, once agriculture minister in the previous government, has faced opposition amidst speculation regarding his potential exclusion from the cabinet due to his controversial past, which includes a four-year prison sentence in Australia for heroin importation in 1994.
