Thai Soccer Team Rescue: Media Heavily Criticized
(Baonghean.vn) - In a race to be the first to report news and photos about the rescue operation of 12 boys and their coach from Tham Luang cave in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai province, Thailand, some media channels went beyond the permitted limits when gathering news.
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| Media gathered at a press conference by rescue operation coordinator Narongsak Osottanakorn. Photo: Bangkokpost |
This has led to public criticism of the journalists involved and questions about the ethical values and professionalism of the channels and publications.
In particular, on July 8, there were two cases of media abuse that sparked public anger: they used drones to approach helicopters carrying out rescue operations and interfered with radio communications of those carrying out the mission.
The third operation to rescue the Thai soccer team begins, trying to save the remaining 5 members
(Baonghean.vn) - Divers and rescue workers in Thailand have begun what could be a final effort to rescue four boys and their soccer coach still trapped in a cave in the country's north, according to a Thai Navy official with knowledge of the operation.
A news channel, in an attempt to capture photos of the first four boys rescued from a flooded cave, flew a drone close to the helicopter used to take the boys to hospital in Chiang Rai. The drone operator claimed to have asked permission from an air force officer, but the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) later denied this.
RTAF is working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to further investigate the incident.
Another case that caused a stir was when a television news channel broadcast a conversation between officers participating in the operation, which was obtained by intercepting their radio signals.
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| A news channel's use of a drone to approach a helicopter on a mission on July 9 has been met with fierce criticism from the public. Photo: Facebook |
Major General Churat Pan-ngao, deputy commander of Chiang Rai Provincial Police Region 5, who oversees the media team at the cave, on July 9 asked them to stop trying to gather information using such methods.
Major General Churat asserted that if they continue to do so, he will consider whether their actions are illegal or not. If illegal, he will seek to prosecute those media channels.
Banyong Suwanpong, a member of the ethics committee of the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), said the media needs to maintain professional and consistent ethical values when reporting news, no matter how hot the news is.
“They must respect the officers and work in a manner that does not interfere with the rescue operation or the people involved. They must also respect the rights and privacy of individuals, especially the teenagers and their relatives,” Mr Banyong said, referring to the latest media reports at Tham Luang cave.
Additionally, he said reporters have a responsibility, not only to their media organizations, but also to the Thai community, and should not just focus on being the first to get information.
To prevent the media from going beyond the limits, he added, the owners and operators of each news channel need to set clear policies for reporters to follow. “Competition is normal, I understand everyone wants to make a profit. But it is not necessary to do it selfishly. It needs to be done in the right way, not infringing on the rights of others.”
"It's not necessary to compete to be the fastest."
Asked about the order in which the boys were rescued, Dr. Boonruang Triruangworawat, director-general of the Department of Mental Health at the Thai Ministry of Public Health, said the families had never questioned the rescue plan at any point. Boonruang said the order was determined based on the physical condition of each boy, and those who needed medical attention the most were brought in first.
