REGIONAL ORGANISATION
ANUCHA CHAROENPO
Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan has urged the Thai media to play a greater role in setting up an Asean media association, which he says would give people in the region better access to information. The former Thai foreign minister hopes to see the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) and the Confederation of Asean Journalists take a leading role in persuading their Southeast Asian colleagues to form the association.
The proposed association would act as a coordinating centre for all media outlets in the region.
It would help promote press freedom and enable the 567 million people in the region to have an equal opportunity to access information, he said.
Mr Surin was speaking at a forum marking the 88th birthday of late journalist Isara Amantakul at the TJA on Wednesday.
He also supported the proposal for an Asean television station put forward by Jakrapob Penkair when he was PM's office minister, saying it would serve the same objective.
Mr Surin said the Thai media has been recognised for its fight against state oppression by the governments of Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata and Field Marshal Thanom Kittikhachorn.
Thai journalists, including Isara, had stuck to their ideal of working for the public benefit.
''The Thai media are pioneers when it comes to freedom of the press and we can even be a role model for others,'' he said.
As Asean plans to establish the Asean Community by 2015, he called for the Thai media to spread the message and seek support and cooperation from the people of Southeast Asia.
Mr Surin became Asean secretary-general in January this year.
He is the second Thai to hold the post. Pan Wannamethee, currently secretary-general of the Thai Red Cross, was Asean secretary-general from 1984 to 1986.
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