The government should focus on regulating emerging non-traditional media instead of controlling traditional media, experts told a Bangkok seminar on press freedom on Saturday.
"In reality, the powers-that-be are worrying about the news on social media and emerging unlicensed online media. Yet the current media reform mission misplaces the focus by trying to regulate traditional media which have already been regulated by business operational licences and related laws," said Asst Prof Pirongrong Ramasoota from Chulalongkorn University's faculty of communication arts.
She was speaking at a seminar titled "Freedom of The Press in Age of Thailand 4.0" and organised by the university's faculty of law.
Asst Prof Pirongrong said society and the government also regulate the media through licensing -- a draconian measure which undermines the pillars of a democratic society where the media have been protected by the constitution to have freedom of expression to check the government and its use of power.
The current media reform effort is based on the belief that the media are unable to regulate themselves.
The reform approach by the government is similar to media licensing that would restrict press freedom, which is a crucial part of a country with democratic institutions, she said.
Asst Prof Pirongrong said the current media reform law might not work with online media anyway.
Noppatjak Attanon, news editor of Workpoint TV, said that although he has never endorsed the government's regulation of media, the law should be revised to cope with the present situation so that non-traditional media such as Facebook are brought under control.
He also questioned the idea of media self-regulation as an ethos championed by those media outlets who favour full-scale press freedom.
"Media self-regulation is not practical as there is no mutual respect among the media and the media do not respect the union of the media," Mr Noppatjak said.
Jirachai Moonthongroi, permanent secretary to the PM's Office and a member of the national media reform committee, said the current laws on media need to be revised to address digital content.
But he believed the problem also comes from the lack of trust and understanding between the media and government.
"The government does not understand the media, and the media does not cater to the government's needs," Mr Jirachai said.
He said he believes a Pracharat (public-private-people partnership) mechanism is a solution that would enable checks and balances between all stakeholders.
"What is important is the partnership between all stakeholders. There needs to be a balance between regulation and self-regulation because it is impossible for the media to be 100% self-regulated," Mr Jirachai said.