In just a few days, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has taken a tonne of ridicule about new regulations for media coverage. A 14-point set of so-called guidelines was issued to the press on Friday, especially for photographers. They order news snappers to get prior approval for every set of photos, try to completely ban certain pictures, and even decree that those behind cameras dress better than at present. Some of the orders are more unethical than the actions they seek to regulate.
Because these rules were unnecessary, obviously ill-considered and in at least one case offensive, Gen Prayut's initial reaction deserves notice. For one thing, it is crystal clear that they did not come from the prime minister himself. The issuance of the 14 rules did not go down at all well. He commented within a day that he had seen these "new" regulations three years ago, and that he had no idea why police Special Branch had re-issued and emphasised them on Friday.
There are strong clues, however, on the "why" of this matter. It seems it is no coincidence that the list of 14 rules was handed to media outlets and to photographers almost immediately after a short, testy exchange between reporters and the prime minister at the opening of the Thailand Social Expo 2018 at Impact Muang Thong. Gen Prayut walked away from the gathered press gaggle when they asked him about an inflammatory commentary in The Jakarta Post.
That newspaper's senior managing editor, Kornelius Purba, wrote that the Indonesian government should work to try to block Thailand and Gen Prayut in succeeding Singapore as president of Asean, as scheduled. It said, "If Gen Prayut does not hold a free and democratic election [by November], he should not chair the trade bloc next year." The prime minister refused to comment on this article and walked away. Then the 14-point regulations were handed to the press, with notice they will be enforced.
The most important step by Gen Prayut following the quick public ridicule of the new rules was that he had ordered another look. And in particular, he seeks change for the potentially offensive Rule No.1: "Show respect before and after taking [a] photo".
This rule is not acceptable for several reasons well known to the general public as well as to the media. It is a shame that it appears on the list at all. It is shocking that aides to the prime minister accepted it. The prime minister deserves respectful treatment by press and general public. That does not include kowtowing or serial displays of bowing. There is nowhere in the world that the political head of government merits this.
Other rules are less offensive but just as unnecessary and, in some cases, silly. Adult, government-accredited media workers do not need to be reminded of their duties and how to perform them. They do not need quite ridiculous rules like always staying away, or to be ordered into line, like primary school pupils.
Others of the hopefully doomed 14 rules are over-protective, to be kind. One states that there must be no frontal shots of the prime pinister during a reception, apparently because the readers or viewers could conceivably think Gen Prayut is not mingling with people.
"No photos when the PM is eating" is obviously an order not to take even a potentially embarrassing moment. The rule stating, "No photos when the PM is walking up or down steps", in clearer language, means "Gen Prayut might stumble, and no one must see such a thing".
The appearance of these rules was unfortunate. Credit Prime Minister Prayut for recognising this. The ultimate irony is that while the 14 rules demanded that press photographers respect Gen Prayut, he will actually gain and deserve respect from every thinking person in the country by abolishing them.