Chiang Mai: Residents of the North have called for tighter regulatory control of community radio stations which they blame for causing much of the recent political strife.
All sides of politics used radio to incite conflict and social divisions in the region, a seminar on the new constitution at a hotel in Chiang Mai was told on Saturday.
The seminar, attended by about 400 people, was organised by the Constitution Drafting Committee and King Prajadhipok’s Institute to gather public opinion on the planned charter.
Small group discussions covered the rights and liberties of citizens, political participation, elections, political institutions, politicians, the courts, the judicial process, the scrutiny of politicians, reform and reconciliation.
In a group discussion on reform and reconciliation, the residents said political conflict in the region sprang from colour-coded community radio stations.
Jumpol Phanchet, a Chiang Mai resident, said both sides of the political chasm used the stations to offer benefits or spread propaganda.
There was a deliberate attempt to set local people against each other, Mr Jumpol said. He suggested the charter strictly control giveaways offered on community radio stations and their advertising content.
Mr Jumpol said the wider mass media was guilty of causing political and social divisions over the past decade.
He said while state media was used by those in power to further their political aims, cash-rich pressure groups resorted to other media channels to attack their rivals.
Therefore the government should only have general oversight of the mainstream media rather than be allowed to interfere in it, he added.
Some participants said community radio stations should not be allowed to discuss politics and election campaigns.
Lert Khamchai, a radio host who talks about religious and social issues, said there would be fewer problems if political topics were banned.
Nichakorn Ruenhom, a Phrae resident, said several community radio hosts had gone into politics at local and national levels.
She suggested a law be enacted to prevent hosts from using the stations to campaign for votes, which could degenerate into smear campaigns against political rivals and lead to conflicts and divisions.
Other participants sought stricter control on content and advertising.
Chaturong Chariyarattanakul, a Public Relations Department officer in Chiang Rai, said a fertiliser company ran a community radio station which is very sophisticated and allowed the company to wield great influence over farmers.
CDC member Banthoon Setsirote said the new charter would reform the judicial system to reduce social injustice and create new mechanisms to prevent a repeat of past conflicts.
