Increasingly, they feel the growing threat, which comes in different subtle forms or outright intimidation, to press freedom and freedom of expressions.

The Thai professional media associations, who come together to express their common voice, consist of Thai Journalists Association, Economic Reporters Association, the Confederation of Thai Journalists and the Thai Broadcast Journalist Association.

The Thai professional media associations expressed their concern about the threat to their professions through litigation, both criminal and civil suits. In some cases, newspapers are subject to lawsuits that claim damage in the tune of several 10 billion of baht. This is apparently aimed at trying to bankrupt the publishing houses altogether.

"Today is a new phenomenon that media from all newsrooms feel the same way and join hand in hand to fight against the intimidation from the government and "dark power"," said President of Thai Journalists Association Pattara Khumphitak.

He added that all Thai press will publish and broadcast a joint editorial on April 11 edition to express the media's stance.

Thepchai Yong, The Nation's Group Editor, said the Thai professional media associations will soon submit a letter to caretaker Thaksin Shinawatra and some ministers who involved with the media, asking for meeting with Thaksin about the media's intimidation issue.

"In the past, Thaksin has never thought about talking directly with the press instead he talked via state-run media. This leads to a lack of communication and understanding between media and the government leader," he said.

"And it may lead to bad attitude and a channel of the intimidation which has never seen before. We want to meet with Thaksin and have open-minded and frankly talking. If Thaksin and his ministers refused to meet us that mean they accepted the press is really intimidated," he said.

Recently, the office of Kom Chad Luek, a Thailanguage newspaper under the Nation Multimedia Group, was surrounded by some 3,000 protestors for more than seven hours. These protestors, apparently with support from the people in power, completely sealed off the premise, preventing the staff of the Nation Multimedia Group from entering or leaving. They also used abusive words to threaten the reporters, editors and other staff there, who were suffering from an illegal act of confinement. The law was also abused, but the constitutional rights of the reporters, editors and staff were also breached.

Other publications, such as the Manager Group, Naew Na, have also experienced similar threat and intimidations.

The professional media associations thereby condemned all kinds of violations and threat to the independence and integrity of their operations. They call for protection under Article 39 of the Constitution.

The professional media associations pledged to independently pursue their duty and responsibility in providing timely, accurate and truthful news to serve the public. They also pledge not to bow to pressure from the powerthatbe, whose intentions might not serve the best interest of the public.

The Nation