Spokesman denies rapping journos over shirts

The reporters said certain officials from the Government Spokesman's Office had asked them not to wear shirts bearing the message "Kukkam Sue Kukkam Prachachon" (Harassment of the media is harassment of the public). The officials told the reporters it was a request from "some senior figures", whom they declined to identify.

However, deputy government spokeswoman Suparat Nakboon-nam yesterday insisted there had been no such order from the Government Spokesman's Office.

"This must have resulted from some misunderstanding. There was no such order. There was just a request for Government House reporters to wear proper attire. Reporters can still wear the shirts in question. I see many doing so, and there has been no problem," she said.

The shirts were distributed by the Thai Journalists' Association (TJA) to Government House reporters ahead of World Press Day on May 3.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej recently complained in his Sunday morning address about the media showing images of reporters wearing the shirts outside Government House.

Yuwadee Thanyasiri, a senior reporter at Government House, confirmed yesterday there had been a request for reporters not to wear the shirts in question.

She said the message against media harassment was not aimed at politicians in particular, adding,

"As members of the media, we are doing our best in performing our duties."

Yuwadee also asked the government to be fair to the media.

Jirapong Prasertponkrang, a Government House reporter who sits on the TJA's media rights and freedom committee, said politicians who do not condone media harassment should not feel offended by the shirts.

Citing the late respected journalist Kularb Saipradit, he said politicians in power should avoid doing bad things if they do not want people to talk about them in a bad way.

Many Government House reporters plan to wear the shirts in question to work today.