Open Letter to CNN International
May 18, 2010 by Guest Columnist
Filed under Blogs
Open Letter from a Bangkok resident: Recently, CNN Thailand Correspondents Dan Rivers and Sarah Snider have made me seriously reconsider your agency as a source for reliable and accurate unbiased news. As of this writing, over thousands of CNN’s viewers have already begun to question the accuracy and dependability of its reporting as regards events in Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, etc., in addition to Bangkok.
As a first-rate global news agency, CNN has an inherent professional duty to deliver all sides of the truth to the global public who have faithfully and sincerely placed their trust and reliance in you. Your news network, by its longtime transnational presence and extensive reach, has been put in a position of trust and care; CNN’s journalists, reporters, and researchers have a collective responsibility to follow the journalist’s code and ethics to deliver and present facts from all facets of the story, not merely one-sided, shallow and sensational half-truths. The magnitude of harm or potential extent of damage that erroneous and fallacious news reporting can cause to (and exacerbate), not only a country’s internal state of affairs, economic well-being, and general international perception, but also the real lives and livelihood of the innocent and voiceless people of that nation, is enormous. CNN should not negligently discard its duty of care to the international populace by reporting single-sided or unverified facts and distorted truths drawn from superficial research, or display/distribute biased images which capture only one side of the actual event.
Dan Rivers
Mr Rivers and Ms Snider have NOT done their best under these life-threatening circumstances because many other foreign correspondents have done better. All of Mr Rivers and Ms Sniders’ quotes and statements seem to have been solely taken from the anti-government protest leaders or their followers/sympathizers. Yet, all details about the government’s position have come from secondary resources. No direct interviews with government officials have been shown; no interviews or witness statements from ordinary Bangkok residents or civilians unaffiliated with the protesters, particularly those who have been harassed by or suffered at the hands of the protesters, have been circulated.
Why the discrepancy in source of information? Why the failure to report all of the government’s previous numerous attempts to negotiate or invitations for protesters to go home? Why no broadcasts shown of the myriad ways the red protesters have terrorized and harmed innocent civilians by burning their shops, enclosing burning tyres around apartment buildings, shooting glass marbles at civilians from high altitudes, attacking civilians in their cars, and worst of all, obstructing paramedics and ambulances carrying civilians injured by M79 grenade blasts during the Silom incident of April 24, 2010, thereby resulting in the sole civilian casualty? The entire timeline of events that have forced the government to take this difficult stance has been hugely and callously ignored in deference to the red ‘underdogs’.
Mr Rivers and Ms Snider’s choice of sensational vocabulary and terminology in every newscast or news report, and choice of images to broadcast, has resulted in law-abiding soldiers and the heavily-pressured Thai government being painted in a negative, harsh, and oppressive light, whereas the genuinely violent and law-breaking arm of the anti-government protesters – who are directly responsible for overt acts of aggression not only against armed soldiers but also against helpless, unarmed civilians and law-abiding apolitical residents of this once blooming metropolis (and whose actions under American law would by now be classified as terrorist activities) – are portrayed as righteous freedom fighters deserving of worldwide sympathy and support. This has mislead the various international Human Rights watchdogs to believe the Thai government are sending trigger-happy soldiers out to ruthlessly murder unarmed civilians without just cause.
As a current resident of “war zone” Bangkok who has experienced the effect of the Red protests first hand and is living in a state of constant terror and anxiety as to whether her family, friends, and home would get bombed or attacked by the hardcore anti-government vigilantes/paramilitary forces – I appeal to CNN’s professional integrity to critically investigate and scrutinize the misinformed news reporting of your above-named correspondents. If they are incapable of obtaining genuine, authentic facts from any other source except the Red Protest leaders and red-sympathizing Thai translators or acquaintances, or from fellow non-Thai-speaking journalists who are similarly ignorant of Thai language, culture, history, and society, then perhaps CNN should consider reassigning field correspondents to Thailand.
I implore and urge you to please take serious action to correct or reverse the grave injustice that has been done to the Thai nation, her government, and the majority of law-abiding Thai citizens and expatriate residents by having endorsed and widely circulated poorly researched and misrepresented news coverage of the current ongoing political unrest and escalating violence in Thailand.
Copies of this open letter have also been distributed to other local as well as international news media and social networks for public information. Please feel free to contact me further should you require any additional concrete and reputable evidence in substantiation and corroboration of my complaints and claims stated hereinabove.
Napas Na Pombejra, B.A., LL.B. (Lond.)
Bangkok, Thailand
May 17, 2010
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=277701868
Addendum
Enclosed herewith for your attention and information some examples of other quality international news bulletins by respectable foreign journalists so you may assess at your leisure the sub-par quality and misleading nature of Mr Rivers and Ms Sniders’ journalism:
1. New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/wo…ia/16thai.html
2. Fox News/Associated Press:
(i) http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05…ckdown-killed/
(ii) http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05…aos-continues/
3. Global Post: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/t…otests-bangkok
4. NHK: NHK WORLD English
5. Al Jazeera: Al Jazeera English – AJE
6. Deutsche Welle (English media in Germany):
Unrest in Thailand escalates | Asia | Deutsche Welle | 14.05.2010
7. Local English daily newspaper’s chronology of events on Day 3 of “War in Bangkok”:
What went down – Nationmultimedia.com
Did anyone notice little Mr Rivers has been sent home.
http://www.journalism.co.uk/8/articles/540767.php
@ Kanha – I am sorry but what you wrote is absolute uneducated dribble. CNN interviewed many govt. officials including the Bangkok Governor which if you can find it was the most honest and interesting interview of all. Plus it spoke to some residents, perhaps not the residents that you wanted them to speak to but still some resident.
@ Kat – Granted. But remember how big these companies are. Do you not find it slightly suspicious that Zen which was never any good, and the Siam theatre which everyone knows was a disputed piece of land were the only serious damages in that area. That raises my alarm bells.
Dear all readers,
Economic is the key function for all level of people. Travel Industry is sensitive issue. Visit Asia Travel http://www.visitasiatravel.com wishes all to stay back in peace on earth. So people will freely travel around on this beautiful plannet.
The tourism industry always supports Thailand – a beautiful country with lovely citizens/residents. This is not the first time or the last time that CNN has done biased reporting.
During mad cow disease in UK they were showing images as if the animals were being cremated near Big Ben. This being watched by USA citizens drove them away from UK as a destination for many months. The loss to the country and tourism business was immenese.
Don’t worry Thailand you have numerous friends worldwide to support your tourism sector.
I am really glad that so many Thais are speaking out about the very unprofessional ,uninformed and unsubstantiated reporting during the the Thai Red Shirt demonstrations. I have been resident in the capital for twenty five years and believe I have a reasonable understanding of the current situation but the reporting by the CNN staff did not reflect the reality of the situation on the ground in any way.
Please CNN take a long hard look at the influence you are creating with your uninformed reporting.I presume Thailand is not an isolated case in this disturbed world of ours.
I was very pleased to learn that Khun Napas Na Pombejra’s open letter to CNN explains to Mr.Dan Rivers and Ms. Sarah Snider what most Thai people thought about their reporting. Both of them should know very well that their reports were not balanced. They cannot lie to themselves.I also understand that the Lawyers Council of Thailand also suggested the government officially complain to CNN.
I have read many newspapers which mentioned that Mr.Dan Rivers’ reports failed to take into account both sides(red shirts and government). Most of the reports were based on interviews with only red shirts representatives. Futhermore, according to Thai Rath newspaper which has a circulation of 1 million copies a day, dated May 28 on Page 4 mentioned that “Mr. Dan Rivers together with Mr. Robert Amsterdam, the most expensive lawyer and lobbyist hired by Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, were seen together behind the stage of red shirts protesters at Ratchaprasorn on May 16. Mr. Robert Amsterdam likes to accept lobby and PR jobs from undeveloped countries such as Venezuela, Guatemala, Nigeria and Hungary. But his company’s record in 2003 shows that he represented oil millionaires from Russia who were found guilty of corruption. They lost the case and are serving eight years in prison with all assets confiscated During the tenure of Mr. Putin, as the president of Russia, Robert Amsterdam was apparently black-listed.I also understand that Mr. Dan Rivers was black listed by the Burmese government.
Furthermore,the Thai Journalists Association should check the past record of Mr. Dan River just in case he was a close friend of Mr. Jakkapop.
I fully agree with Khun Napas Na Pombejra. I would like to request that Mr Rivers and Ms Snider as reporters to find out the following and report to the world.
- the red shirts protesters occupied Rajprasong area. Was it according to the Thai constitution ?
- are the red shirts protesters peacefully and carried no firearms?
- who are the black shirts with firearms and snipers behind the red shirts protester.
- why the members of parliament from PHEU THAI Party never mentioned anything about red shirts protesters instead some of them also speak out agaist the government?
- why red shirts protesters burned Central World, Big C and Siam Theater?
- why red shirts protesters did not burn Gaysorn Plaza, Grand Hyatt, Amari Plaza and Siam Pagagon which is the same location as Central World and others.
- According to Post Today, Thai newspaper, dated 24 May (www.posttoday.com)mentioned that for the past six months Thaksin and his associates paid to the red shirts approximately 24,000 million Baht or USD 727 million. Especially during May 1-15 paid out to red shirts, approximately 7,000 millions or USD 212 million, can Mr Rivers and Ms Snider find out about this matter because it is very important.
-most of the Thai believe that Thaksin Shinawatra is the owner of PHEU THAI Party and he is also the real leaders of red shirts. I would like to ask Mr Rivers and Ms Snider, both of you believe this matter or not?
Fascinating. But what makes you think the world is in any way interested? the world has moved on to Jamaica and Gaza, among many others, none of whose citizens appear to whine and grizzle as much as Thais. What you document above is merely of domestic interest – if that.
Dear Khun Napas,
Thank you for your English letter to CNN.
CNN may have a lot of influence reporting the news all around the World.
We forgive the bad people who did the terrorism/riot here in Thailand recently.
However we need a moral support from our friends of everywhere.
We are sad but we have to go through this very hard time sooner.
Everybody is born to die someday. Hate is not good. It really does not exist.
Until the end of the World, Thailand shall remain beautiful as it is with more good people than bad people.
I love Thailand, my motherland.