Human rights award recognises Thai freedom-of-expression advocate

A 33 year old Thai woman battling Thailand’s national government and powerful corporate sector over human rights and journalistic freedom was last night recognised by a leading Australian university as a champion of freedom of expression.

General Secretary of the Thai media advocacy group Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR) Ms Supinya Klangnarong received the inaugural "Communication and Social Change Award" from The University of Queensland at a ceremony in Brisbane.

The award was presented to help mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of journalism studies at the University’s School of Journalism and Communication, the longest established journalism program in Australia and one of the oldest in the world.

Head of School Professor Jan Servaes said Supinya was an outstanding advocate of the right to the freedom of expression and public access to the broadcast media in Thailand.

In recent months, Supinya fought and won a defamation case brought by Thai telecommunications giant Shin Corp seeking US$10 million. Freedom of expression advocates around the world have acclaimed the ruling as an important victory for the right to freedom of expression globally.

Shin Corp was founded by Thailand`s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and owned by his family. In early 2006, the family sold its 49 percent share in Shin Corp to Singapore`s Temasek Holdings.

The defamation suit followed comments made by Supinya and published in the Thai Post newspaper that Shin Corp profits had soared since the election of the Prime Minister and questioned the relationship between Thai politics and commercial interests.

“At great personal risk, Supinya has pursued freedom of expression and having won the court case continues to fight to implement Article 40 of Thailand’s new democratic constitution which recognises radio and television frequencies as a national resource belonging to the people," Professor Servaes said.

"She is courageously leading a national campaign for broadcast regulation reform and to bring the benefits of broadcasting, especially community radio, to the Thai people.”

Supinya, who was in Brisbane to receive the award, said she was honoured and recommitted herself and the CPMR to ensuring that the broadcast media served the people.

“People must not be just targets for marketing … controlled by advertising and political powers. Thailand has a very diversified, rural and poor population and broadcasting must be made available to all the people, controlled by the people and for their benefit,” she said.

CPMR believes the broadcast frequency spectrum belongs to the Thai people and should be regulated and distributed responsibly to benefit the public interest.

For further information, contact John Austin, Journalist-in-Residence, School of Journalism and Communication, The University of Queensland, +61 07 3365 7329, j.austin@uq.edu.au.