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Legal
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2003-12-30 22:21:32-05
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Press standards and legal safety is still a concern for business and tourism
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In praxis the press has free hands and standards among jounalists vary strongly
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Resident in Thailand rapidly become aware that potential visitors and investors think twice about putting their trust in the country due to low standards of press and the legal system. The press - showing no inhibitation using pictures and full name - has in praxis free hands and may write anything with impunity. A recent case involves a 63-old Spanish tourist in Pattaya and a 13-year old boy who claims to have been forced to perform various oral sexual acts in a steam room of a hotel. There are no witnesses and no visible marks or other evidence have been reported. Unless the mere accusation is to be taken as sufficient proof the case must be regarded as undecided and, due to lack of hard evidence, weak. But in an article, headline 'Warning: Perverts lurk in fitness centers of Five Star Hotels' was written for 'Pattaya Mail' by a 'Boonlua Chatree'. It takes clear stand against the visitor and mentions him by his full name. A picture is brought but the accused manage to hide his face. The journalist writes: "[name of accused] even went as low as saying to the father that he had used his son as bait so he could have him arrested." and "Expose the matter, teach this person a lesson..." The entire article clearly reveals that the journalist already believes to know the truth, long before a trial or an investigation has been completed. Not all newspapers in Thailand have low standards, but it is still common that any arrested individual will have name, nationality and picture in some newspapers, even before the first investigation is completed. Other incidents involves drugs being allegedly discovered or people being followed by traders who from the ground pics up some goods, allegedly being stolen and dropped by the accused. In such cases it is common that the accused must pay tens of thousands of dollars not to find him-/herself faced with a lengthy and difficult trial.
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