GENERAL NEWS - Thursday 29 January 2004

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PHNOM PENH RIOT ANNIVERSARY

Media outlets in each country to work together

Effort to stamp out unbalanced coverage

Nauvarat Suksamran

A painful lesson has been learned. Now local press in Thailand and Cambodia are working closely to mend fences, in the knowledge that positive news coverage could prevent a recurrence of the bitter episode of Jan 29 in which angry mobsters burned and looted the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

The media was to blame for triggering the hostility.

A popular Cambodian newspaper, Rasmi Angkor, published an article, which it later admitted was fictitious, alleging television star Suwanan "Kob" Kongying had insulted Cambodians by saying the cultural icon Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand.

Cambodians took to the streets and Thais were evacuated from Cambodia. The Thai government downgraded diplomatic relations to charge d'affairsstatus.

Om Chandara, chairman of the Cambodian Newspaper Association, said the riot was perpetrated by a handful of thugs who spread malicious rumours that a Cambodian embassy official in Bangkok had been murdered.

The rumours rubbed salt on the Angkor Wat wound. The violence spun out of control.

Media in Thailand and Cambodian media pledged to exchange information and get in touch immediately with one another to correct any misreporting.

Mr Chandara said a Thai academic had penned a column recently reviving demand for a return of the sacred Phrea Vihear from Cambodia.

Ownership of the historical sanctuary, formerly belonging to Thailand, was handed over to Cambodia on World Court orders many decades ago.

Mr Chandara said he had explained to the media that it was a personal opinion that did not reflect the common attitude of most Thais.

Prasit Saengrunrueng, president of the Thai Regional Reporters' Association, said members jointly performed the Krathin robe-giving ceremony at a Buddhist temple in Malaysia.

They also awarded honorary plaques to senior officials of the two countries who volunteered their service for peace and bilateral harmony.

Sahasin Yuttarat, deputy chairman of the Thai-Cambodian organisation, urged the media to screen news more carefully and exercise sound editorial judgement. Sorn Sannang, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said publication of nationalistic and sensitive issues should be avoided. Expression of narrow and unbalanced views could undermine national affairs.




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