New Journalist in Thailand Must Now Pass Government Assessment Test

–

BANGKOK – General Kanit Suwannate, chair of the media reform steering committee, said Monday newcomers to media profession will be required to undergo training and pass the KPI (Key Performance Indicators) assessment before they are to be issued with licenses to become journalists under an amended Media Profession Standards and Ethics Promotion Bill.

General Kanit Suwannate said that the media profession council would be responsible for working out details about the training course and KPI.

According to Thai PBS the steering committee amended the definitions of media professionals and media operators to cover media technology.

Freelance writers will not be covered by the definitions, he added.

The committee also decided to increase the number of members of the so-called National Media Profession Council from 13 to 15 and change the proportion of media representatives in the council from 5 to 7 with an interim provision allowing media professionals who have been performing their jobs prior to the enforcement of this law to carry on their jobs as if they had obtained licenses but they have to report to the council.

News agencies will be responsible for issuing documents certifying that they are actually media professionals.

Online media professionals whether they have fixed income directly or indirectly will now be regarded as media professionals under this law.