Rama 10: British journalist Jonathan Miller reveals stories before and after interviewing the King – BBC News Thailand

Jonathan Miller, foreign correspondent British television channel 4 News was arrested during reports of protests in Bahrain. He has been cursed by Philippine President Duterte at the press conference. He previously challenged Robert Mugabe, who was also the leader of Zimbabwe, and Najib Razak while serving as Prime Minister of Malaysia.

And on November 1, he became known and remembered by many Thais as the first reporter interviewed during the reign of King Rama 10 since his reign. It is also an interview that a journalist has never done before, by “holding the microphone” in question while greeting people.

Importantly, this interview took place when many students were demanding the reform of the monarchy.

“I know that no journalist has done this before. And understand why many Thais are dissatisfied and see it as a violation. But the main thing in my journalistic work is that the media has a duty to examine authority. And I have done it with leaders. from many countries … I just ask the leaders, the authority who has not said anything yet, “Miller, 58, told BBC Thai. In a videoconference interview on November 11, almost two weeks after him. “Making history” in front of the Grand Palace

Miller asked. And His Majesty the King replied as follows

Miller: These people are loyal to you. But how will he speak to the protesters who take to the streets demanding institutional reform?

King Rama 10: I have no idea … We love them the same way (repeat twice).

Miller: Is there an opportunity to compromise?

Rama 10: Thailand is a land of reconciliation.

Miller, in addition to working for the agency, is Channel Four. He is also a special correspondent for the CNN news agency. His news report cites that this is the first time in more than 40 years that King Vachiraklao Chao Yu Hua has interviewed a reporter.

British reporters admitted to the Thai BBC that at first, he was reluctant to reveal the behind-the-scenes interview on November 1, but after nearly two weeks of news reports, there was nothing to worry about. He agreed to tell us about the origin of the interview. What happened next? And your views on the conflict situation in Thailand

BBC Thai composed his speech in a question and answer session as follows:

The Public Relations Department sent the actual lighting on November 1 to the media line group. And my team suggested that we should give it a try. The editors of Channel Four in London and CNN in Hong Kong knew we were going and agreed, but everyone, including us, didn’t expect him to give an interview. Because this is not programmed But luck will be measured against work

I put on a suit and tie and waited in the Grand Palace. I thought we would have a very distant image of Lord Buddha. We waited 7 hours. He left Wat Phra Kaew and greeted the people. We started filming. The royal guards were there. They know that the photographer and I are filming. But nobody prohibits anything

As we walked outside the Grand Palace we met a lot of people dressed in yellow t-shirts who came to meet him. My team of CNN photographers set up behind the former Independent Buddha. Because we think that he could stop reciting with the old free Buddha, as in the past, what he really did.

After asking the first question, he replied, “No comment” at that moment I thought in my mind that .. no Don’t say it. There were many questions I could comment on. But at the very least, the Lord’s declaration with me makes me pretty sure that he could say more. Then I asked more questions. In which he gave a short but meaningful answer.

If I were someone close to him I would be satisfied with the whole picture. This is because the King is accessible. He is ready to speak. Even reputable foreign journalists ask questions. Wang probably thought that there was nothing wrong in general.

But I can understand the feelings of the protesters. I have been following your demands and was in the process of breaking up. (Pathumwan intersection) They also doused me with water. It doesn’t surprise me that many people question the actual discourse that Thailand is a land of compromise. And it has led to a lot of teasing and sarcasm

The expert has the full right to ask questions. Some have told me that during the last months of protests I never saw signs of compromise from either the palace or the government. General Prayut Chan-o-cha

After the King replied that “Thailand is a land of reconciliation”, he addressed Queen Sutida. Then they all left.

The moment I spoke about the interview lasted only 20 seconds. But at that moment I felt it was too long.

I chose to conclude in the news report that His words conveyed that the solution was possible. For me, this is a positive sign. Because when the King said that Thailand was a land of compromise That means that the institute Open to discussions and suggestions

As soon as His Majesty finished his recitation with the former free Buddha I then handed him the microphone to speak at the interview. At that time, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Chao Fa Siriwannavari reached out to stop him and said, “No interview” (no interview), but I am still acting. As for Queen Sutida, she smiled and waved her hand.

And as everyone has seen After He left His Majesty stopped the royal speech with Prince Siriwannavari. Then Prince Chao Siriwannavari The King came back to me and reiterated his father’s words that he always loved the Thai people, no matter if And Thailand is a peaceful country

When all His Highness left I turned to a Thai producer. We could look at each other, but we were left speechless, before we did not dare to hope. But here we just spoke to the King for the first time. Also Your answer is short but interesting.

We noted that the ancient Independent Buddha of Phra was not very satisfied with the way we dared to do such a thing based on the area it occupied. But he did not accept threats and did not speak to us.

We then pulled out of the area to report back to the agency what we got and rushed to submit work. When I got out, no one stopped or said anything to us.

After the report aired, he was waiting for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agency in charge of foreign journalists, to contact him and inform him that the palace was not satisfied with what happened. But no one contacted him AND apart from some of the social media users who were angry at foreign journalists who he considered to have defeated the King by throwing the microphone to speak in an interview. No one else was offensive to us

I don’t want to be a former foreign correspondent who has traveled to analyze conflicts in other countries, but from my experience I have embedded reports of conflicts in many countries around the world. Both Palestine, Libya, Zimbabwe, Sudan, etc. I see that in all conflicts there is an opportunity to explode into violence. That all parties should help each other be very careful Even in Thailand itself Political conflicts have already turned violent.

A few months ago I interviewed General Prayut and asked him if he was aware of the protesters’ demands, and the prime minister replied that he was following people’s opinions on social media. And follow the news in the media But one of the demands that you cannot accept is the reform of the monarchy.

I think now. There is a growing number of supporters of the monarchy’s demands for reform, but neither side has taken the matter seriously.

As a correspondent I am not in a position to make political demands. But as a human being I want this conflict to end peacefully.

I love Thailand very much.Besides wanting to recover from COVID-19, I also want Thailand to be peaceful. Because Thailand is rich in history and part of that history is the monarchy.

The Channel Four News website recommends that Miller has been a Thailand-based international correspondent since 2015, and has previously been reported in various regions of the Middle East. Africa and America He has received several news presentation awards from the Association of Television Reporters and Amnesty International. And author of the autobiography Mr. Duterte President of the Philippines

Miller told BBC Thai that he first came to Thailand in 1972 as a family trip. And like Thailand ever since.As a journalist, he chose to make news in Southeast Asia for several years. Their daughter was born in Thailand.

Miller also said that he has been an international correspondent for Channel Four for nearly 20 years and is delighted to be stationed in Bangkok. During the COVID-19 outbreak, he was also in Thailand, which was a great opportunity to learn more about Thailand just around the corner, as he always had to travel abroad to make news. In addition, this year there were protests between students and the public. Giving the opportunity to report this news What, in his opinion, was an important event