The following video of an interview with Kavi Chongkittavorn, Group Editor at the Nation Multimedia Group in Thailand, has been edited for time and content. A transcript of the interview conducted by Art Kaufman, senior director at the World Movement, is included.

Art: How do you engage the international media to assist with the legal environment?

Kavi: Well, in that case, you have to identify the international media first.  There are two levels of international media.  One is the media that surrounds you, the so-called regional media, and the other is the international media.  So, it’s important that you find voices outside of your immediate country.  Well, if that is the case.  There is no one sharing with you.  You live in the same oppressive environment, you can seek much broader international media, but first you must find support from your regional community first.  I think that’s the way to go about it, because most of the time, you always find support in the same region facing the same issues.  For example, in Southeast Asia, it’s much better to find regional support before you go to the international level.

So, once you find connections, network with the region, then you can build this strong case, so you don’t have isolation, your own cases as a country.  You have a case of regional.  When you build up the cases, it’s much better, when you fight for the regional level.

Art: How do you make legal reform interesting to the international media and its readers?

Kavi: The most important thing for local NGOs is how the international values and norms operate.  A lot of times, local NGOs don’t understand.  They think they live in isolation, but international values and norms actually can link.  I will give you one example with Article 19.  If you work for press freedom, you can use that.  And now you have a mechanism called Human Rights Council, which also talks about press freedom and safety of journalists.  So, you can link that up.  So, it’s this kind of norm or international treaty, which we have to understand, so that we can link them. 

Otherwise, it’s very difficult.  What’s the relevance on this issue if you cannot link up with the broader international context?  I think that’s a good way to go about it.

Art: How should you select an effective spokesperson?

Kavi: Well, I think it’s very important to have a spokesperson who can articulate issues in whatever language.  That is the most important task, because you want to be able to highlight issues in any language.  Certainly, if you want to highlight issues in English, you better find someone who can speak English or the relevant regional language like Bahasa in Indonesia, or French.  So, it’s very important.