FM:OANA helps world to see changes in Thailand

BANGKOK, December 14 (TNA) - Thailand hosts a three-day meeting of members of the organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), from December13-15, to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of the growing regional news agencies group. Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul presided over a ceremony to inaugurate the OANA meeting at the InterContinental Hotel in Bangkok Wednesday morning, saying that cooperation among members of OANA will assist them in catching up with world rapid changes and enable global news agencies to see changes in Thailand. Surapong acknowledged that Thailand is heading towards full democracy, following the country's latest general election on July 3, 2011. Besides, according to the Thai foreign minister, the world could see Thai people join hands in developing the country, in the wake of this year's flooding crisis over the past couple of months, showing that people have remained confidence in the government in water management in the future. Participants at the ongoing OANA meeting are scheduled to discuss several journalism-related issues, including journalists' roles, ethics, neutrality and standards for further cooperation among the members. The OANA was established in 1961 by an initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to bolster cooperation among news agencies in the Asian Pacific Region and currently has 44 member news agencies of 35 countries, including the Thai News Agency (TNA), run by MCOT Public Company Limited (MCOT), a largest media firm in Thailand. (TNA)