The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand (NBCT) apologised Wednesday to the family of late actor Tridsadee "Por" Sahawong and the public over Tuesday's media crush.
"The professional media organisation would like to say sorry and apologise to the Sahawongs, as well as their relatives, fans and the public who followed the event. The organisation accepts all criticism and suggestions from those who monitor the duty of the press. This will be a lesson on how to improve the standards of the profession in the future," the council said.
Crowds of media mixed with fans of the actor outside Ramathibodi Hospital created a near-shambles of the transport of his remains following his death on Tuesday. PORNPROM SATRABHAYA
The NBCT stepped in after social media exploded in outrage over a stampede by TV cameramen, reporters and fans as they harassed Tridsadee's wife Vanda and other family members, who were moving the late actor's body from Ramathibodi Hospital to Wat Klang in Muang district in Buri Ram on Tuesday.
This widely distributed overhead view clearly shows the media crush outside the hospital. FB/Suvinit Aum Ornnavalai
According to the Bangkok Post's Nopporn Wong-Anan, one particular still photographer was singled out and condemned for ordering family members how to conduct themselves during the procession; he allegedly even uncovered the face of the deceased actor.
Shortly after the criticism, a campaign was launched at Change.org to protest against the behaviour of the media.
The campaign, which started on Tuesday, had raised 24,675 e-supporters as of early Thursday morning. The website requires at least 25,000 supporters before making a move.
The temple and a co-host of the funeral rites for Por urged the public to respect the privacy of his family following Tuesday's scrum of people seeking photos and selfies with the dead actor's body and relatives.
Thousands of mourners, fans and relatives converged on the temple on Tuesday night for bathing and chanting rites co-hosted by Buriram United Football Club.
Some attendants tried to take pictures of Ms Vanda and her infant daughter, even trying for selfies with the grieving widow and the two-year-old girl.
Temple officials shouted in vain over loudspeakers on Tuesday night for the public to show respect to the late actor by not taking photos inside Sala Dhammanuphab 2.
The chanting rites will continue until Sunday, when Por will be cremated.