Nation's Propaganda War Against the US and US Media Outlets Continue

Democrats: Why did Thaksin hire firm?


Democrat Party executive Korbsak Sabhavasu yesterday called on the United States to clarify its position on ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who has recently hired a powerful lobbying firm, in which former Secretary of State James Baker III is a senior partner, to monitor Washington's policy towards the military-backed government.

The lobbying registration on the US Senate website confirmed that Thaksin had hired Baker Botts LLP, with an effective date of December 11, 2006. Baker was the US Secretary of State during the Bush Snr administration.

American Ambassador to Bangkok, Ralph Boyce, downplayed the hiring of the firm, saying lobbying firms and the US government are two separate entities.

"Anybody has a right to hire a lobbyist. It is a transparent system in the US. It has to be registered. So far, this has nothing to do with the US government," Boyce said.

Other officials said Thaksin's hiring lobbying firms in the US might be a big news story in Thailand, but in Washington DC, such a move is a "non-issue".

According to the registration, Baker Botts was hired to help "develop and implement a strategic approach to the various international legal and political issues that confront Dr Thaksin as a result of the coup of September 19".

"The firm will monitor the evolution of US policies towards the interim government in Thailand or the Administration's position regarding attempts by Dr Thaksin to return to Thailand and may subsequently undertake contacts as necessary to ensure that such policies remain consistent with those currently in place."

Speaking to the media, Korbsak questioned Thaksin's true intention with the hiring of the Baker Botts lobbying firm.

In the registration form under "general description of client's business or activities" Thaksin was described as "the freely elected Prime Minister of Thailand".

Thaksin's lawyer in Bangkok, Noppodol Patama, was quick to remind Korbsak that he had left out the word "deposed" in reference to Thaksin.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kitti Wasinond, meanwhile, said the government was not in a position to call on Baker Botts to deny their service to Thaksin.

"It is the right of an individual to hire a lobbyist," Kitti said, adding, "I believe that the US will continue its good relations and co-operation with Thailand."

Thaksin has jolted the political leaders in Bangkok with his relentless attacks against the military-backed government and the junta that ousted him.

Besides Baker Botts, Thaksin has also hired Barbour Griffith and Rogers LLP. According to the US Senate lobbying registration, the firm was hired to "Provide guidance and counsel with regard to Mr Thaksin's interest in Washington, DC, and abroad."

He has also enlisted Edelman, a public relations firm, to handle his international publicity, resulting in numerous interviews with the international media, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Time Asahi Shimbun, the Kyodo News Agency and a string of others.

Thaksin earlier this week said he would give interviews to the Thai media but reversed his decision yesterday, his lawyer Noppodol said.

Thai publications had been considering whether to dispatch senior reporters and editors, especially those critical of Thaksin, to interview him. Noppodol did not explain why Thaksin has reversed his decision.

In an interview with Al Jazeera television network broadcast on Tuesday, Thaksin called on the junta to end their rule.

"They have to return power to the people. They cannot hold power forever," Thaksin said.

The former premier said the coup had divided the Thai people and he vowed to help reconcile their differences.

Thaksin, who led Thailand for six years, was accused of being grossly corrupt and divisive.

I have already started to document how The Nation and other Thai media figures, Nongnuch Singhadecha of Matichon, have started to turn this Thaksin/Junta media war into your typical blame America for all of Thailand's problems session. Recently, the Thai Journalists Association wrote a nasty letter to Time Magazine condemning its interview with Thaksin. Yet it didn't write a similar letter to Al Jazeera. How come? Why the double standards?

Notice how The Nation chose to intentionally attack American news outlets, while never criticizing Japanese(Kyoto, Asahi Shimbub) and Arab news(Al Jazeera) outlets for interviewing Thaksin.

Now a member of the Democrat Party is on the blame the US bandwagon. And it will only spread and get worst, because this is what the Thai media and politicians do when they have no Thais to blame.

I'm not happy that three US lobbying firms are representing Thaksin, but that is his right and it is their right. Plus, official US policy and private lobbying are two different things. Unfortunately, the Thai media will exploit the ignorance of the Thai public concerning their knowledge of the US political system. If you don't believe me, follow the Thai media the next few weeks and see what happens.

The Nation should really be ashamed of itself. First, it started a propaganda war with Singapore and now it is going after the US. Who will it go next when everybody has been exhausted?

Also, notice the sloppy reporting of The Nation. Not one reporter has actually called any of these lobbying firms to confirm. The Nation is using information they get off a website. What kind of shitty reporting is this? Are they afraid of calling these lobbying firms because nobody on staff can speak English? The Nation wants to start a propaganda war and they are playing bullshit games with the facts. No right-thinking editor would use a website as verification in a story if it was possible to get direct confirmation from the source itself. And where are the quotes from the lobbying firms? This is total bullshit reporting and The Nation knows it is bullshit.

For any of my American readers out there, let me tell you that this type of propaganda is intentional. The Thai media and some politicians have a long history of making the US the scapegoat for Thailand's problems.

On a personal note, I actually contacted one of these lobbying firms and begged them not to take Thaksin as a client, because I knew that the Thai media would start attacking the US government for things that US lobbyists were doing. I predicted that the Thai media would start a media war with the US and hurt Thai-US relations.

I don't care if you are anti-Thaksin or pro-Thaksin or anti-US or pro-US, it is not right to make the US a scapegoat for the absurdity of Thai politics. If you are American, I urge you to do what you can to help me nip this nonsense in the bud.

Contact the US Embassy in Bangkok or your US Congressmen. This bullshit needs to stop.