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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Abhisit and Suthep deny the US Secret Prison Story

Bangkok Post:

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted on Tuesday morning that there was no secret prison for torturing terrorists in Thailand as reported by the Washington Post newspaper.


Mr Abhisit said there was no cooperation between the Thai government and the US in setting up a secret prison as alleged.


“It’s an old story and it is totally groundless as this government has never resorted to the use of violent means,” Mr Abhisit said. The report would not affect the summit between Asean and its dialog partners being held in Phuket.


Mr Abhisit said he will meet US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton at Government House about 5pm today.


Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban took the same tone. He stressed that the report of a secret prison in Thailand by the US newspaper was groundless.


Mr Suthep said it was suspicious that the report surfaced during the Asean meeting in Phuket.


Why does the Thai media allow the government to get away with this? Why does the Thai media insist talking about the present as if it were the past?


Abhisit and Suthep weren't in power back then. The Washington Post story wasn't about the present government.


Why are these games of semantics allowed?


Why doesn't the Thai media ask the players who were in power back then, like their beloved General Surayud?


Suthep is a joke, as if the Washington Post went out of its way to publish the story to disrupt the ASEAN summit. I'd be willing to wager my entire worth for the rest of my life that the Washington Post doesn't give two shits about the ASEAN summit or Thailand's reputation.



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