TPBS Becomes Thepchai Yong's Personal Feifdom

Channel to air on Feb 1

The Nation

Excerpt

Joining Kwansuang on the board were Apichart Thongyou, Narong Jaiharn, Nualnoi Trirat and Thepchai Yong, the former group editor of Nation Multimedia Group. Thepchai is the acting president of TPBS.

President? Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, it does.

At their first press conference, the board members committed themselves to transparency in screening new recruits, including for the news editorial team, as well as programmes submitted by independent producers.

Funny, there was no transparency in the selection of the new board. There was no transparency in the sudden destruction of TiTV. Wonder if the new board will do a story on themselves? Doubt it. In Thepchai's world, he doesn't believe that he or his brother deserve scrutiny.


Under the Thai Public Broadcasting Act, the board can stay in office for only six months until the establishment of a permanent nine-member board through selections from various groups.

6 months? Thepchai will be there for life. count on it. Thepchai financially ran iTV into the ground, which is why Thaksin bought it. Now he can run it into the ground with the taxpayer's money.

"We will start with news programmes, one of the most important content for a public TV station," Kwansuang said.

Newly hired staff would be considered temporary until they passed the three-three evaluation process.

Most likely an anti-Thaksin, pro-military ideological test.

The board expected that other worthy programmes, such as documentaries, social and cultural features as well as educational content for kids would be added to highlight TPBS's image as a public service station.

I suggest the reader turn on The Nation Channel. Look at the programs and production values. Idiotic stories, bad editing, bad sound, and bad camera work. TPBS will become The Nation Channel 2, but bought and paid for with the taxpayers money.

"TPBS has been created to balance media power in society, against those owned by the public and private sectors. The new public TV station will be run without advertising or commercial interest, but with the full involvement of people in society for their maximum benefit," Kwansuang said.

What an outrageous lie! How does Thepchai balance the private and public media powers out when he works for The Nation while simultaneously working for the military?

The new station will be supported by 1.5 per cent of excise taxes collected on "sin" products such as liquor and cigarettes, or not more than Bt2 billion annually. It will also accept sponsorship from companies.

Corporate sponsorship?

Some ministers reportedly showed concern over the appointment of Thepchai and Apichart to the board, fearing they could ignite a new political controversy.

No shit.

PM's Office Minister Thipawadee Meksawan defended Thepchai, saying he brought extensive knowledge in the broadcasting industry and is free of conflicts of interest.

Knowledge of broadcasting industry? Being a horrible journalist and a financial failure? Free from conflicts of interest? Another lie.

She said Apichart, an independent academic, had not been mixed up with any political movements since 2005.

Since 2005? This is rich.

All the board members except Thepchai were academics or social workers.

Academics and social workers should not be allowed to run a multi-billion baht public corporation. Well, if incompetent military generals can run corporations, then I guess anybody can.

Thepchai told reporters he had accepted the Nation Multimedia Group's early retirement programme and would sell his 100,000 shares in the company soon.

"I no longer belong to Nation Group and have no relationship with the media company," he said.

Is he going to disown his own brother?

"I joined the public TV station not on behalf of the Nation, but for my own personal interest. I would like to be involved right in the beginning to lay down a strong foundation for ideal TV for public services. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage Thailand to have a TV station which society can rely on," he said.

Well, this is a lie and his entire career is proof of this.

I wonder if Thepchai is going to give up his gig on Channel 5 also.

The Nation has waged war on iTV, TiTV for years. Wonder what its critical stance will be now that Thepchai is running the show.

By the way, my beef with the Yong/Yoon brothers is not political. My problem with them is that they are horrible journalists who have no professional integrity and don't produce quality work.

Thepchai says he wants TPBS to be like the BBC, which is an affront to the BBC. Let us wait and see if anybody has the courage to hold him to his word.

Junta Loyalist Thepchai Yong Rewarded with the Control of ITV

The country's first public TV station gets temporary policy board

The Nation


The Cabinet Tuesday approved the appointment of temporary five-member policy board for the country's first public television station, Thai Public Broadcasting Service.

The public television station will take over main assets and frequency from TITV.

Board members are Narong Jaiharn, Apichart Thongyoo, Kwansuang Atibodhi, Nualnoi Trirat and Thepchai Yong. They will call a press conference at the Radisson Hotel at 3.30 pm Tuesday.

Narong is a law lecturer at Thammasat University. Apichart is the secretary general of the Sawasdee Foundation. Kwansuang is a special lecturer at the Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture. Nualnoi teaches at the Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Economics.

Thepchai is former editor of Nation Multimedia Group.

The temporary policy board will take charge of the country's first public TV station, until the selection of permanent board is completed


I saw this coming a mile away. The Yoon Brothers certainly have their incompetent and corrupt fingers in what seems every media pie in Thailand.

They have certainly been well rewarded for their endorsement of the coup and their relentless attacks on Thaksin.

This is a sad day for Thai media.

1976, Samak and The Nation's Hypocritical Collaboration with the Military

Principles 'can change'

The Nation

Samak tries to defend role in 1976 coup government after infamous October student massacre
Confronted publicly for the first time in this election campaign with questions about his controversial rightist past, People Power Party (PPP) leader Samak Sundaravej yesterday defended his rise to political prominence in the wake of the October 1976 Thammasat bloodbath by saying "principles can change".

Having attacked key political opponents for their open or tacit support for last year's bloodless coup, Samak adamantly suggested the violent upheaval in 1976, when student activists were framed, discredited and some were massacred, was something not unacceptable.

There were some heated moments between Samak and TV host Thepchai Yong, who posed the questions about the obvious contradiction of the PPP leader's political career.

Samak insisted during the televised interview on "Siam This Morning", broadcast on Channel 5, that he was not a hypocrite for accepting the post as PPP leader on an anti-coup principle when he himself had taken up a post under a military-installed government three decades ago.

"Principles can change with the situation," Samak told Thepchai, who is the Nation Group editor.

Samak was appointed the Interior minister in the government of Tanin Kraivixien, a right-wing administration that came about in the aftermath of the October 6, 1976, bloody crackdown on students at the Thammasat University. The crackdown was followed by a coup staged by the late Admiral Sa-ngad Chaloryoo.

Samak said his decision to take up the Interior post was to "rescue the country".

"That was then, this is now. People have a right to change their view over time," said Samak, defending his current anti-coup stance. He was visibly uncomfortable with the questions and at times shot back at Thepchai, suggesting that his stature as a reporter had also changed with time.

"Yes," said Thepchai. "But my principles have remained the same."

Continued

Thepchai interviewing Samak: Part 1
Uploaded by bangkokpundit

I should point out to the non-Thai TV watching audience that Thepchai, Jomkwan and Manat(the anchors) simultaneously work for The Nation and Channel 5, which is owned by the military.

Yes, this is the same Thepchai Yong who keeps harping about the need for a public broadcasting network that is "fair and balanced" while continuing to sell his soul to the military.

Thepchai announces that his "principles have remained the same." Indeed, he has the principles of a prostitute.

In The Nation's fantasyland, the 1976 coup was bad and the 2006 coup was good. And it attacks Samak for being hypocritical when The Nation has taken the same hypocritical position--only reversed.

In the US, one of my favorite TV journalists is Lowell Bergman, who is a professor of journalism at UC Berkeley and one of the producers of Frontline (an investigative news show) on America's public broadcasting network, PBS. If you ever saw the movie, The Insider, you will know who I am talking about.

Thepchai Yong ain't no Lowell Bergman. Lowell Bergman, unlike Thepchai, would not be a spokesperson/propagandist on a military owned TV channel. That notion would be repugnant to him. It would be shameless. Thepchai, Jomkwan, Suthichai and the rest have no shame.

Another thing I want to point, and I have said this before, part of the reason why The Nation is so hysterical about the PPP coming into power is that Suthichai and Thepchai and the other coup supporters/journalists will eventually be purged from military TV. You have to understand that the Yoon brothers are not journalists. They are unprincipled propagandists who want to control a large chunk of the mass media of Thailand. They want to spread the rubbish that is printed in the pages of The Nation far and wide. And anybody who disagrees with their moronic political agenda is either bought off by Thaksin or have been bribed by his "populist program" goodies. And what is even more ridiculous is that they aren't even good propagandists. They can't write and they can't even give decent interviews. Look at their production standards as well. High school journalism students in the poorest, most decrepit parts of the US have better production standards than they do.

Further, in any civilized country with a developed mass media, would journalists who work for a private media company while simultaneously working for a military broadcast channel, especially under a military dictatorship, have an credibility at all?

The answer is no. They would have as much credibility as journalists under a Stalinist regime.

People may wonder why I consistently harp on the Yoon Brothers and their minions.

It has nothing to do with Thaksin. It has to do with basic journalistic integrity.

And, for the record, if Suthichai and Thepchai are replaced by PPP and Thaksin propagandists after the election, that isn't right also.

I am convinced that one of the major reasons why Thai democracy is in such a crisis state is because Thai journalism is in the toilet. And the Yoon brothers are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Thanks to Bangkok Pundit for the upload, you can read his thoughts here.

Deconstructing Thepchai Yong: Disappointed Junta Didn't Rid Thailand of his Political Enemies (Thaksinistas)

Failure of post-coup reforms to be felt in election

Thepchai Yong

The Nation


Many Thais think they are facing a dilemma.

They want an election and yet they fear a return of the "old power clique".

He means, I am afraid of a return of the Thaksinistas, because of what will happen to my career if they do, but is too intellectually dishonest to say it. Of course, Thepchai won't admit that the coup was good for his star power and that it brought him exposure on Thai TV, because the junta rid the airways of the Thaksin elements and replaced them with him and his brother.

While the general election tentatively slated for December 23 offers the best promise of putting Thailand back on the path to democracy, it also raises the spectre of a new round of political confrontation. The September 19 coup succeeded in ousting Thaksin Shinawatra from power, but failed to stamp out his political influence, especially among his supporters in most parts of the North and Northeast.

It is nice to see that an editor of a major newspaper believes in political cleansing. Is Thepchai the Thai version of Joseph Goebells? "Stamp out" is a very strident phrase when referring to one's own countrymen, as if they were undesirables who needed to be eliminated.

The military junta was given a taste of its own medicine in August when the referendum on a new constitution, which it hoped would put the final nail in Thaksin's coffin, turned out to be a major embarrassment. The more than 10 million votes against the charter were certainly no accident. They were the result of a carefully orchestrated and well-funded campaign by forces still loyal to the former leader.

Funny, I follow the Thai news quite closely, yet didn't read of any investigative reports on how Thaksin "carefully orchestrated" a "well-funded campaign" to vote down the 2007 Constitution.

Besides being a slap in the face for the Council for National Security (CNS), more significantly the large "no vote" also served as a disturbing prelude to the general election. The results of the referendum demonstrated beyond any doubt that with his political clout and wealth largely intact despite efforts by the junta to clip his financial wings, Thaksin is still a force to be reckoned with.

Demonstrated beyond a doubt? Where is the proof?

The choice of political firebrand Samak Sundaravej as leader of the People Power Party (PPP) was also a well-calculated move. Samak, with his no-holds-barred political style, is exactly the kind of politician that Thaksin needs, both to hold the reincarnation of his defunct Thai Rak Thai together and to confront the military junta. And Samak has no qualms about admitting that he is serving as "Thaksin's nominee" - an unmistakable message to Thaksin loyalists that the former prime minister is closely watching them from thousands of miles away.

Again, where is the hard evidence for this conspiracy theory? Oh, that's right. The Nation never needs evidence to back up its accusations.

It's an open secret that huge amounts of money have been continually channelled from outside the country to pro-Thaksin forces to sustain the loyalty of constituencies in the North and Northeast. And it shouldn't surprise anyone that the PPP will be going into the general election with the most formidable war chest.

Where are the investigative reports? Where is the linkage? Where are the witnesses? Where was the money channeled from and to whom?

Thepchai talks about war chest, yet none of his papers actually report on campaign financing.

Thaksin might be down, but he is definitely far from out. Despite all the efforts of the coup-makers to discredit the former leader, most voters in the North and Northeast are still oblivious to the charges of corruption and abuse of power that have been levelled against Thaksin and his associates. Both the junta and the Surayud government have obviously done a poor job in communicating with rural constituents.

What arrogance? How many newspapers does Thepchai contribute to? How often is he on TV spouting his nonsense on Thai public TV? This notion that Thai upcountry folk don't know anything about Thaksin's corruption is ridiculous coming from a major anti-Thaksin campaigner who has been part and parcel of Thailand's official propaganda structure for decades. He is basically admitting that he is a total failure as a propagandist. Of course when he writes unsubstantiated articles like this one, it doesn't surprise me that nobody believes what comes out of his mouth.

The rejuvenated ex-Thai Rak Thai loyalists and their well-oiled network of canvassers have been far more effective in painting Thaksin as a victim of a political vendetta. All indications are that the closer the election gets, the more confident the PPP is in its ability to fend off any threat in the country's two biggest regions.

Again, where is the evidence of this campaign? Regardless, why shouldn't the PPP be confident? What other parties are competitive in the North and Northeast? Certainly not the Democrats, who I reckon won't do too well, not because of the Thaksin political machine, but because they usually aren't competitive in those regions. Is Kraisak going to bring the Northeast into the fold? Probably not.

Despite years of attempted political reforms, money still decides election outcomes. And the upcoming election will be the same. And guess who has all the money in the world and is willing to spend it to buy his political resurrection?

Thaksin has all the money in the world, yet most of it has been confiscated by the government.

Even political groups and parties opposed to Thaksin admit that all the bad publicity about him in the Thai media has done little to put a dent in his popularity. And given his willingness to expend his wealth, the likelihood is that the PPP will emerge with the most number of seats in the election.

Look at this elitist presumption: Thaksin's political fortitude only stems from how much money he is willing to dish out. Again, no evidence, no hard reporting.

But with most other political parties allied against it, it's still a question of whether it will be in a position to lead a coalition government.

But that kind of political scenario is already scary enough for those who foresee another period of political instability or even confrontation. A PPP victory at the polls would be seen as Thaksin's political vindication. It would provide him with the legitimacy he needs to reclaim his political role.

Thaksin won't be on the ballot. He won't be member of the government. As long as the king breathes, he won't ever become PM again, so what the hell is he talking about?

However, one cannot entirely blame Thaksin and his political loyalists for the political dilemma the country may be facing. The junta and the Surayud government had their chance to dismantle Thaksin's political machine and wean those in the rural areas away from his populist appeal. But they were simply inept at carrying out the job.

If a journalist talked like this in any other civilized country in the world, he would be fired instantly. Could you imagine the Republicans in the US saying, well if only we dismantled the Democratic political machine and weaned those pesky ignorant blacks off of welfare while we were in power, everything would be good.

The various political parties, particularly the Democrats, have also failed miserably to capitalise on Thaksin's political misfortune. Their lack of leadership and credible platforms has disappointed many who are looking for a potential alternative to Thaksin's rule

If only those Democrats had taken advantage of the coup and the elimination of their political competitors, then everything would be good. This really is sick.

Postponing the election - a move advocated by many still haunted by Thaksin's ghost - will do little to alter the political course. At the end of day, the old saying that people get the government they deserve still holds true.

Thepchai's arrogance never ceases to amaze me. He and Sopon are really sick in the head. They actually believe that the Thai military should systematically wipe out all the Thaksinistas, so that the Democrats can win the election. And, get this, they blame the junta for not being efficient in their destruction of a political movement and of political actors that don't agree with their political agenda.

Thepchai's attitude is a danger to Thai journalism and Thai democracy. His fascist mentality is the real threat to Thailand's democratic development

Deconstructing Thepchai Yong: The Nation's Hypocrisy Never Ends

New breed of journalist remains a distant dream

Thepchai Yong

The Nation


Like any other business, journalism also has its clamour for a "new breed" that is needed to keep up with the changing world. But there are reservations - even among media professionals themselves - whether there is really space for these people.

Published on August 28, 2007

Panellists at a round-table discussion organised by the Thai Broadcast Journalists' Association over the weekend were obviously fed up with the current batch of journalists, who seem to be spending more time on routine news and chasing sources for sound bites than doing serious analysis or investigative reporting. Not content with only being critical, the participants also helped define the criteria for the journalists of their dreams.


The Nation and the Yoon brothers are great examples of their criticism.

They concurred that the new breed of journalist needs to be well informed and knowledgeable - not only in the field he covers but also about current affairs and issues of importance. And instead of covering the daily routine, he has to go out of the way to hold politicians and bureaucrats at all levels accountable through in-depth and critical news reporting. And of course, to qualify as part of this new generation of journalists, he also needs to have the courage to stand up to pressure, even from bosses, to defend journalistic principles.

It is amazing that Thepchai hears and acknowledges the problems and the solutions, yet is guilty of everything that they criticize and does nothing to change to the problems.

In short, what the panellists are looking for are journalists who are smart and who dare to stick their necks out to challenge authority and uphold press freedom at all costs. In the eyes of the panellists, the current generation of journalists is either too ignorant or too cowed to claim to be the voice of the people. Understanding of the issues they are covering is too shallow and they are ready to compromise their principles at the slightest sign of political pressure.

The pannelists are right on the money. Listen up Thepchai, they were talking to you.

The critical assessment of the current state of the media did not come from ordinary academics or sore politicians who are the constant subject of media ridicule. Those on the panel included some of Thailand's best-known social thinkers and media professionals. Among them were social critics Sulak Sivaraksa and Nithi Iewsriwongse, well-known TV anchor Kitti Singhapat, media commentator Jirmsak Pinthong and human rights campaigner Chuchai Suppawongse.

The usual suspects. Damn, I hate to say it, but I actually agree with the usual suspects.

Of course, for many practising media professionals, the assumption certainly sounds too "across the board" and judgmental. Though the professionalism of the Thai media in general still leaves much to be desired, there are certainly enough professional media practitioners out there to lend credibility to the media as a check-and-balance mechanism.

Thepchai is a hypocritical idiot. Instead of getting defensive Thepchai, listen to their advice

The panellists' idea about journalism may be too idealistic. But certainly not idealistic in the sense that the new generation of journalists (or even those in the business right now) have to be professional and public-minded. After all, these are basic qualifications that have essentially elevated the Thai media to the status it enjoys today.

Let us be frank Thepchai: The Thai media is in the shitter, and you and your equally incompetent brother are part of the problem.

But what is probably idealistic is the expectation that such qualified journalists will be eagerly embraced by editors and media entrepreneurs. Strange but true, the media - broadcast media in particular - does not always look for the best and the brightest to fill the ranks of reporters and editors. A few quality newspapers that value ethics and professionalism could be an exception.

I actually had a friend of mine who applied for a job working as a reporter for Nation Multimedia Group. She turned the job down because the pay was crap. However, she was hired. Even though this woman was extremely intelligent, she knew next to nothing about news and politics. But hey, The Nation will hire anybody wearing a yellow shirt and is willing to krubtao (kow tow) to the Yoon brothers.


While the print media enjoys relatively more press freedom, broadcast media is subject to much tighter control. The state monopoly of the airwaves ensures that when it comes to news reporting, being politically correct takes precedence over the need to tell the truth.


I think this is hilarious. The Nation has a news channel of its own. Suthichai and Thepchai have their own shows on the military controlled public air TV channels as well. Suthichai and Thepchai are by far the worst interviewers I have ever witnessed in any language. Do a search and watch some of them on YouTube.

It's no wonder then, that all broadcasters prefer to protect their business interests rather than antagonise the powers-that-be. They have survived through all kinds of political environment by learning to practice strict self-censorship. During the five years of the Thaksin administration, broadcasters were more than ready to internalise political demands.

The Nation cowered to Thaksin and then it cowered to the generals in exchange so that Suthichai and Thepchai could keep their influence and keep their mugs on TV.

If business survival is the first order of the day, editors and proprietors of TV and radio stations see no reason why they should hire journalists who have the potential to create trouble. There seems to be an unwritten rule that broadcast journalists are hired more for their willingness to be politically compliant than their professionalism.

Freudian slip?


With very few exceptions, broadcast journalists restrict their daily news coverage to personalities and events.


The Nation is guilty of this.


Investigative reporting and in-depth analysis is rare.


The Nation is guilty. Rare? Non-existent.

The panellists definitely should not be faulted for their idealistic expectations. After all, they are only reflecting how society in general sees the media. A new breed of journalist can rise only when there is a new breed of news editor. And there can only be a new generation of editors when there is a new generation of media entrepreneurs - or when current entrepreneurs care to transform their attitudes and priorities.

Thepchai and Suthichai better start transforming their attitudes and priorities then.

And all these things can only happen if and when the whole broadcast industry is reformed to pave the way for a more diversified and freer broadcast media. Until then, media critics can continue to dream about their ideal journalist.

The Nation's hypocrisy never ceases to amaze me. The Nation's editors and columnists always have to blame another entity for the abysmal state of the Thai media, yet they do nothing, absolutely nothing to transform their own operations.

If you are in Thailand, even if you don't speak Thai, take some time to watch The Nation channel. Look at its production values. Look at the picture, listen to the sound, and watch the video loops. These are a people who don't care about what they do. Now, go and look at TiTV and see the difference.

Deconstructing Thepchai Yong: More Hypocrisy Concerning Party Dissolution Judgment

Judges must make no compromises on 'Judgement Day'

Thepchai Yong

The Nation

His Majesty the King's televised remarks to judges of the Supreme Administrative Court last week essentially drove home the political fragility that the country faces.


A political fragility that has been self-inflicted.

Not since the verdict was pending in the assets concealment case against then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has the country been in such a state of political suspense.

How convenient that he pretends that a coup never happened.

It shouldn't come as any surprise if some overly concerned families are beginning to stock up on food or if panicky investors are offloading shares in their portfolios ahead of the so-called "Judgement Day" tomorrow. For these people, signs of trouble are too obvious to ignore.

This is unjustified hysteria that the lazy Thai media loves to cook up.

Despite all the assurances from the government and the military to the contrary, the spectre of street violence hanging over the ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal on the fate of the Thai Rak Thai and Democrat parties cannot be underestimated. Intelligence reports have all pointed to the possibility of coordinated agitation by Thaksin's supporters, who want nothing short of a total vindication for the former prime minister and his party.

What evidence is there for this? The Nation hasn't done any investigative reports demonstrating that there is coordinated effort by Thaksin supporters to cause violence on the day of the verdict. What would violence accomplish anyway? It won't change the verdict. The threat of violence won't change the verdict.

Thaksin may be in exile thousands of miles away, but there is no denying what the political machine he left behind is capable of doing at the snap of his fingers. Thaksin definitely has not been funnelling in huge amounts of money to remnants of his Thai Rak Thai Party and its grassroots network for charitable purposes. The former leader has too much at stake both in terms of his wealth and his political survival to watch events unfold from afar without trying to interfere.

Since last September, Thaksin could have done a lot of behind the scenes damage, and he didn't, so why start now?


The Nation has not done one investigative report linking Thaksin to any political agitator groups since the coup.


All The Nation does is speculate. Seriously, The Nation has no right to call itself a newspaper, because it really is in the speculation and conspiracy theory business. Frighteningly enough, The Nation doesn't even bother to gather any evidence in defense of it speculations and conspiracies.


These editors/columnists are incompetent and poorly trained. And they are doing a disservice to Thailand's political development because of it.

Thaksin made it clear in his recent interview with a community radio station with avowed loyalty to the former prime minister that he was not going to give up without a fight.

When did Thaksin say he was going to fight? Did I miss something?

Of course, despite all the bitter feelings he generated under his five-year authoritarian rule, the businessman-turned-politician had no regrets to offer. It's no surprise then that he chooses to see all the charges of abuse of power and conflicts of interest made against him and his family as nothing more than political retribution. And he has fervently urged his supporters back home to see it that way too.

Any idiot with half a brain cell firing off in his head knows that the current charges against Thaksin have been cooked up only to justify that Thaksin is a criminal after the fact. Thepchai is a liar. He knows very well that this is about the criminalization of politics.


If these investigations were only about Thaksin's crimes, why is the AEC being led by Thaksin's sworn enemies? Why weren't professional prosecutors with no political axes to grind allowed to investigate all the dirty dealings during Thaksin's tenure? And why have the investigations only singled out Thaksin, as if he was the one and only person who was in charge and running the country during the last six years? How come the AEC isn't investigating the "unusual wealth" of all the cabinet ministers and Thai Rak Thai politicians since 2001?

While the potential of political backlash shouldn't in any way influence the verdict of the nine judges on the Constitution Tribunal, His Majesty has, nevertheless, reminded the panel to be mindful of its consequences. There is a general consensus that whatever ruling is handed down by the Constitution Tribunal, it will have a far-reaching impact on this country's political future.

If nothing happens except the parties getting a slap on the wrist, how will that impact on the country's future?


The worst-case scenario is that both the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties are dissolved and all party executives banned from politics for five years in accordance with Decree No 27 introduced by the Council for National Security (CNS) in the aftermath of the September 19 coup. Not only would the whole lot of political veterans who were instrumental in shaping Thailand's politics for the past several years be denied any political role, but it would also set the stage for potential street violence.


Again, where is the evidence for this? If there was no street violence over the coup, why would anyone risk their lives for the Democrats or Thai Rak Thai? I mean, to me, the notion is really idiotic. Seriously, are there Thais out there who would hurt other Thais in the name of defending Chaturon and Abhisit?

It's an open secret that some generals in the CNS are praying for exactly that to happen. In one stroke, they would be able to get rid of Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai Party once and for all and at the same time assure the military a dominant role in the subsequent political realignment. In other words, political fragmentation would allow the military to hold sway over future politics.

The Nation really sucks. It is horrible. If Thepchai knows that there are generals who want to see Thais killed in the cause of their own political expediency, then he should expose them. Any general who wants to see Thais dead is a disgrace to his profession. A soldier's duty is to defend the lives of Thai people, not sacrifice them for their own political gain.


If this so-called "open secret" is nothing but a figment of Thepchai's imagination, then he should be ashamed of himself.


In any event, Thepchai should be publishing the facts if they are true instead of speaking in cryptic terms.

There have been talks lately about a possible compromise whereby selective punishment would be meted out to the leaders of the two parties. Only those directly implicated would be targeted. While a handful of party executives (most likely the party's leaders, secretaries-general and a few others) would be banned from politics, those who survive could immediately found and register new parties for the promised election.

Actually, this doesn't look like a compromise. It looks like a reasonable punishment. Why should everybody in the party suffer because the top executives were corrupt?

Though this proposed compromise would be less painful and shocking than a wholesale purge of the two parties, there is no guarantee that it would end the ongoing agitation efforts by Thaksin supporters.

In other words, Thepchai is saying that Thai Rak Thai should be singled out for punishment because anybody who is related to Thaksin in any way, shape or form should have their political rights stripped away from them.

There is also a big question mark as to whether the Constitution Tribunal can be selective in its judgement and whether its ruling should be influenced by political considerations.

Despite all the threats of violence and the unpalatable political consequences, there is the rule of law that needs to be upheld. His Majesty's caution that whatever the ruling there would be damaging fallout shouldn't in any way be interpreted as a hint toward compromise. His emphasis on "correctness" should also not be lost on anyone.

Thepchai doesn't care about the "rule of law." He has demonstrated his concern for the law when he backed and benefited from an illegal coup.

More often than not, Thailand has seen the rule of law bent to accommodate political expediency.

Thepchai backed an illegal coup to accommodate his own political and professional expediency.

We have tended to tackle problems or deal with crises the "Thai way" and have lost the opportunity to set legal or political benchmarks that would help us become better prepared for new challenges.

I am tired of Thais justifying the horrible outcomes in Thai politics as if there was a racial component to it. There is no such thing as a "Thai way." Just because some Thai politicians are corrupt doesn't mean all Thais are corrupt. Just because some Thais take the easy way out doesn't mean all Thais take the easy way out. There are many good Thai people out there who are incorruptible and would never think of ripping off the country or breaking the law.


Unfortunately, many of the big shots in our country think they can do whatever they want. They don't care about the law. These people are the ones poisoning our country.


What drives me nuts about these hypocrites at The Nation is that they think the law should be selectively applied to Thaksin and to its political enemies. The Nation certainly doesn't believe the law should be applied to the generals, its political patrons.

The nine judges of the Constitution Tribunal have Thailand's political future in their hands. And this definitely is no time for political expediency or compromise. Whatever their verdict is, it must be based on facts. At this very crucial political junction, we have no other choice but to the let the rule of law prevail.

What the f does Thepchai know about the facts? Thepchai hasn't written one fact in this entire column.

Further, what evidence has The Nation published that supports and defends the positions of Thai Rak Thai and the Democrat Party?

In other words, The Nation hasn't done one investigative report concerning the party dissolution case.

Deconstructing Thepchai: Needs a Lesson in Intellectual Consistency

Charter drafters need a lesson in crisis management


Thepchai Yong

The Nation

When Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont meets with representatives from 44 political parties to discuss the newly-drafted constitution today, one of the most contentious points is most likely to be the article on the national crisis council. In fact, of all the controversial points in the proposed charter, this has generated the most heated debate so far.

Proponents of Article 68 believe it is needed to help break possible future political deadlocks similar to the one that precipitated the September 19 coup. The council would comprise the prime minister, the opposition leader, the speakers of the Senate and House of Representatives, presidents of the Supreme Court and Supreme Administration Court and heads of independent organisations to be set up under the new constitution. Their argument is that, in the event of a crisis, there must be a channel through which leaders of all important institutions can put their heads together to find a solution. They claim to have drawn a lesson from the political crisis that gripped the country for months last year when the then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra stubbornly faced a civil revolt. The 1997 constitution had no mechanism that could provide a political circuit breaker and thus made a military coup the only option left.


This is stupid. Why does there need to be stipulation in the constitution? Can't they get together and talk without the formality?

Thepchai is also a liar. There were plenty of options to get rid of Thaksin. See below Further, there was an election coming in October, which would have been the most legitimate "circuit breaker."

But its detractors see a hidden agenda. They believe that the constitution drafters are so obsessed with fears of a return of Thaksin-like political leaders that they will do anything to clip their wings. With the proposed council, the elected head of the executive branch would see his power to solve a crisis greatly reduced. It would also open the way for political interference from forces opposed to the government of the day.

This should fit into The Nation's myopic anti-democratic political philosophy.

From the very beginning, the definition of the term "crisis" has been a problem. While those campaigning for Thaksin's ouster last year (over charges of corruption and abuse of power) were concerned that the country was teetering on the edge of a bloody confrontation, the beleaguered prime minister didn't give the impression that he felt his government was facing a crisis. So even if such constitutional provision had been in place at the time, it would have been hard to imagine how Thaksin could have been convinced to see things otherwise. Given that the drafters of the new constitution sincerely want the proposed crisis council to function as a political safety valve that would help the country head off a crisis in the event of a political stalemate, they still have difficulty defining the scope of constitutional power that the body should have. How the council members can enforce their decision - if they can agree to one in the first place - is also a big question mark.

The Nation sees a crisis and conspiracy under every rock. Considering its past history, the litmus test for a crisis should be whatever Suthichai and Thepchai decide it is.

Of course, Thaksin's unprecedented power should serve as a reminder that there needs to be a proper system of checks and balances for Thailand's democracy to function. But that doesn't mean the contents of the constitution have to be based on fear of Thaksin's political ghost.

There was a proper checks and balances system in place. It wasn't utilized. I'm still waiting for The Nation to report how Thaksin undermined all those constitutional mechanisms.

The whole purpose of The Nation's existence for the last seven months has been to chase after Thaksin's ghost.

A political crisis presents itself only when normal constitutional mechanisms become dysfunctional. There are enough lessons to be learned from Thailand's experiments with democracy since the May 1992 uprising (which marked the country's political turning point) to ensure there is effective constitutional means to resolve political problems before they develop into a crisis.

Yes, we learned from before and the lessons were written into law in the last constitution. But nobody bothered with the law, because those who were politically opposed to Thaksin thought they couldn't legally defeat him in the courts or at the ballot box, which is why they pushed for the coup. If you carefully think about that, those who pushed for the coup are bigger criminals than Thaksin.

It's understandable why the judiciary has rejected the proposed crisis council outright. As far as judges are concerned, being dragged into making political decisions - even in a time of crisis - would do more harm than good to their credibility and independence. What they fear most is the same kind of political interference that effectively compromised most of the independent bodies during the five years of Thaksin. The judges have made it abundantly clear that they want no part in the new mechanism, which is essentially a political body.

What an idiotic paragraph! Thepchai says that the courts fear for their "credibility and independence" under the new constitution, which is why they don't want the extra responsibilities. Yet he says that they were "effectively compromised" under the Thaksin regime. Don't these morons ever read their own writing or do they just pull this stuff out of their butt and hope it sounds good?

Not only has the judiciary drawn a line in the sand, it has also questioned the rationale behind the proposed crisis council. It sees it as an anachronism that may raise questions about the motives of the charter drafters, amid charges that some of them are acting at the beck and call of the generals in the Council for National Security.

Another idiotic contradictory statement. Regardless, the generals have come out against this council provision already.

The charter drafters are taking a big political gamble by trying to enlist the judiciary to play what is ostensibly a prominent political role under the new constitution, hoping that it could provide a counterbalance to politicians. The judges, fearing their independence and credibility would be compromised, are also crying foul over the drafters' insistence that they participate in the selection of senators and members of new independent bodies. Now that the judges are taking a stand, the charter drafters certainly need to have second thoughts. And don't expect any kind words or sympathy for leaders of political parties during their session with PM Surayud today.

Redundant.

There are already enough reasons for those opposed to the military takeover and the constitution-drafting process to reject the new charter. There is no need for the drafters to undermine whatever support there is for the draft constitution with dubious clauses.

So basically he is saying that nobody likes this new constitution.

If the constitution drafters are confident that the legal document is the "best ever" for Thailand, it should already be good enough to have mechanisms necessary to avert a national crisis before it happens.

People said that about the last constitution also. And we got a coup in return.


There really wasn't a constitutional crisis under the last constitution. The problem was that those forces that were opposed to Thaksin couldn't change the government through legitimate constitutional mechanisms because they were politically weak. If Thaksin was truly corrupt, they could have taken him to court under the last constitution. Any bureaucrat or political figure could have reported him for not paying his taxes. Any politician or bureaucrat could have taken him to court over the war on drugs or malfeasance for his policies in the South.


Here is a list of constitutional provisions that were not utilized to get Thaksin for his alleged crimes.


1. The Election Commission--We will know at the end of the month the result of this investigation.

2. The National Counter Corruption Commission--Anybody could have lodged a complaint against Thaksin and the Senate speaker would have been obligated to mount an investigation.

Where were the investigations and impeachment hearings?

3. The Parliamentary Ombudsman-Charged with investigating wrongdoing made by complainants.

4. The National Human Rights Commission--Where were the charges brought against Thaksin for the war on drugs and the war in the South?

5. The Administrative Court--People who are victims of the government agencies had a right to sue them in court. Why weren't charges brought against Thaksin by the people whom he victimiized?

6. The Constitutional Court--Again, why weren't charges brought against Thaksin for violating the constitution?

7. Finance Audit Commission--The name speaks for itself.

What about recall? 50,000 signatures to send Thaksin before the Senate

How come all the yellow shirts weren't pushing for impeachment hearings?

On top of all this, there was an election process that could have gotten rid of Thaksin also, which was scheduled for last October, weeks before the coup.

One has to wonder why Thepchai and the other editors at The Nation haven't explained to us how Thaksin undermined all these checks and balances that I listed above.

Deconstructing Thepchai: More "Surayud is Running Out of Time" Hysteria from The Nation

Hard Talk

High time for Surayud to show strong leadership

Thepchai Yong

The Nation


The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the broad-based movement that was instrumental in bringing down the Thaksin government, believes there shouldn't be any compromise in the fight between the forces of good and evil.

That's why they want to see former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his cronies brought to justice at all costs. After all, wasn't that part of the rationale behind the September 19 coup?

But Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont apparently has a different idea. The once battle-hardened former Army commander-in-chief seems to be allowing his softer and more religious part to get the better of him. Even the worst of all thieves, he believes, can be won over and made to repent - just like the brutal murderer who was out to kill Lord Buddha but was eventually converted and became his faithful disciple.

In short, the PAD leaders believe that Thaksin's political sins are beyond redemption, while Surayud is convinced that he can somehow make the former prime minister see the light. The pro-democracy movement obviously wants the Surayud government to help finish what it started. It paved the way for Thaksin to be dragged out of power by the military, and now it wants him and his political machine wiped off the political map. But for once Surayud is taking a stand: he wants to handle Thaksin his own way.

Of course, the whole matter is more than a subject for philosophical debate. We are talking about a man who is accused of plundering his country and undermining its democratic systems to perpetuate his political control and buttress his family's business interests. Worse still, we are talking about a political leader who allegedly sowed the seeds of unprecedented political division and blasphemed the Monarchy to increase his own political leverage.


Allegations don't equal guilt.

Continued


I'm not going to dwell on this column because it sounds just like Sophon's Sunday column.

These Nation columnists just regurgitate the same shit over and over again. This is the millionth "Surayud is running out of time column" in the last few months.

The thing I am curious to know is what does strong leadership look like.

I don't know how you can dismantle the Thai Rak Thai/Thaksin political apparatus without actually charging these people with crimes they committed during the Thaksin era.

The government can't shut down protests(nor accuse them of being sinister undercurrents) just because they like Thaksin or are against the junta.

What do these Nation columnists want? What kind of fight are they itching for?

If The Nation wants to go after the Thaksinistas who are part of the bureaucracy and are covering up crimes, then the reporters at The Nation should be investigating and reporting on the cover-up. The Nation has a cable channel. It can spend 24 hours a day reporting on Thaksin's nefarious empire. But it doesn't. Why don't some of the Thaksin haters out there ask what has the media done to bring Thaksin to justice? Instead of giving me a hard time, start demanding some evidence from your allies in the Thai media if you guys want this guy locked up.

Also, to refute The Nation's conspiracy theory, I don't think TRT leader Chaturon and the PTV Thaksinistas have the type of cash to wage a rigorous anti-government campaign that will bring in thousands of protesters and the subsequent tanks.

I think people are disillusioned with the Surayud government and the junta, but I have yet to meet one person itching to bring Thaksin back and go back to the way things were before. I don't know anybody who wants to bring down this government so Thaksin and his family can get off on the charges against them, as The Nation keeps alleging.

I think The Nation columnists are suffering from bouts of hysteria or they are just working hard for a slice of the CNS propaganda slush fund and more air time on Thai TV.

Deconstructing Thepchai Yong: Uncovering his Hypocrisy Concerning PTV

HARD TALK

PTV protests nothing more than a masquerade

The pro-Thaksin remnants are trying to turn the tables on the Council for National Security (CNS) with the same charges that their former boss faces.

And it's turning out to be more a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

To rally support for their fight against the junta and the military-appointed Surayud government, the pro-Thaksin advocates need to come up with something provocative to draw people to their weekly rallies. Their own credentials alone are far from sufficient to create excitement.

It can be seen as tit for tat. Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was brought down essentially because of the wads of charges of corruption and conflicts of interest against him. So his supporters apparently believe they can probably undermine the CNS generals' credibility and the legitimacy of their September 19 coup using the same tactics employed by the anti-Thaksin coalition.

Love The Nation logic here. Thaksin is bad and evil; ergo, anybody associated with Thaksin is bad and evil and bought and paid for with Thaksin's money, and any person who questions the motivations of the military junta should be automatically be considered a Thaksin stooge.

General Saprang Kalayanamitr, an assistant Army chief and a key player in the power seizure last September, has become the lightning rod largely because of his high profile. The PTV executives who are spearheading the anti-CNS movement are zeroing in on the outspoken general, who has been accused of abusing his position as chairman of the board of directors of the Airports Organisation of Thailand (AOT) by taking family members along on a recent official trip overseas. Then, during their rally at Sanam Luang on Sunday, the TV station's executives unleashed another salvo against Saprang by accusing him of conflict of interest. They cast doubts over the recent awarding of a Bt12-million research and PR contract to a group of private analysts headed by Saprang's younger brother.

Instead of criticizing the PTV, The Nation should be praising it. Consider this: What if PTV hadn't reported General Saprang's dodgy behavior? Guess what? We would have known nothing. The Nation has done shit to cover the corruption and shady deals of this junta, and ironically, whatever scandals they have reported on has come from the Thaksinistas. The Nation has not done one investigative report on Thaksin and his government, and on the military junta and its government. Put simply, it is a worthless news organization.

Of course, the PTV executives and other pro-Thaksin groups shouldn't be denied the right to air their views publicly, even though what they say may be unpalatable to the military. After all, even the all-powerful junta needs to be held accountable in the absence of constitutional mechanisms of checks and balances.

But while the pro-Thaksin groups deserve political space, one cannot help questioning the motive behind their ongoing campaign to discredit the military and the Surayud government. The PTV people have dropped all pretence that they are fighting for media freedom.

If The Nation was doing its job, then what need there would be for PTV? Thepchai and company are pissed off that they can't act as exclusive independent news outlet spewing junta propaganda. With PTV, they have to actually report what PTV reports, which doesn't really mesh with The Nation's pro-junta agenda.

It's really pathetic for obvious reasons that these PTV executives are crying foul over what they claim to be an infringement on press freedom after their attempts to broadcast their programmes on a cable channel were scuttled. Since when have these people started to care about freedom of expression anyway? And since when did they transform themselves from politicians to "media people"?

Love the hypocrisy here. Thepchai thinks its appropriate that PTV is silent while that convicted criminal Sondhi Lim continues with his lies and bullshit on his illegal channel. And Thepchai has turned The Nation into a national disgrace with its pro-junta agenda and its backing of media and internet censorship.

It's laughable that people like Chakrapob Penkair, Veera Musigapong and Chatuporn Prompan, among the most ardent supporters of former prime minister Thaksin and now PTV executives, expect people to suddenly consider them media professionals the moment they take off their Thai Rak Thai label. And they want the world to believe that if they are singing Thaksin's praises today, they are doing it as journalists and not as his political stooges.

Personally, I can't stand these Thaksin cronies, and they are not officially journalists. But, so what? Many Thai politicians have become media stars. And Thepchai is certainly not a journalist either. His writing and interviewing skills are an embarrassment to the profession.

It doesn't require people of much intelligence to see through this political masquerade. Despite all the fanfare and initial media attention, PTV has proven itself to be nothing but a mouthpiece for the pro-Thaksin movement. In short, PTV was meant to be a propaganda machine and doesn't even deserve to be referred to as part of the mass media.

As an opinion columnist, Thepchai has the freedom to say what he wants. But his hypocrisy is amazing. The Nation is a disgrace and he is an abysmal editor with no credibility. Every since the junta came to power, Thepchai has become ubiquitous on Thai TV. Also, I have to wonder how much money The Nation's editors received from the junta's propaganda slush fund, which is supposedly used to buy the support of journalists and academics in the junta's effort to discredit Thaksin.

If Chakrapob, Veera and Chatuporn care so much about media freedom, where were they when their political master Thaksin started interfering with the media at the height of his political power. They didn't utter a word when TV and radio programmes critical of Thaksin were taken off the air one after another. They also pretended that all was going well when Thaksin used his political power and personal wealth to bear down on the print media.

Funny. Where does Thepchai stand now that his precious junta has started to attack media freedom in Thailand? Now that Thepchai is on the winning side, he justifies censorship that he once denounced under Thaksin? Who does he think he is fooling with this hypocrisy?

And if they sincerely want to make an issue out of alleged abuse of power and conflicts of interest involving a CNS general, they certainly deserve applause from members of the public. But first, they need to answer questions about the skeletons hidden in their political master's closet.

So why doesn't Thepchai interview them? I'd like to see that. Dig up those skeletons. This part I actually agree with. But do you think those lazy cowards at The Nation will do any hard work? I seriously doubt it.

The fact that Thaksin is the subject of a massive investigation for alleged corruption and conflicts of interest shouldn't be lost on the PTV executives. By ignoring the alleged misdeeds of the former prime minister, the PTV executives are turning their weekly protest into a charade. Or was it intended to be a political charade from the beginning?

Sometimes these Thai journalists are so incredibly stupid that it truly amazes me. What does Thaksin's corruption have to do with his supporters?

Why should Thai Rak Thai politicians lose their political rights just because of what their boss did? And, if they are guilty, investigate them and expose their crimes. But, like I said, The Nation doesn't do investigations. It only insinuates crimes without doing any investigative work.

Thepchai has the right to ask the questions of the PTV folks about their agenda, but not every Thaksin supporter is corrupt, and 19 million people shouldn't lose their rights just because of what their leadership allegedly did during its time in power.

And if Thepchai is making the allegations, he should at least have the decency to interview the PTV people about their political agenda, directly.

Deconstructing Thepchai: One Minute He Loves The Coup, the Next Minute He is Condemning it.

HARD TALK

Does the government have the political will to live?

The Nation

Thepchai Yong

It looks like the beleaguered Surayud government has been given a new lease of life by the Council for National Security (CNS).

Until their much-publicised lunch last week, a countdown to the end of the military-installed administration seemed to have begun.

Because of its sheer incompetence and lack of vision, the six-month-old government has been a big disappointment. Some of the generals in the all-powerful junta have privately made known their displeasure with Prime Minister Surayud, who is seen as indecisive and directionless. There were even rumours that the CNS had already started working on a Plan B that would not have the former privy councillor in the picture.

Continued


Like I have pointed out many times before, Thepchai and other columnists were allies and cheerleaders of this junta in the beginning. They even went so far as to attack foreign countries like Singapore and foreign journalists like in The Economist who didn't kow tow to their ideological line.

How many "those stupid foreigners don't get Thai politics" columns and editorials did we have to suffer through because some had the audacity to question the legitimacy of this government?

Even Thaksin, the man who was illegally ousted, was berated by The Nation for mildly criticizing the policies of those who booted him out.

Now The Nation is embracing all those criticisms that it had routinely denounced before.

I don't know how these Nation journalists have any credibility left. Anywhere else in the world, they would have been fired by their publisher and berated by the readership. In Thailand, what happens? The lies, the bullshit and hypocrisy continue without any criticism except from me and a few other lonely souls barking in the wilderness.

By the way, Thepchai took down the comments section on the online portion of his column. Maybe the readers are finally getting fed up.

Deconstructing Thepchai Yong: His Lies about iTV

HARD TALK

Still wanted: An independent, unbiased TV station


The iTV journalists had their chance to demonstrate their commitment to independent journalism six years ago when 23 of their colleagues were kicked out because they had the courage to stand up to a management bent on interfering with editorial decisions.

Instead, they chose to stand on the sidelines as the "rebels" were axed in what constituted the first open assault on media freedom under the Thaksin government.

And for the next five years, they willingly bent all the journalistic rules to respond to political whims. Gone was the hard-hitting style of news reporting and in-depth news analysis that had earned iTV the reputation of being Thailand's only independent TV station.

He is talking about The Nation Group more than iTV.

So it was an irony that the same iTV journalists rallied at Government House last week to seek assurance from Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont that the trouble-plagued TV station would be kept free from political or corporate interference. The appeal was made in the face of the prospect that iTV will eventually have to be taken over by the government because its management is not in a position to pay the overdue concession fees and fines amounting to more than Bt98 billion. The staggering amount was calculated on the basis of the damage the government believes was caused by iTV's breach of contract by arbitrarily altering the programming content of the station.

This is where Thepchai Yong starts lying through his teeth. The move to fine iTV should tell you everything that you need to know about the vindictive nature of the Thai people. The fines against iTV have nothing to do with breaking the law and everything to do with destroying a business owned by foreigners. And Thais wonder why foreigners think Thailand is hostile and racist to foreigners. The Junta is deliberately destroying iTV so the government can take it over on the cheap, which is what they will do with all the Singapore owned Shin Group companies.

The iTV journalists have to accept the fact that their reawakening can do little to save the TV station, which was once held up as an example of progressive TV journalism. They should have realised that iTV was doomed as an independent media outlet on the day it was taken over by the Shin Corporation of the Shinawatra family. From that point on, iTV gradually went down the road to become a political tool of the ruling party.

The lesson iTV should have learn is to behave exactly like the liars and hypocrites at The Nation, who chose to cower when Thaksin was prime minister and now is the "political tool" for a military dictatorship.

The plight of the journalists aside, the ongoing debate about iTV now centres on its future as a corporate entity. There is a strong likelihood that it will go under simply because of the huge debt which its major shareholder, Temasek Holdings of Singapore, apparently finds financially impossible to honour. The most likely scenario is that the Prime Minister's Office will have to take back the concession. That much is clear to most people in the government and the bureaucracy.

Exactly. This is how Thais operate. If they can't control it, they will try to destroy it until they can control it again. This is Thai Political Theory 101.

Reclaiming iTV is the easy part. The more difficult question is what to do with it. The Prime Minister's Office, which owns the licence, seems to have no immediate answer. In fact, it is probably lost as how to handle this hot potato.

They will turn into another government mouthpiece just like all other broadcast media.

It is desirable that the PM's Office keeps its hands off iTV. The proposal that it turn iTV into a public TV channel under its supervision is both impractical and counter to the spirit of media reform. The government agency has proven to be big failure when it comes to managing the media. Television Channel 11 and the dozens of radio stations that are owned and operated by the Public Relations Department, which comes under the PM's Office, have been serving less as media in the general sense and more as propaganda tools for the government of the day. So it definitely doesn't deserve to have another addition to its media empire.

iTV has two choices. Be a private government mouthpiece like The Nation or a public mouthpiece like the military owned media.

Whatever the solution eventually arrived at, iTV must go back to its original concept - an independent media outlet. A legacy of the bloody pro-democracy uprising in 1992, iTV was essentially designed to break the state monopoly of the airwaves by becoming a news and current affairs TV station free from political and bureaucratic interference.

Thepchai's hypocrisy is appalling. The Nation has no right to speak for free and independent media.

As it was iTV had a faulty start when its concession was awarded to a consortium spearheaded by Siam Commercial Bank merely because it had made the highest bid, offering the impossible amount of more than Bt20 billion in returns to the state over a period of 30 years.

Thepchai is a liar and doesn't tell you the part about how Thaksin did the Privy Purse owned Siam Commercial Bank a favor and took the money losing iTV station off their hands.

Yes, for iTV to succeed as an independent TV station it has to be privately operated. But the granting of the concession must not again be based on projected financial returns. The determining factor must be its content and the need for the TV station to be more public-minded than profit-oriented.

To safeguard against future interference, a special board comprising respectable and non-partisan figures with credibility must be set up to lay down the basic ground rules and professional ethics that the management and staff of the new TV station must follow. It must also have oversight authority to ensure that these principles are not breached and that the independence of the channel is not encroached upon by either political or business interests.

I am sure the disgraceful Thepchai and Sutichai will volunteer to scrutinize the new non-ideological iTV.

We can be sure that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is not going to be the last politician to abuse the media. But if journalists themselves are unable or unwilling to defend their freedom of expression, outside help is definitely needed - not for their sake but for the sake of public interest.

Thepchai Yong

This column is completely disingenuous. I don't know how The Nation columnists look at themselves in the mirror in the morning. It wouldn't be so bad if they published in Thai, because the Thai audience falls for these lies and could care less about media scrutiny, but The Nation has the audacity to lie day after day to an English speaking audience and treat them like fools.

Everything that Thepchai accuses iTV of is exactly what The Nation has become. The Nation Group has no journalistic integrity at all.

Jonathan Head Slaps Down Unprofessional Thepchai Yong

SIAM THIS MORNING

Thepchai Yong's Interview with FCCT Spokesman


The Nation's Group Editor Thepchai Yong talks to Jonathan Head for "Siam This Morning" programme on Channel 5.

TY: The international media has been in the spotlight here over its coverage of Thaksin Shinawatra. Many Thais believe the foreign was hired to report what Thaksin wanted.

JH: That is a very serious accusation, extremely damaging to the reputation of all foreign journalists working here. I would like to say that anybody making a charge that the foreign media is accepting money to give publicity for Thaksin must produce evidence. It is a defamatory charge, but I haven't seen evidence.

In all my experience working with foreign media here and other countries, I have never heard of major media organisations accepting money. It is a great shock to me and distressing that the charges have been repeated day after day.

TY: What do you think about the suggestions that the foreign media is sympathetic to Thaksin?

JH: That is also a surprise. If you remember when Thaksin was in the office a lot of us had very difficult relations with him. I was often criticised by Government House when Thaksin was the prime minister for being hostile to Thaksin. The foreign media questioned Thaksinomics frequently - and we questioned Thaksin's policies.

But it is our job to question the government's policies. The government has the power to implement policies and make profound changes to the country. It is the media's jobs to raise questions. Now Thailand has the new government in power, who seized power. It is very natural for the foreign media to question why they did it. It is also very natural that we would interview Thaksin. He is a legitimate newsmaker. He is very well known [as a former] prime minister [ousted by a] coup Everybody wants to hear his views.

TY: There is an accusation that a lobbying firm tried to get media interest in Thaksin. Can a firm actually get Thaksin on the cover of Time magazine?

JH: It is not unusual. We have dealt with big businesses, big celebrities and politicians who used publicity firms, lobbyist firms. It is part of life. Thaksin is a free and wealthy man, so he can hire lobbyist firms. Journalists who want to interview them have to go to that firm. We are free to ask the questions we want.

They may try to control the environment of the interview but most journalists with experience know to deal with that.

But they can have influence. They can demand certain questions in advance but that is normal for politicians here. They can limit the time of the interview. That is also normal for politicians here. Even when Thaksin was prime minister, we had limited time with him. I don't think the use of lobbyist firms has any profound influence on the nature of the interview in the coverage of Thaksin.

TY: There have been doubts about the nature of the questions Thaksin was asked. Critics say they should have been much tougher.

JH: It always happens in an interview. People always argue that certain ques
tions should have been tougher. There are always people who are disappointed with the way the questions are asked. Each individual media has done the interview in their own style and tried to get something of the essence of Thaksin and his beliefs out of him.

I would like to make a point. Remember, the international media is broadcasting for an international audience who don't know very much about Thailand. We have to be fairly general in our style of interviewing. What's needed clearly, is that if you want to put Thaksin on the spot, then you must have the Thai media interview him.

We need to see the Thai media - who know the issues and whose readers and viewers really care about them - put those tough questions and all the details involved. Then we will see him being grilled in the way the Thai people want to see him being grilled.

Normally I hate Jonathan Head. He is annoying and his voice grates. But I have to say that he slapped down Thepchai Yong very well.

Also, take note: Everything that Thepchai Yong accuses the foreign media of is exactly how the Thai media operates.

From the lame questions Thepchai asked, one can see how the Thai media, especially The Nation, is ignorant of how the media operates in the real world. While the real world turns, The Nation lives in a world of lies, conspiracy and innuendo.

More anti-Thaksin Rubbish from The Nation's Obsessed

HARD TALK

Let Thaksin talk - we no longer have to listen

Should we jump every time Thaksin Shinawatra gives an interview? Is the political manoeuvring of the former prime minister consuming too much of our energy?

The Nation does jump every time Thaksin appears in the international media. He does consume too much of your energy.

It's probably about time that we deny Thaksin the fun that he has been having with all the attention given to his global criss-crossing and interviews. After all, what is so enlightening or earth-shaking about all the things he has said to the international media anyway?

There is nothing enlightening or earth-shaking about what he says--except when the staff at The Nation get their panties all bunched up when he talks about sufficiency or the king. Then The Nation staff puts on their yellow shirts and goes to see King Naresuan to make themselves feel better, or they just write ill-informed nasty columns about the dastardly foreign media that is so in love with Thaksin. I'm just surprised that The Nation hasn't started to blame the US yet. Oh, wait, look below.

The fact that Thaksin has been featured on the cover of the Asian edition of Time magazine and in an interview on CNN (by the way, both belong to the Time Warner group) does not in any way mean that the former leader has suddenly become a darling of the international media, much less a signal that he is on the verge of a political comeback as his opponents may fear.

Funny, all week long all your buddies have been saying that Thaksin has become the darling of the foreign media. Don't you and Thanong ever chat? You guys don't discuss how Time-Warner and Temasek are in cahoots to take over Thailand, starting with the most glorious Nation Multimedia Empire.

And the generals in the Council for National Security (CNS) should stop fooling themselves or the media here that there is a conspiracy out there to keep Thaksin in the spotlight. The international media talk to Thaksin simply because he is still an interesting interview subject. The Thai media would have wanted to sit down and talk to him too, had they been given a chance.

No, they talk to Thaksin because they paid a couple PR firms to get his message out. Why do I have to keep repeating myself? Normally, Thaksin is a horrible subject and nobody in the world could care two shits about Thailand. Do you guys think Thaksin or Thailand sells magazines? Gimme a break. The Thai media should talk to Thaksin. That is their duty as journalists. But that is something The Nation would know nothing about.

But Thaksin somehow finds the international media easier to manipulate. Being a journalist with Time or CNN doesn't mean being able to pose better questions than Thai reporters could. If those journalists didn't ask probing questions or chose to skirt around issues crucial to Thais, it was either because they have to cater to an international audience or simply because they are ignorant.

I love this little snarky attack against the international media, as if the Thai media has its shit together. The Thai media, including The Nation, literally allowed Thaksin to get away with murder for 6 years. It did nothing to investigate him or his regime. And when has a Thai journalist ever asked Thaksin(or any politician) a tough question? They always threw him softballs, much worse than the idiots at CNN or at Time. Look at the bullshit interview with Prasong as evidence of a crappy interview or the interview with Mahathir. Thepchai, you are the last journalist in the world who should be criticizing the international media. Where the fuck is your Pulitzer Prize?

For the audience, here is a special treat. You can witness the interviewing prowess of Thailand's most illustrious journalist:

Thepchai's interview with Dr. Mahathir Part 1 Part 2

Could Thepchai kiss Dr. Mahathir's ass any more than this?

Thaksin's Interview with CNN


And because Thaksin has an international forum doesn't mean that he can count on it to cast himself in a better light. Don't forget that Thaksin was not the only deposed political strongman in the region to be featured on the cover of Time. Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines and Suharto of Indonesia made the cover long before him, after they too were chased out of power. So there is no special treatment being given to Thaksin, as some in the CNS suspect.

Thaksin is doing a pretty good job of spinning his message. Thaksin is getting special treatment by the media, because normally nobody cares about him. He was disliked as PM and he is disliked now. Now he just has good spin doctors.


What has irked the CNS generals and the Surayud government has more to do with what Thaksin said than the fact that he was being given prominent coverage. But it would be foolish to expect Thaksin to suddenly turn over a new leaf and start being nice to the generals who overthrew him and the new government led by someone whom he had seen as a potential threat to his political longevity all along.

Of course, this is common sense.

The best way to deal with Thaksin is to stop worrying about what he has to say. The American lobbying firm that he hired may be able to get some of the international media interested in him for a while. But it's only a matter of time before Thaksin fades from media attention. After all, he is nowhere near being a political icon or a deposed leader known for taking a stand on democratic principles, which would have kept the media interested in his every move.

The best way to deal with Thaksin is for the generals to get their own American spin doctors and tear him a new asshole. The generals have all the resources of the state to go after Thaksin. They can even confiscate his money to attack him. This is what I would do: If there is evidence that the generals have of Thaksin doing crimes but can't reveal it to the Thai press or the Thai public for whatever reasons, give it to the international press, then the Thai press can reprint that material. If there is no evidence against Thaksin, then why did they list corruption as one of the reasons to depose him? If Thaksin is not a threat, why are the generals uneasy? Are they waiting for him to come back so they all can cut a deal? Like, for example, Thaksin pays off all the generals in exchange for keeping his freedom and staying out of politics? In other words, Thai justice for the rich.


General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the CNS chairman and leader of the September 19 coup, couldn't hide his paranoia when he confided to the Thai media that he suspected Thaksin's interview with CNN two weeks ago was part of the conspiracy he has orchestrated against the junta. But just because he was asked some sensitive questions doesn't mean that his interviewer had a hidden agenda.

I love these codes that Thai journalists use, as if their audience knows what they are talking about. Thais are notorious plagiarizers, so it doesn't surprise me when they never quote any sources. Excuse me: How are we supposed to know what this means? Seriously, you guys should stop exploiting your farang copy writers and pay them more money. The editing has been really bad lately.

The generals should learn to educate themselves on how the international media work so that they will not have to cry out every time they read or hear Thaksin's comments. The only way they can silence Thaksin or render his arguments irrelevant is to make sure that the investigations into the former leader's misdeeds produce results as soon as possible.

I don't hear the generals crying as much as The Nation. Why doesn't The Nation do its job and investigate Thaksin's crimes? That is what the media does in the civilized world. In the US, the media actually does most of the investigating. It, unlike the Thai media, doesn't wait for orders from the government. Let us look at this for a moment. Would any serious news organization in the West wait for the investigation of military dictatorship to finish, so that they could print the results without question. You guys at The Nation make a mockery out of the profession of journalism.

Thaksin may have all the money in the world to pay for an American lobbying firm to make noises on his behalf, but his wealth cannot change the fact that he is politically finished and his chances of a comeback are almost nil.

Thaksin always has the chance of coming back if they majority of people support him. I know it is hard for The Nation to get this, but sometimes in a democracy you might actually be on the losing side. It sucks, but that is democracy. But I don't expect The Nation to get that, since it is the only media outlet in the world that intentionally allies itself with a military dictatorship. The Nation staff should really give up being journalists and go upcountry and live on a farm. There, they can live as subsistence farmers to their hearts content and sing the praises of sufficiency economy until their throats hurt.

That Thaksin is extending an invitation to the Thai media to interview him after having ignored them for months is only a sign that he is becoming desperate. And he knows too well that all the publicity he has been creating outside Thailand is not helping him in any way here.

Thaksin is playing you all for fools. He is tenacious and ruthless. He has declared war. But you guys at The Nation are too idiotic to realize it.