THAILAND: Friday Talk Shows A Release Valve for Tensions

   By Surasak Glahan

BANGKOK (Asia Media Forum) - Charin Sritaptim, 46, braved four hours in traffic from his home in the suburb of Bangkok to Lumpini Park to catch a mobile talk show in early December - still going strong after weeks --  by media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul.

   Charin said he had been a regular viewer of the show ‘Thailand Weekly' until it was taken off the air in September by state-owned Channel 9 for criticising the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Subsequently, Sondhi instead brought to show at public venues that have drawn tens of thousands of people.

   Charin said he did not want fake news. "The first time when I knew that the programme was removed, I was very frustrated because there were no any other TV programmes offering (outspoken) analyses on political events," said Charin. "Political news needs to be analysed and synthesised. I think there will be a change (as a result of this event). People will wake up and become aware of this".

   Thirty year-old Natee Thongsuan, came in his neat office attire, straight from work. It was his second time attending this mobile talk programme.  "I want to listen to him again. Everybody came here to know what kind of problems are happening," said Natee. "I feel that from now on, the media are going to reveal the truth to the public more and more".

   These are but two of the many people who are still flocking to hear Sondhi and his co-host Sarocha Pornudomsak discuss the government's shortcomings and criticise Thaksin at what has become a Friday evening pubic event.

   The Friday events are a peaceful gathering of mostly middle-class Thais, who followed every single detail of the anti-government messages delivered by Sondhi, shown against large screens placed at different corners of the park. As vendors offer drinks and snacks constantly, the crowds sit and watch on as if they were at an outdoor movie screening - a means of entertainment more common in rural parts of Thailand. 

   Sondhi's charismatic and satirical talk-show style draws loud applause, sending listeners into laughter every time he delivers a punch-line that made the government look like a fool -- or a liar.  

   Chavarong Limpattamapanee, secretary-general of the National Press Council, told the Asia Media Forum that the Sondhi phenomenon reflects that the government had blocked the public from access to more information channels.

   "The good thing (about this event) is that it will make people to become aware that they should not be obstructed from access to news and information," said Chavarong.

   Media reform campaigner Supinya Klangnarong views this time as one that revisits Thailand's political history, which has shown that people can come against the government if they feel that the media are being suppressed. At the same time, she says, people are free to believe or refute what they hear at a forum like Sondhi's Friday events.

   "He (Sondhi) has the right to criticise, fight and express his opinions. He also has the right to lead people. But it's the right of people to decide whether or not they agree with him. Those who went to his live show may not agree with every issue he raised," said Supinya.

   At the most recent, 11th show on Dec. 9, Sondhi took aim at Thaksin by alleging that Interior Minister Kongsak Wantana, when he was air force commander, lobbied an aircraft procurement committee to drop a plan to buy U.S.-made aircraft in favour of Russian-made Su-30 MK fighter jets. He said an investigation by the National Counter Corruption Commission was needed.
 
   Laughter swept through the crowd as a set of advertisements ridiculing PTT Plc, the corporatised Petroleum Authority of Thailand and the Government Savings Bank (GSB) appeared on the monitor, media reports over the weekend said.

   In the original GSB spot, a child representing a young Thaksin saved one-third of the money he earned and deposited it at a savings bank. The audience heard the voiceover saying: ''My Dad told me to save one-third of the money I earned.''

   In the satirical ads, a young boy is seen embezzling money from his father as the voice-over said: ''My Dad told me to save one-third of the money for the people and keep the rest for myself and associates.''

   Once a staunch ally of Thaksin Shinawatra, Sondhi has of late been harshly critical to the premier and his government over what he alleges are corruption, abuse of power and disloyalty to the monarchy.

   The tussle has led to lawsuits filed against Sondhi, founder of the Manager Media Group - though these suits were withdrawn in early December.

   Since late September this year, Sondhi, founder of the Manager Media Group, faced four lawsuits filed by Thaksin for allegedly defaming him. A total compensation demanded for damages is 48 million dollars.

   These cases are nothing new under the Thaksin administration.

   In July 2004, Shin Corp, owned by the prime minister's family, sued media activist Supinya Klangnarong and the ‘Thai Post' newspaper for 10 million U.S. dollars. In June this year, a community radio station being critical to the government was also taken off the air.

   During one of his ‘mobile' talk shows in December, Sondhi accused Thaksin's sister of using military aircraft to fly her friends to attend her birthday in Chiang Mai the accuse that the air force had denied the flight was exclusively deployed for the occasion. In addition, he also mentioned media freedom and freedom of the public to information consumption.

   "(It's) my basic right. How could you suppress it?" said Sondhi, referring to the government's actions against him. "The public have the right to consume information and I have the right as a media (to criticise) according to Sections 39 and 40 of the Constitution". These provisions guarantee freedom of expression and civil liberty, forbidding censorship by officials of news in the press or broadcasting and the closure of media outlets.

   Despite all the publicity and the tendency to portray Sondhi as a press freedom hero, some say things are not as simple as this.

   This is "not all about media freedom and democracy", the English-language daily ‘The Nation' reported in a front-page article on Nov. 29, adding that this has something to do with business interests between two personalities who have had a long love-hate relationship. "It was only when the latter (Sondhi) lost his government cash cow that he started firing salvos at his former friend," said the paper.

   "When the time comes to give Mr Thaksin the boot, the catalyst should not be self-serving personalities like Mr Sondhi," Chulalongkorn University Prof. Thitinan Pongsudhirak wrote in a commentary in the ‘Bangkok Post' last week. "His heroism is unearned and undeserved, his methods of manipulating pent-up public resentment unworthy of unseating Mr Thaksin."

   For now, Sondhi's Friday night sessions look set to continue. But nobody can tell how long these will last and what results they will eventually bring about. (END/IPS/AMF/SG/JS/IPSAP/1205)