Thaksin Post-Coup Interviews

Thaksin post-coup interviews

More info: Thaksin censored on TITV - Prachatai, January 9, 2008
..."But this is different. The person that we interviewed is deemed ‘uninterviewable'. He has become a forbidden subject for the media, especially TV. There have been examples of defiant journalists who faced an undesirable fate, like the female Channel 5 reporter or other radio hosts. It is less strict with newspapers. But television is deemed to have more impact on the public..."

Thaksin's speech at IISS - March 3, 2007
2 Mar 07 - Address - Dr Thaksin Shinawatra - On Friday 2 March 2007 Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, Former Prime Minister of Thailand, will give an address on "Democracy at a Crossroads" from 1pm...
The transcript should end up here.

Ousted Thai PM Thaksin urges reconciliation - Reuters, March 3, 2007
The exiled former prime minister of Thailand said on Friday he was willing to participate in a process of national reconciliation after being ousted in a bloodless coup last September...

Thaksin to attack Govt, CNS through website, satellite TV - The Nation, February 4, 2007

...Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will step up his attacks by giving video interviews which will be broadcast through a satellite TV and a website, a well-informed source said Sunday.
The source said the clips of his interview would be broadcast through www.reporter.co.th, known to be owned by his aide, Newin Chidchob.
The interviews would also beamed into the country on BTV to be picked up and relayed by certain local cable TV operators, the source said.

Thaksin's lobbyists - January 24, 2007 Several Thai-language newspapers have picked up information from korbsak.com about lobbying disclosure papers showing the hiring of Barbour Griffith and Rogers to "provide guidance and counsel with regard to Mr. Thaksin's interests in Washington, DC and abroad."

New UBC blocking screen - January 23, 2007 UBC is back to blocking Thaksin-related content again today and has replaced the Hollywood movie star montage with a more sedate "Intermission" graphic (right).

Transcript of Thaksin Talk Asia interview - January 23, 2006
Here is the transcript for the Thaksin interview shown in full and initially censored locally.

Transcript of International Correspondents discussing the blocking of the Thaksin interview - January 23, 2006
Here is the transcript for the main segment on International Correspondents, also censored, discussing the junta's tact in blocking international newscasts domestically. Many sensationally negative comments about Thailand...

Thaksin Shinawatra, former Thai leader, makes case to the world - IHT, January 19, 2007

Ex-PM Thaksin hires American political lobbyists - TNA, January 20, 2007
...According to a newspaper report in Hong Kong --  the South China Morning Post -- Mr. Thaksin met with lobbyists from Barbour Griffith and Rogers (BGR) in Hong Kong last week...

Thaksin asks for forgiveness: "...we forgive each other, things come back to normal..." - January 20, 2007

Thaksin's full CNN Talk Asia interview runs uncut on UBC in Thailand at 23:00. We are not sure if this is a reversal of UBC policy or a lapse in censorship. It is fascinating how the interviewer has no clue about which questions to ask and how the international media are unable to key in on the subtext of Thaksin's very strategic comments. This interview very clearly shows Thaksin is still a force to be reckoned with and is not bowing out of politics.

UBC to block Thaksin interview - The Nation, January 19, 2007
...CNN will broadcast the full interview on Saturday, but UBC spokeswoman Kantima Kunjara told AFP that they will not air it because of a request by the Council for National Security, as the junta calls itself.
"Since the CNS has asked for cooperation from broadcasting media not to broadcast statements from former prime minister Thaksin, UBC will cooperate and will not broadcast his interview," Kantima said...

Thai coup generals worry Singapore's listening in - Reuters, January 19, 2007

Thailand asks Japan to avoid Thaksin visit - Khaleej Times, January 18, 2007
Thailand has asked Japan for cooperation in handling the visit of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to the country Friday and Saturday to avoid a repeat of his recent "high profile" visit to Singapore that soured Thai-Singapore relations...

CNN reporter says junta tarnishes Thailand's reputation - Contactmusic.com, January 18, 2007
...Many are left wondering ... whether Thailand and its 62 million inhabitants are descending toward autocracy and economic decline."

Singapore slaps on Thailand's face: FM - The Nation, January 19, 2007
[Delightful headline...]

Commentary: CNS media 'censorship' is a big mistake - Bangkok Post, January 16, 2007
Whatever the denial by the Council for National Security (CNS) chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin that he had nothing to do with the UBC pay television's ''censorship'' of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's interview with CNN, the writing on the wall is too obvious to miss.
The CNS request for cooperation from the broadcast media - not to cover any activities of the deposed prime minister - has, apparently, driven the editor of UBC to apply self-censorship so as to avoid what one CNS member said bluntly: ''Use your discretion properly or we impose our own discretion''...

Thai junta denies censoring CNN interview with ousted PM - AFP, January 16, 2007
Thailand's junta has denied they censored a television interview with ousted Thaksin Shinawatra, a week after they urged broadcasters not to report statements by the deposed leader.
...One foreign news editor with a state-run television station admitted that his channel received the feed from CNN, but decided against putting it on air.
"It's our own decision not to broadcast it, since we were asked to cooperate with the CNS last week," he said.
Junta chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin denied they had ordered Thai media to block the interview with Thaksin.
"It's cooperation. Everybody cooperated with us," he told Channel 3 television station Tuesday morning...

CNN censored - January 15, 2007
Thaksin's interview from Singapore first ran on CNN International at 22:20. Here is how it appeared to Thai viewers watching the broadcast on local cable operator UBC (above). The story is cut off by the same montage of young Hollywood stars used to block international broadcasts after the coup in September 2006.

Above: The uncensored interview

More 2Bangkok.com on YouTube

Singapore-Bangkok row over Thaksin - CNN, January 15, 2007
[This story is also being censored when the segment is shown on local TV.]

CNS finds Thaksin Singapore visit 'upsetting' - TNA, January 15, 2007 Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's movements overseas --including his latest trip to Singapore-- have caused "uneasiness" and the Thai interim government needs to come up with some actions, according to Air Chief Marshal Chalit Phukbhasuk, vice chairman of the Council for National Security (CNS). Marshal Chalit commented Monday that Mr. Thaksin's "personal" visit to Singapore from last Saturday, where he sought to meet with the island republic's deputy prime minister, was "worrisome" and suggested that Thailand must restrict the ex-premier's movements abroad, coming to an understanding with the countries the deposed prime minister visit...

Deposed Thai PM Thaksin quits politics - lawyer - Reuters, January 10, 2007
...The announcement by lawyer Noppadon Patama came just hours after coup leaders summoned radio and television broadcasters, all of whom have to rent air time from the government, not to carry any statements from Thaksin.
"I want to ask every television channel and every radio station not to broadcast messages or statements of the former prime minister and leaders of the past ruling party," General Winai Phattiyakul told a gathering of 100 media representatives.
"If they don't listen, you can kick them out of your station or if you can't use your judgement, I will use mine to help you run your station," Winai said...

CNS CENSORSHIP - Strong media protest over Thaksin, TRT ban - The Nation, January 11, 2007
...Supinya Klangnarong, secretary-general of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform, said media censorship by the CNS only further emphasised that democracy would not come under military rule.
"It's all about stifling any opposition," Supinya said. "The CNS is no different from Thaksin in this regard. Today, it is only messing with broadcast media; there is no guarantee it will not try to control the press tomorrow. It only reinforces that autocratic control, not democracy, is its highest priority."...

Right: January 15, 2007, 23:00 - Both CNN and BBC seem to be unreachable at this time. January 16, 2007, 00:24 - Both CNN and BBC are reachable via anonymizer sites...