IN BRIEF

WAR OF WORDS : Sonthi to give CNN interview today

Council for National Security chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin will today give a special interview to the CNN news network in a response to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's recent media campaign against the junta and government, a source said yesterday.

Sonthi, who is also the Army commander-in-chief, is scheduled to meet with CNN reporters this afternoon, according to the source in the CNS.

While in Singapore last week, Thaksin appeared on CNN's "Talk Asia" programme, during which he criticised the coup makers and the government, and defended himself against corruption charges.

The ex-premier then went to Japan, where he gave interviews to the local media in which he said the Thai people would not tolerate dictatorship for long.

VOTE-BUYING: PM suggests reducing senators, MPs

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont yesterday suggested that the number of MPs and senators be reduced to curb vote buying.

Surayud made the suggestion at a meeting of the Election Commission to report on its readiness for a general election.

The PM said many politicians had suggested to him that the number of MPs should be dropped from 500 to 300 and senators from 200 to 100 as a way to reduce vote buying.

The Nation Thailand
Sunday January 28, 2007