Anupong ready for TV show probe

WASSANA NANUAM

Assistant army chief and key Council for National Security (CNS) member Anupong Paochinda has defended himself against alleged cronyism in producing a television documentary. The general, who is also one of the likely candidates to be the next army chief, said he was ready to be investigated over the accusation.

Gen Anupong denied the proposed documentary, to be aired on the state-run Channel 11, was designed as public relations for the CNS, as alleged by CNS opponents.

He made his remarks in response to allegations which appeared on the anti-coup website .

The website published an article attacking the CNS for hiring a firm to produce a documentary highlighting the reasons for staging the Sept 19 coup that ousted the Thaksin government.

The writer of the article claimed a CNS unit had submitted a memo seeking 2.25 million baht to create a television documentary with the intention to provide a contract for Chianchuang Kalayanamitr, younger brother of assistant army chief Gen Saprang, who is deputy secretary-general of the CNS.

The proposed budget did not include airtime fees.

Gen Anupong explained that a team which previously supplied programmes for state-run Channel 11 had approached the CNS' civil affairs unit with an offer to produce a documentary series to be aired on a television programme Phrungnee Tong Dee Kwa (Tomorrow Must Be Better).

He made it clear, however, that the programme was aimed at making society better, not promoting the CNS' work.

The team had initially planned to produce 100 documentary segments but army chief and CNS chairman Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin agreed to half that number. After negotiations, it was agreed there would be 75 segments.

The CNS then approved the 2.25 million baht of funds for the production.

But so far, no funds had been received for the project. Gen Anupong explained that he only endorsed the team's request for the funding and that the project was transparent.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Saturday April 21, 2007