POLITICS / PROTESTS IN BANGKOK, SONGKHLA

Rival PTV, pro-Prem rallies exchange barbs

WICHAYANT BOONCHOTE

Songkhla_Satellite-based broadcaster PTV went ahead with its rally at Sanam Luang yesterday only to be condemned by another protest almost 1,000 kilometres away in the southern province of Songkhla.

More than 1,000 people calling themselves ''Klong Hae's People'' gathered in Hat Yai district to support Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, a Songkhla native anti-coup groups have accused of masterminding the Sept 19 military coup against the Thaksin administration.

They signed a petition supporting Gen Prem and criticised movements which claim the statesman was behind the coup. The targets included PTV and the Saturday Voice group against dictatorship.

The Hat Yai rally organisers said they would not let anyone mock Gen Prem. They threatened to continue their weekly rally in Songkhla and to travel to Bangkok if necessary.

They lashed out at PTV senior executives Veera Musikapong, Natthawut Saikua and Chatuporn Prompan, branding them ''conceited toads''. Speakers took turns exposing the ''backstage politics'' PTV was using to destroy Gen Prem's reputation. The gathering which began at 5pm lasted four hours.

In Bangkok, the PTV rally of about 1,000 people was largely peaceful. Speakers criticised the coup-makers _ the Council for National Security _ and People's Alliance for Democracy key man Sondhi Limthongkul. They said CNS chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, also the army chief, had failed to end southern unrest, and they accused CNS deputy secretary-general Saprang Kalayanamitr, chairman of Airports of Thailand Plc, of corruption over his recent study trip to Europe.

Mr Chatuporn said Mr Sondhi was trying to smear PTV through his talk show, Yam Fao Paendin (Guardian of the Land) broadcast on his television network ASTV.

PTV has not been able to broadcast because the government refused it permission to operate a satellite-based channel.

Bangkok Post

Monday April 09, 2007