Chuwit’s Tv-show Dreams Thwarted

[george]

Chuwit’s TV-show dreams thwarted

BANGKOK: -- Three weeks after securing more than 300,000 votes in the Bangkok gubernatorial election, Chuwit Kamolvisit yesterday had another surprise when his dream of becoming a television host was scrapped a day before the first show was to be recorded.

Chuwit said he was yesterday notified by Channel 7 executive Surang Prempree that his role as a co-host on new news-talk show “Kui Phao Khon” (At Close Range) had been canned after the programme was ditched.

The show was scheduled to make its premiere on Saturday.

The programme would have been the message-parlour-tycoon-turned-politician’s first shot as a TV host since he expressed a desire to host a news-talk show as a way of complementing his political career.

Chuwit said Surang, who offered him the job two weeks ago, had told him the cancellation was prompted by business reasons.

He was to have co-hosted the show with Channel 7 anchor Phitsanu Nilklad.

Channel 7 executives and the show’s producer, Dara VDO Co Ltd, could not be reached yesterday for comment.

Chuwit said another company had asked him to host a TV show named “Daily Exposure”.

--The Nation 2004-09-16

[deckard]

''cancellation was prompted by business reasons" Oh yea ,sounds more like '' cancellation was prompted due to political pressure ''

[sriracha john]

''cancellation was prompted by business reasons" Oh yea ,sounds more like '' cancellation was prompted due to political pressure ''

No, the reason it was cancelled to make way for this movie to be shown on Channel 7:

PM approves hunk to play him in TV role

Published on Sep 16, 2004

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has approved TV Channel 7’s selection of an actor to play him in a television series expected to be shown before the general election early next year.

Actor Chakrit Yaemnam is to play the lead role in “Ta Du Dao, Thao Tid Din” (Eyes on the Stars, Feet on the Ground), based on a sympathetic biography of Thaksin released before his Thai Rak Thai Party’s landslide election victory in early 2001.

“I don’t know this actor well, but judging from his personality, he’s similar to me,” Thaksin told reporters at Government House yesterday.

“It depends on your definition; you can tell who is more handsome,” he quipped.

The premier said he had watched a few

television programmes featuring the actor and some game shows he has hosted.

Actress Varathaya Nilkuha will play Thaksin’s wife Khunying Pojaman in the new TV series.

The Army-run network hopes to start filming the series about Thaksin’s life, which could include his 2001 triumph, next month.

Channel 7 executives asked the prime minister’s permission to make the series and allowed him to select the actor to play him, but Thaksin denied he had read the as-yet incomplete script.

“I have not yet seen the synopsis, but they have asked for my endorsement and I am not afraid of criticism. I am getting used to it,” he said.

Thaksin expects Thai Rak Thai to win at least 350 of 500 Lower House seats in next year’s election, but the party has suffered several recent setbacks, including a convincing win for the opposition Democrat Party in Bangkok’s gubernatorial election last month.

Channel 7 is particularly popular in rural areas, Thaksin’s power base upon which he is relying to carry him to victory in the general election.

[sriracha john]

LOL..... What do you think? The chosen actor is an exact copy of Thaksin, yes?

The only thing fatter than Thaksin's face is his ego.

http://www.thailandstar.com/CoupleStars/Co...ChakritKath.htm

[penzman]

No resemblance whatsoever except for the "hands in pockets".

[george]

Chuwit gagged as show axed

Channel 7 bows to `political pressure'

BANGKOK: -- Channel 7 has succumbed to threats to revoke its concession wielded by two people with close links to a key government figure and aborted a planned talk show to be co-hosted by massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit, a source at the army-run television station said yesterday.

The source said a close aide to a top government leader called a high-ranking army officer to express strong opposition to Mr Chuwit co-hosting the Khui Pao Khon hard-talk programme, saying the station should not give too much importance to a man whose record was far from spotless.

The army officer then called a Channel 7 executive and asked that the programme be cancelled, only to be rejected as advertisements promoting the show had already gained much publicity.

The officer turned to put pressure on Channel 7's major financier, threatening to terminate the station's contract with the army if the show was not scrapped, the source said.

The programme, which Mr Chuwit was to co-host with popular Channel 7 newscaster and sports commentator Pisanu Nilklad, finally died stillborn.

Videotaping of the one-hour talk show had been scheduled for yesterday for its premiere from 4 pm-5 pm tomorrow.

Government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair yesterday strongly denied any government involvement in the scrapping of the planned programme. There was no reason for the government to damage its own credibility with such action, he said.

Mr Chuwit, however, made it clear he believed the ban had everything to do with politics.

The tycoon, who now leads a new political party called First Thai Nation, said the ``most powerful political party'', which he did not name, was frightened by his phenomenal success in the recent Bangkok governor election and decided to prevent a rising political star like him from shining more brightly.

``Formerly, I was just like a thin mist but after I won 300,000 votes I began to take shape. If they let me go further, I would develop arms and legs and start to run. They didn't want that to happen, so they had to make sure I would not grow further,'' he said.

Only ``that party'' could order Channel 7 to scrap his programme, he concluded.

Mr Chuwit said Channel 7 managing director Surang Prempree called him on Wednesday and said she had bad news for him, which he could guess what it was.

Mrs Surang told him the station had to cancel his programme and asked him not to give the media the real reason and to explain that the production team was not yet ready, he said.

``She asked me for my understanding. She said she had to make a living,'' Mr Chuwit said.

The outspoken tycoon said he could not afford to hide the truth from the public or to stop fighting for media freedom.

``I am sure this is an act of interference by politicians in the government. Ordinary politicians couldn't do something like this. But I simply do not have proof,'' he said.

Mr Chuwit said he was not mad at Mrs Surang or Channel 7 because he understood they needed to protect their own investments.

Mr Chuwit, however, was reported to have been contacted by the iTV station to host a programme called Chae Rai Wan (Daily Expose{AAC}) which would expose inefficiencies of state officials, particularly the police. The first part was to be videotaped today.

Opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanavisit, meanwhile, said the ban on Mr Chuwit's programme showed the government always spoke one thing but did the opposite.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said at a recent press fair that his government would guarantee freedom of the press.

Mr Jurin said he believed politics was definitely behind the cancellation of Mr Chuwit's programme.

--Bangkok Post 2004-09-17