Pm Urged To Suspend Weekly Radio Broadcast

[george]

PM urged to suspend weekly radio broadcast

BANGKOK: -- Academics want Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to suspend his weekly radio address to the people during the lead-up to the Feb 6 general election.

The call was made during a panel discussion on ''Prime Minister Thaksin's Meet the People programme _ for public relations or political gain?'' at Thammasat University's faculty of journalism and mass communications.

Nakarin Mektrairat, dean of Thammasat's faculty of political science, said the prime minister should cease his nationwide Saturday morning broadcast because it gave him a political advantage over his rivals.

In a parliamentary democracy, Mr Thaksin should not have resorted to one-way communication and neglected his relationship with the people's representatives in parliament.

''The prime minister may talk on the radio to the people in the event of natural disasters or on important national days,'' he said.

'' True, a weekly radio show helps him build up political power in the short term, but in the long run it is damaging to the parliamentary structure.''

Mr Thaksin's broadcast made poorly educated people feel close to him. But for better educated people, the way he talked could send a wrong signal, Mr Nakarin said. What he said in the morning could send state officials rushing around in response to his remarks.

Mr Thaksin tended to make the people feel he was the only one they could rely on, Mr Nakarin said.

Prasong Lertrattanawisut, secretary-general of the Thai Journalists Association, said Mr Thaksin spoke only of the good side of the government's work, emphasising the benefits of the two- and three-digit lottery, ending corruption and the success of the One Tambon One Product scheme.

But if the people simply believed in him without asking any questions, what Mr Thaksin said was more like propaganda.

Benja Mangkalapruek, rector of Krirk University, said a survey of 480 people in Bangkok on Dec 18-21 showed just over half felt the prime minister should suspend his radio programme during the lead-up to the general election, while 44% disagreed.

Laddawal Intarachak, lecturer in mass communications at Chiang Mai University, said Mr Thaksin tended to show his power in his broadcast by making threatening remarks and sending orders to his subordinates.

He always made sarcastic remarks about some people while expressing praise for others.

He had also made a number of promises to the people as the elections draw near and used the programme to correct ''misunderstandings'' about the government's work and policies.

Ms Laddawal said the programme was useful to the people to an extent, but the prime minister should suspend the broadcasts once a royal decree for the general was issued.

--Bangkok Post 2004-12-30