Thailand government ministers get own TV show

By: John Le Fevre

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- First it was Truth Today, then the weekly Thaksin phone-in, then Confident in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit and starting next week Inside the Cabinet will become the latest political propaganda program to air on Thai television.

The program, to be hosted by Karndee Leopairote, will be broadcast live between 9pm and 9.50pm each Tuesday on NBT, and focus on the highlights of the Cabinet meeting earlier in the day.

Deputy prime ministers’ secretary-general Panitan Wattanayagorn said the show will give ministers, ministry spokesmen, and specialists a chance to answer people's questions and dispel criticism.

Viewers can make phone calls to the studio while the program is on air and government representatives will visit and collect queries and complaints from people during the week.

Panitan said the new show will be about the work of ministers rather than the prime minister, and will also include scoops on ministers' lifestyles.

"We work together, we should share some [media] space together. There are differences within the Cabinet," Panitan said.

Though Veera Theerapat is well known for his hard-talking style, he conceded the new NBT show was a state program and therefore viewers are unlikely to see any controversy being aired.

-- thaivisa.com 2009-07-16

No doubt the opposition will be accorded equal air time, it is a democracy after all.

The Thai version of "Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader."

The Thai version of "Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader."

or "I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue"

Can't wait for the one song to the tune of another round, they have had years of practice at that one.

No doubt the opposition will be accorded equal air time, it is a democracy after all.

As you will find, they, when in power, started the trend and continued when they lost the power - only at a higher temperature.

So the 'other side' [currently in power] doing the same *would* be leveling the playingfield.

Call in to the Cabinet.

Sure beats Hillery Clinton taking questions from the WH press corp.

No doubt there will be some people talking to the callers

and picking a choosing better candidates with questions.

But no doubt some tough ones will get asked and some fumbling and hedging observed.

Still this seems a positive idea. Hear it from their own mouths, not via a reporters slant.

And a balance for the other propaganda efforts ongoing from the opposition.

Edited July 16, 200916 yr by animatic

Ah well another reason NOT to watch TV. A group of politicians who like the sound of their own voice.

Blah, Blah Blah...............