PM slaps gag order on himself

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has decided to stop talking to reporters for seven days, after being bombarded with criticism of ``government policies gone wrong''.

Mr Thaksin, known for his brusque counter-comments on government issues, yesterday informed reporters he wasn't going to speak with them for a week.

A source said the premier's decision to act dumb was a departure from his style of forceful, on-the-spot rebuttals against irritable remarks directed at him or his government.

The source said Mr Thaksin might be feeling compelled to stop putting himself in the line of fire.

The prime minister has of late been held in ridicule over a number of ``bravado actions''.

The first involved the inaugural AirAsia flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on Monday. What promised to be a fantastic flight had to make an emergency landing 20 minutes after take-off. The embarrassment was blamed on a malfunctioning wing flap indicator.

The second was the alleged nepotism surrounding the appointment of Pol Lt-Gen Priawpan Damapong to deputy police chief.

The highly coveted post places Mr Thaksin's brother-in-law in line for the position of police chief.

Mr Thaksin also ignited a time-bomb by throwing his support behind the proposal to replace the election of grass-roots leaders with a system of appointment.

This move drew brickbats even from government insiders, who slammed the initiative as a blatant insult to the principle of decentralisation of power.

In addition, the decision by an arbitration panel to reduce the 25.2-billion-baht concession fee for the iTV television channel put Mr Thaksin in the hot seat because his family's Shin Corp is a major shareholder of iTV.

--Bangkok Post 2004-02-04

Henceforth he'll only open his mouth to change feet. .

Nepotism, conflicts of interest but apart from that is a really nice guy

Nepotism, conflicts of interest but apart from that is a really nice guy

Nepotism begins at home Bronco. And he has no interest in businesses....his family have some ( probably the maid and driver too )

This move drew brickbats even from government insiders, who slammed the initiative as a blatant insult to the principle of decentralisation of power.

When is the Bangkok Post going to learn? ''Decentralisation of power'' doesn't come close, even if it is a government policy enshrined in the constitution, blah blah...

What the reporter means is ''democracy''.

It's counter to democracy - there, that carries far more punch.

Nepotism, conflicts of interest but apart from that is a really nice guy

Nepotism begins at home Bronco. And he has no interest in businesses....his family have some ( probably the maid and driver too )

No Doc nepotism begins at work, you gotta get all your rellies there

This is how he started out. I seem to recall sometime shortly after he was "voted" in as PM there was a case against him re:not paying tax. Anyway after he won he said something silly to the press about the order that the votes were cast in his case. Anyway the press quoted him and he came out and said that they had no right to put what he said into the paper because it makes him look bad, and he started looking into ways to reform the press or something stupid like that.

He should just learn his lessons and buy all the newspapers so that they can write exactly what he wants. Or at least make sure they are owned by his friends who share his views.

Or at least make sure they are owned by his friends who share his views.

Who says he hasn't done that already?

He has!