Treat PTV the same as ASTV, Abhisit tells govt
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva advised the government yesterday to ensure equal treatment to two cable-TV stations with murky legal status - one linked to Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party and the other belonging to ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's arch-enemy.
"If PTV's situation is similar to that of ASTV, the government has to take the same action," he said. PTV was started by ex-Thai Rak Thai members after key party figures, including caretaker leader Chaturon Chaisang, visited people in the Northeast over the weekend, while ASTV is part of media firebrand Sondhi Limthongkul's Manager Group. Thai Day Dot Com Co, the operator of ASTV, has filed a criminal lawsuit against the Public Relations Department, alleging that it abused its powers when questioning ASTV's legal status. The Administrative Court granted ASTV's request for an injunction to stop authorities from taking it off the air while the court is considering its petition. Abhisit cautioned against arresting Chaturon for violating the Council for National Security's ban on political activities by his weekend trip, saying it could detract from the administration's image. He also said he had asked the CNS to revoke its announcements 15 and 27, which ban political parties from holding activities, as in practice the parties could not abide by the orders. "If the CNS retains the announcements, it will fall to someone trying to incite political conflict and it also could bring resistance," he said. PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan said the former Thai Rak Thai members could not launch PTV until an amended law takes effect. The government is addressing the problem of illegal community radio and cable-TV stations, and it was not selective how it deals with them, he said. "We are amending the Radio Communications Act of 1955 which has become obsolete, and the drafting committee is trying to complete its task in four months. So PTV should wait for the Act before beginning operations," he said. Even though ASTV continued to broadcast even though it was against the law, but Thirapat said ASTV had won a court injunction and the government couldn't do anything against the order. However, he would ask the Public Relations Department about the progress in the case to avoid allegations of double standards. Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin's legal counsellor, insisted that PTV had nothing to do with his client.
Yossawadee Hongthong, Piyanart Srivalo The Nation
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