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Published on February 15, 2008

Jakrapob said neither he nor anyone in the Cabinet ordered the production house Fatima to remove Chirmsak as host of the programme. He said it was not government policy.

"I can't leave this [without further action]. I want to know who is behind the scene [in this decision]," he said.

"I will tell the Public Relations Department chief to call the company [Fatima] to hold a press briefing to explain the case in order to prevent other matters that might be happen in the future."

Jakrapob claimed there were "invisible hands" who wanted to slander the government.

However, he admitted he was not surprised by the decision to remove Chirmsak.

"We have no need to do this. I am not a Chirmsak fan and I believe everyone knows Chirmsak's character. So, we have to let him go his way."

Jakrapob said he had no policy against media outlets or people in the media who criticised the government. His goal was just for people to receive "good service" from the media.

He would set up a committee to evaluate the state's media work, he said.

Chirmsak countered the minister by saying the production house told him to step down after receiving telephone call from Jakrapob.

He believed the reaction by Jakrapob came from the book written by Veera Musigapong, parts of which he read out on talk show on Tuesday.

The book said Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had distorted the truth about the killing of student protesters at Thammasat University in October 1976.

The Thai Journalists Association will discuss the case concerning Chirmsak today.

The Nation