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Published on February 18, 2008

In the article, Chirmsak wrote that Saengchai Apicharttha-napat, a senior executive of production house Fatima, had told him about receiving a call from Jakrapob.

The article alleges that Jakrapob told Saengchai the airwave concession contract would not be renewed as radio programmes must be changed according to the situation. Chirmsak says that Saengchai asked him what he could do to help the company from suffering any damage.

"I asked him [Saengchai] during the conversation who was it [who called Saengchai]? He said clearly it was minister Jakrapob Penkair. He also said they knew each other and still contacted each other," Chirmsak wrote.

The conversation took place on February 12, he wrote. He adds that two days later, Saengchai asked him to tell the media that there had been no call to put pressure and the decision was just out of the Fatima company's concern about the contract, to provide a "soft landing" for the company.

Thakerng Somsab, who formerly co-hosted the radio programme and was the middleman between Chirmsak and Saengchai, yesterday declined to comment on Chirmsak's article. According to reports Saengchai contacted Thakerng first, who spoke to Chirmsak before Saengchai himself directly took up the issue with Chirmsak.

Saengchai was not available for comment yesterday.

Last week, the Fatima company executive joined a press conference with Public Relations Department director-general Pramoj Rathavinij denying involvement.

Last week Jakrapob also denied any involvement in the removal of the radio programme.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, in the beginning of his weekly programme yesterday, thanked Pramoj and Saengchai for clarifying the accusation against the government of interfering in the media.

The premier said there was an attempt to frame the government.

Chirmsak last Tuesday gave up hosting his daily radio talk show after criticising Samak for allegedly covering up the Thammasat University massacre of October 6, 1976.

The programme, "Chirmsak's Views", was broadcast from 8-9pm on FM105, which is under the PRD.

The programme was removed after Chirmsak read an excerpt from a book written by Veera Musigapong, a former Thai Rak Thai Party executive, which said Samak had distorted the truth surrounding the killings of student protesters at Thammasat University.

He also read a transcript from Samak's speech to students in France in 1977 while he was interior minister, insisting that 48 people had died in the October 6, 1976 demonstration.

Chirmsak started hosting the programme after the September 2006 coup.

Sathien Viriyapanpongsa,

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation