'Damned if I was involved'

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej swore in Parliament yesterday that if he was involved in the 1976 fatal crackdown on protesters at Thammasat University, he would be damned.

A war of words was sparked between Samak and the opposition during the government's declaration in the House of its policy agenda.

Samak blew his top after opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva demanded that Samak not allow a repeat of what happened to the media after the October 6, 1976 incident, when Samak assumed the interior minister's post and a number of newspapers were shut down.

"We are obviously witnessing media intimidation in the removal of Chirmsak Pinthong's radio programme for criticising Samak about his [CNN] interview over the incident," Abhisit said.

Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai yesterday attacked Samak - a former Democrat Party member - for lacking gratitude by jumping ship from the Democrats when the party was at its lowest ebb.

Chuan said the PM and several Cabinet members began their political careers with the Democrat Party. "I admire people who appreciate the party and its merits and I condemn people who do not have any gratitude and talk badly about the party."

Chuan said media faced subtle interference via business mechanisms. "The media is intimidated in that, if they present news which shows opposition to the government, their business will not survive," he said.

Samak complained that his political opponents always used his role in the October 1976 incident to discredit him in every election campaign he has fought. He said his opponents always accused him of being a murderer with blood-stained hands.

"During the gubernatorial election race, I was verbally bullied that I was a murderer. But I won over a million votes and my opponent got only 500,000 votes. Has there been anyone in Thailand winning over one million votes [in the poll for Bangkok governor]? There is only Samak," he said.

He said he told CNN that during the clampdown on students he was at Sanam Luang and he saw one person hit and burnt by a rubber bullet.

"Every foreigner is interested in asking this question. A female reporter from Al Jazeera, who was beautiful and not even 30, asked me that question, so I asked her back 'how old are you?' and 'who told you to ask me?' " he said.

Samak gave an interview to CNN earlier this month in which he claimed only one person died in the notorious massacre, in which more than 40 were allegedly killed. The PM said he was not involved in the brutal crackdown on the students.

October 6 activists have cried foul over Samak's statement, accusing him of distorting the facts. They say the PM played a crucial role by inciting hatred between leftists and conservatives. Samak was the host of an Army radio show and accused the students of being communists who aimed to destroy the country's revered institutions.

Sathien Viriyapanpongsa

The Nation