Panitan eyed as govt spokesman

Dr Panitan Wattanayakorn, a political science lecturer from Chulalongkorn University, has become the front runner for the post. Some sources in the Democrat Party say he is the only candidate so far.

Prime Minister Abhisit once said that he wanted a government spokesman who is "an outsider who is highly capable".

PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey said Panitan had been approached for the job but he had yet to make up his mind about the offer. One key concern was that Panitan would have to resign from the university and, as Chulalongkorn is no longer part of the bureaucracy, would get inferior employee status if he re-applies for a job there.

"His family has been in the bureaucracy for many generations. If he accepts a political appointment, he will have difficulties when he wants to return to serve in the bureaucracy," Satit said.

The bespectacled, baby-faced Panitan, who is in his 40s, appears on TV regularly as an expert on political and security affairs. His comments have often been sought when there were major developments in these areas.

Panitan is from Betong district in the southern border province of Yala. "The Wattanayakorns are one of the five noted families of the three southern border provinces," Satit said.

In the first Chuan Leekpai government, Panitan was part of a team of the PM's advisers working on foreign affairs and liaising with the National Security Council.

Democrat MP Sirichoke Sopha, who is part of PM Abhisit's working group, said his team was trying hard to get Panitan to agree to become the government spokesman.

"The mission is that we will have to get him. He is the only person we have approached and we are talking with him. We have only one choice now and it's Panitan," Sirichoke said.

Sirichoke said the Democrats wanted the new spokesman to be of high quality, capable and an improvement from previous office-holders.

Appointment of the new spokesman is likely to be made by Cabinet within the next week. Let's see if it will be Panitan Wattanayakorn.