Govt to launch PR war to counter propaganda

"The media war will be designed to counter the smear campaigns launched by the red shirts and explain the true situation to the international community," he said.

He said police and public prosecutors were obliged to enforce the arrest warrant against red-shirt leader Jakrapob Penkair, who remains at large and is said to have fled abroad.

He said relevant agencies, including the Office of the Government Spokesman and the Foreign Ministry, will rebut comments made by Jakrapob in interviews with the foreign press.

He added that the government was keeping a close eye on the red shirts to see if they will carry out the threat of protesting in 10 provinces before marching to Bangkok.

Satit said pro-Thaksin Shinawatra groups were allegedly distorting information about last week's protests and attacking the government to seek more supporters.

The government's publicity campaign will include a million CDs explaining and clarifying measures that the government had taken to disperse the red shirts during Songkran. The CDs should be ready for distribution nationwide by the end of this week.

The NBT TV channel has already broadcast programmes explaining government policies and has answered questions posed at the government through the Public Relations Department's radio network and its website.

After Jakrapob announced that he would be continuing the movement from his hiding place, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn was put in charge of a "war room" to closely monitor reports about Thailand being presented by foreign media, Satit said.

After the Cabinet meeting yesterday, deputy government spokesman Suparak Kuanha said the Cabinet had agreed to appoint a fact-finding panel to gather and review information related to the protests on April 13.

With PM's Office permanent secretary as the chairman and Interior Ministry permanent secretary as his deputy, the committee will also comprise permanent secretaries from related ministries, the police commander-in-chief, Metropolitan Police Bureau commander, Public Relations Department director-general as well as military and media representatives, Suparak said.

Representatives from all TV channels, chairmen of the Thai Journalists Association and the Reporters' Association of Thailand will also be joining the panel, Suparak said, adding that setting up the committee was Satit's idea.

Thaksin and Jakrapob, both currently overseas, are among anti-government leaders facing arrest for inciting violence. On Monday, the same day as Jakrapob's interview with Singapore-based Straits Times, Thaksin's interview appeared on Germany's Spiegel Online.