Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday rejected criticism the government's large-scale public opinion poll being conducted as part of the reconciliation efforts was aimed at wooing voter support for coalition parties.
The National Statistical Office last Friday began conducting its survey on some 100,000 people all over the country and is expected to complete the job in two weeks.
Abhisit said the survey's findings would be used by the government-appointed national reform committee in its effort to come up with a mechanism to tackle the problem of social inequality.
In Parliament, the Senate committee on the country's current affairs convened a meeting yesterday to allow government representatives to explain the use of state media as part of the reconciliation efforts.
The invitees PM's Office Minister Ong-art Klampaiboon, who is in charge of the state-controlled media, and Social Development and Human Security Minister Issara Somchai, failed to show up at the meeting. They sent bureaucrats to take their place, upsetting many committee members.
Senator Singchai Thungthong said the ministers' no-show pointed to the government's lack of sincerity in solving the political conflict.
Another member of the Upper House, Vicharn Sirichai-ekkawat, said the state media, particularly TV Channel 11, still were presenting one-sided information about the recent political turmoil, which he said would lead to more conflict rather than reconciliation.
Thantip Thong-ngamkham, a director from TV Channel 11, explained to the Senate committee the station has presented news from both sides during the recent anti-government protests by the red shirts. She said space and forum was provided to views against the government.
Pornchai Piyakesin, programme director from the state-owned MCOT, said it was a policy of MCOT's Modernine TV to present news from both sides. But it avoided bringing people from opposite sides to present their arguments, which he said would only lead to further dispute.