Thaksin not to blame for soap being canned: Pheu Thai

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was not behind the abrupt termination on Friday night of the soap opera "Nua Mek 2" on Channel 3, a spokesperson for the ruling Pheu Thai Party said yesterday.

Sunisa Lertpakawat, deputy spokesperson for Pheu Thai, said it was "impossible and insensible" for Thaksin to interfere with this matter.

"Former PM Thaksin stays overseas and he certainly could not view this drama, so he had nothing to do with this matter," she said.

She added that the accusations obviously came from political enemies of Thaksin and Pheu Thai.

The ex-PM, who has been in self-exile overseas, is believed to be pulling strings behind the ruling party.

There was no need for the government to request a premature end of the soap opera, Sunisa said. She called for critics to stop linking the matter to politics.

Government spokesman Tossaporn Serirak yesterday expressed suspicion that the abrupt end of the soap "Nua Mek 2" might be a move aimed at boosting its rating.

"This matter certainly has nothing to do with politics. It could be an attempt to boost the rating and draw public interest," Tossaporn said.

He also called on the producers and Channel 3 to explain to the public about this matter.

The spokesman also insisted that there was no political interference.

"Channel 3 is operated by a private company and I don't think they can be told to do this or that. They have independence. The channel does not belong to the government and we can't tell them what we want," he said.