December 1 , 2005 - The war of words between friends-turned-foes Thaksin Shinawatra and Sondhi Limthongkul has boosted newspapers' circulation figures, almost as a popular challenge to the government's alleged attempts to silence the media.

At the beginning of the fight, some editors questioned the motives behind media tycoon Sondhi's outbursts, so they hesitated to follow, much less comment. But when they realised that social tensions were climbing, they jumped on to the bandwagon.

However, the temptation to follow the row has been resisted by the country's largest-selling daily, Thai Rath. It has chosen not to publish the events, or when forced by circumstances to acknowledge that something is happening, has been miserly with space. The fracas hasn't merited a mention in Thai Rath's opinion or analysis columns.

On November 18, the day after Sondhi was gagged by the Civil Court from criticising the prime minister, some newspapers published the decision as their lead story. The Bangkok Post published the story on page three. Thai Rath didn't even mention it.

Sondhi criticised Thai Rath both in Manager newspaper and his "Muang Thai Rai Sapda" for ignoring the story. He called on the public not to buy Thai Rath.

This doesn't mean Thai Rath has never spoken out against the government. It published stories and comments about Thaksin's speech in which the prime minister said provinces with Thai Rak Thai MPs would be first served with government development funds.

A Thai Rath editorial staff member, who asked not to be named, said it was a policy of the newspaper, set by founder Kamphol Vacharaphol, not to publish stories about conflicts where one antagonist is a media representative.

However, Thai Rath seems to choose different aspects of a story from those emphasised by other newspapers.

For instance, on November 19, while other newspapers observed that tens of thousands of people had gathered at Lumpini Park on the previous evening to attend "Muang Thai Rai Sapda", Thai Rath published a medium-sized picture taken from inside the park's auditorium.

However, the story was about Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam clarifying the prime minister's use of the chapel in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Almost at the end of the story, continued on an inner page, it said "a large number of people" attended the Lumpini event.

Matichon and The Nation have declared their stance of opposing suppression of media freedom.

Both have given importance to the stories without considering the identity of the speakers, in the same way and for the same reasons that they published details of GMM Media's hostile takeover bid for Matichon and the Bangkok Post.

It is arguably true that the court's muzzle on Sondhi's media stimulated public curiosity in his row with the prime minister. There has since been an eager following of stories and analyses published in a wide variety of media, from newspapers to radio, television and the Internet.

Those newspapers that, early on, denied the importance of the story, but later began to follow it blow-by-blow, reason that they began to |publish the events according |to public demand.
Veera Prateepchaikul, deputy editor-in-chief of the Bangkok Post, said his newspaper is giving more importance to news reports concerning the prime minister and Sondhi Limthongkul because social tensions are rising.

However, the newspaper publishes exactly what each side says, unless the content risks a libel suit, he said.

How much the newspaper plays up the news depends on the public, and now that a growing number of people at Sondhi's rallies proves a higher public interest, the newspaper will send reporters to cover the events, Veera said.

The editor of Naew Na newspaper, Prachatai Thananarong, said his paper doesn't have a special policy for news related to the Thaksin - Sondhi row. It presents the stories just like any other news events, with balance and careful verification.

Naew Na has followed the events because people are interested, he said. Initially, the stories didn't carry much weight because they seemed to stem from a personal conflict between the two men.

Recently, however, as Sondhi has revealed new information to the public, the newspaper has given more importance to the stories, Prachatai said.

Naew Na began to follow the unfolding drama in early November, after the office of Manager Media Group was bombed.

Worawit Sri-ananraksa, political news chief of the Daily News, said his newspaper was non- partisan. It publishes what both sides say, but is careful not to violate the rights of people mentioned.

When Sondhi says something that the people want to know, the paper publishes it. Daily News will also publish what the government says in reply, no matter if the speaker is a "no-name MP" in the Thai Rak Thai, he said.

Manager Group is the media conglomerate at the heart of the controversy. It offers the heaviest coverage of the stories, and has many means of disseminating the news to the public.
The managing editor of Manager Daily and Manager on-line, Suwitcha Piarad, admitted a controversial flavour to the group's coverage because the Friday "Muang Thai Rai Sapda" events are organised by the Manager Group.

The managing editor of Kom Chad Luek, Prachak Mawongsa, said the stories were "just stories", and are reported as fact.
"We handle them like any other news item," he said.

Khao Sod editor Thakul Boonpan said editors consider the merit of what each side says and the space given to the stories depends on how new and interesting the content is.

Roj Ngam-man, founder of Thai Post, said his editorials have taken a close look at Sondhi's moves. Sondhi's campaign against Thaksin is a social phenomenon like many campaigns against past leaders.

"But this time," he said, "it's led by the media."

Roj said he doubts Sondhi's intentions behind the campaign -- as well as those of its supporters.

People who show up at Sondhi's rallies may be disappointed with the government and with Thaksin, but they have not considered what it all might lead to.

"What has Thaksin done that is so bad that they want to take him down by such an undemocratic means?" Roj asked.

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan,
Kornchanok Raksaseri,
Subhatra Bhumiprabhas

The Nation