Free speech important,says Abhisit
 The Nation
November 19 , 2005 - Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday gave media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul his moral support, citing the need to protect the principle of freedom of speech.
Sondhi is subject to a court order banning him from criticising Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The government has also threatened to shut down his website if he does not stop involving the monarchy in his attacks on the government.
Abhisit led some Democrat Party MPs to a meeting with Sondhi at his Ban Phra Arthit residence for one hour yesterday, following an invita?tion by the fierce government crit?ic.
After the meeting, Abhisit said he and Sondhi did not agree on every issue but he believed that Sondhi as a media figure had the right to monitor and comment on the government.
"I am not protecting the indi?vidual but the principle. I do not agree with many of the things he has said, but I have to protect his free?dom of speech. And this is the dif?ference between democrats and dictators,'' he said.
Abhisit questioned the govern?ment's threat to close Sondhi's web?site, saying that by doing so it was creating a standard that blocked the free flow of information.
The move to stop the broadcast of Sondhi's "Muang Thai Rai Sapda" programme on cable TV is also politically motivated, aimed at blocking the airing of opinions that run counter to those of the govern?ment, he added.
Asked if he foresaw the conflict intensifying into mass demonstra?tions, Abhisit said the government should realise the current tension had been created because it was try?ing to deprive the public of their right of expression.
"No other elected [Thai] gov?ernment has tried every means to block media freedom,'' he said.
Earlier yesterday, Sondhi said he had seen dictatorships in many gov?ernments. "But I have never seen any government as evil and abhor?rent as this one."
Abhisit said he had warned Sondhi - and repeated the call to the government - not to instigate any incidents that could provoke violence.
"Sondhi told me he would fight for his freedom of speech using tolerant and peaceful means. The government must also be careful not to create [a worsening] atmosphere or cause [deeper] rifts,'' he added.
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