PM’s nemesis vows to stay on offensive despite olive branch
 The Nation
December 9 , 2005 - On the eve of today’s showdown against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, government critic Sondhi Limthongkul vowed to fight on in spite of an olive branch extended by the premier.
“Prime Minister Thaksin has his own reasons for withdrawing his six libel suits against me, but I don’t feel grateful for his gesture,” Sondhi said yesterday.
Sondhi confirmed that he would host his mobile talk show, “Thailand Weekly”, at Lumpini Park today as scheduled, saying he still had many dirty secrets to reveal about Thaksin.
“My past attacks were like kindergarten compared to the damning information I have just received from civil servants who are starting to rebel against the government,” he said.
Dismissing speculation that he would compromise his position in exchange for the premier’s ending the court battle, Sondhi said he would not back down from his crusade to expose flaws in Thaksin’s leadership.
“Government cronies are making an illogical argument. It’s as if they’re saying a newspaper should return the favour by not publishing anymore if a plaintiff drops a libel charge,” he said.
He said he would continue to be critical of the government in three areas – transparency, press freedom and the deepening of political reform.
He insisted he had no ulterior motive to run for a Senate seat next year.
“I am content to be a watchdog. My real enemy is not Thaksin Shinawatra but those who would plunder the country,” he said.
He said his message is not about right or wrong but a question of appropriateness and etiquette.
“The government can easily dispel my criticisms by rectifying its mistakes, such as the Supreme Patriarch case, the CTX scandal, the rubber saplings case and the southern unrest,” he said.
With regard to the growing audience for his mobile talk shows, Sondhi said the crowds flocked to Lumpini Park because the government hyped the events out of proportion.
“The show’s popularity has surged because of government supporters like [TV pundit] Samak Sundaravej, [Deputy Transport Minister] Phumtham Wechayachai and [Thai Rak Thai Party spokesman] Sita Divari,” he said.
|
