"It's a terrible fate," said Sombat, regarding the current situation where Internet sites critical of the junta and its administration have been either blocked or destroyed.

"This is the sixth time we have been attacked without us being informed and with no one claiming responsibility."

Sombat directed his criticism at the ICT Ministry, which received orders just hours after the coup three months ago to "block or destroy" websites and content considered as anti-junta. There was no official comment on the matter, however.

"They shut us down from the gateway this time. I called them up earlier but they denied having ever blocked it. I will prove they're actually involved this time. If the regime did it, it must accept it - or deny it publicly," said Sombat, who claimed there was proof on an earlier occasion that an order was issued to block his website, which contains Web boards for political discussion and articles critical of the junta and its appointed regime of Surayud Chulanont.

Sombat insists the site doesn't contain any literature criticising the monarchy, which is illegal under Thai law.

"We do have content heavily critical of the junta, however."

Other websites such as midnightuniv.org that also contains views critical of the junta had earlier been blocked and the ICT Ministry admitted to being behind the action.

AEC REPORT :Ua Athorn land 'fit for buffaloes'

Land bought for the Ua Athorn low-cost housing project is fit only for buffaloes, the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) said yesterday.

"The operators of the housing project bought the type of land that you find only buffaloes walk on. No human can live there,'' AEC secretary Kaewsan Atibodhi said.

Kaewsan and AEC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang were briefing the press on the progress made after three months of investigations into 13 cases related to the previous Thaksin administration.

Kaewsan said the AEC promised to have "answers for society" on some of the cases within six months of its establishment.

He added that with some projects such as Ban Ua Arthorn, the AEC may need more time because it involved 181 housing projects and may have cost the state Bt1.4 billion in damages.

ANNUAL TRADITION :Reporters skip nickname ritual

Government House reporters have decided to skip their tradition of giving nicknames to Cabinet members this year.

Reporters on the Parliament beat have also agreed not to give monikers to the National Legislative Assembly and its outstanding members, a long-held tradition.

The Government House reporters agreed that the interim government of General Surayud Chulanont had only been in office for three months, and that the current political situation required harmony.

The Parliament press corps also gave a similar reason for skipping their practice this year.

Every year ahead of the New Year holiday, Government House and Parliament press corps often give monikers to the Cabinet, the prime minister, other outstanding members of the government and Parliament members.

When this government, appointed after the September 19 coup, came to power, it was called the "Old Ginger" Cabinet for consisting almost entirely of retirees and elderly technocrats.