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Published on February 18, 2008

Samak made the accusation during his weekly "Talk Samak Style" show, broadcast on Channel 11 and Public Relations Department radio stations.

He alleged that "invisible hands" had sent people to extort evidence of electoral fraud from witnesses and get the Election Commission to disqualify People Power MPs.

"I will ask them why are you doing this and who ordered you? Do you want to destroy this party? I will get these people for sure. If I do not say this, they will not stop," he said.

After the show, Samak told reporters he had received a complaint that people in the provinces were being threatened even though the government had already been installed.

He was referring to the people being witnesses in the electoral fraud cases against PPP candidates.

"They have committed an offence. Issuing threats is not legal," he said.

Samak refused to say if the people he accused were from the military.

Samak's claim about invisible hands prompted Cam-paign for Popular Democracy secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila to accuse him of lacking responsibility and leadership.

He said Samak must come forward and indicate who the "invisible hands" are.

"By making such claims, he shows he is irresponsible and lacks leadership," he said.

He said Samak must admit that the government did not get a smooth start because of internal problems, especially over the allocation of interests.

"Outsiders gave the government a chance by accepting the election result, so it should make all efforts to work," he said.

He said the invisible hands could be people in the PPP who tried to order Samak about and caused his frustration.

While on air, the prime minister also attacked the media for several reports over the past week that he said were ill-intended to give the government adverse publicity.

He blasted the coverage of the government's attempt to remove the 30-per-cent capital reserve measure, saying the media misled the public into thinking the government had tried to meddle in the Bank of Thailand's duties.

He said he had assigned Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee to talk to the central bank about the measure.

"He said it was so sensitive that he could not say anything. I said, give them two months and see its progress. Then there were headlines saying I tried to interfere by setting a deadline for them. This is a technique to put the government in a bad light," he said.

He said another report the press tried to fabricate was that the party wanted to push for 111 former Thai Rak Thai executives to sit on the boards of state enterprises.

He also accused the media of trying to create misunderstanding between the government and the Election Commission by reporting that the EC leaked the results of an investigation involving House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat.

"Actually, this EC has greatly contributed to the country by completing the general election without allowing any interference or causing any scandals," he said.

He attacked coverage of the rise in salaries of government officials, saying: "Will anyone in the press die if they don't present this news?"

Samak then retracted his statement and apologised for using strong language.

"This is my style. I cannot help using abrasive language," he said.

The Nation