• 
• 

Thai Post not only used the photo of Thaksin giving Prem a wai on its front page, but also reported on the incident in its lead story.

It said that Thaksin unexpectedly showed up at Anupong's mother's funeral. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and former prime minister Surayud Chulanont and top military people were also present at the funeral.

Prem arrived at the temple at 6.50pm. A team of Thaksin's security people came in advance and informed those attending the funeral that Thaksin would be arriving shortly.

Thaksin arrived at around 7pm. Yingluck Shinawatra, who was already in the temple and sitting next to Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, went to greet him. Thaksin later entered the pavilion, greeting both Prem and Surayud with a wai. Later, Thaksin spoke with Prem, who responded with a few words.

After the funeral, reporters asked Thaksin if everything was okay. Thaksin didn't reply.

The picture was played up on the front page of several key newspapers. Thai Rath's caption read, "Thaksin talked to Prem and Surayud for five minutes". Matichon's caption read, "The incident was the first meeting between Thaksin and Prem since the coup in September in 2006". Naew Na said "Thaksin 'wais' Prem".

Coincidentally perhaps, most newspapers ran the photo of Prem and Thaksin alongside big stories on PM's Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair's fate following the controversial remarks he made at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand last year. Naew Na said in a lead story that Jakrapob could be subject to a maximum jail term of 15 years if convicted of lese majeste. Matichon and Thai Rath predicted that Jakrapob would have to resign after the police charged him with this crime.

The rest is history as Jakrapob announced his resignation yesterday.

Meanwhile, Matichon, in its editorial, urged political parties to "step back for the country". It referred to the proposal from Snoh Thienthong, leader of the Pracharaj Party, calling for People Power Party MPs to withdraw their names from the motion to amend the 2007 Constitution. If less than one-fifth of the members of both houses, or 125 people, supported the motion, then it would be dropped. Consequently, political tensions would automatically be eased.

Matichon said that Snoh's advice was sound. Snoh has been in politics for many years. Thus, when he says that the effort to amend the Constitution is unlikely to be successful, Samak should listen carefully to Snoh's warning.

Thai Rath's editorial also touched on the same topic. But Thai Rath went further, to suggest that the planned referendum on whether to rewrite the 2007 Constitution should not only ask voters whether the charter should be rewritten, but should also ask the public about the appropriate schedule to change the Constitution. Should it be six months, one year or two years? The referendum should also ask voters if they agree with the amendments of the controversial Article 237 and Article 309.

Thai Rath summed up by saying that Thai society now is in need of a peaceful solution to the political conflict under the Constitution and legal framework.