Governors warned over ASTV ban

The Democrat Party yesterday warned provincial governors they would be at risk of violating the Constitution if they blocked ASTV broadcasts in line with Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's instruction.

Although Chalerm backpedalled from Friday's remarks by arguing he wanted cable operators to just gag inflammatory comments instead of imposing a complete censor, tampering with the free press is a constitutional offence, the Democrats said.

Chalerm triggered a controversy after threatening to prosecute cable operators for relaying satellite broadcasts covering street protests organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy.

"Provincial governors might fall prey to Chalerm's legal blunder if they rush to comply with his verbal order before checking relevant laws," Democrat MP Boonyod Sukthinthai said.

Boonyod was referring to a brief halt to broadcasts in Khon Kaen, before they resumed following the discovery the order was not sanctioned by law.

He said Chalerm should not have acted in haste because he was causing the erosion of his own credibility.

Democrat deputy leader Alongkorn Pollabutr said he would today demand the Public Relations Department show progress on its investigation into the alleged biased coverage of political news at state-run NBT Channel.

The government appeared quick to employ a diversion but was slow to stop bullying its opponents via state-run media outlets, he said.

Stepping into the fray to defend Chalerm, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said the Interior Ministry was trying to enforce the law to penalise those involved in airing and publicising inflammatory remarks against the government.

Samak, speaking on his weekly TV programme yesterday, said Chalerm did not intend to shut down the broadcasts but wanted to stop offending remarks going on air.

He said cable operators would have to take their own risks if they continued to relay ASTV's broadcast in full.

He cited an analogy of newspaper editors being held accountable for defamations they published.

He urged people suffering from inconvenience caused by PAD-led protests to sue the organisers and demand compensation. The PM advised people to file complaints with the police for legal action. He said the government had no legal mandate to stop the protests or to run financial checks on the PAD.

PAD leaders said yesterday their rally would continue until they were assured the government was not trying to interfere with the legal system involving cases against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"We will fight against injustice until we win," said Pipob Dhongchai, one of the five PAD leaders.

In a related development, the Campaign Committee for Human Rights yesterday issued a statement denouncing the disruption of ASTV signals as abuse of authority, a violation of human rights and infringement on the public's right to information.

The non-governmental organisation called on the interior minister and provincial governors to "stop the political persecution and abuse of authority in the enforcing of laws for the benefit of their own and their associates".

Meanwhile, People Power Party spokesman Kudeb Saikrachang said the PAD was intent on a long struggle and had tried to shift its demands as a pretext to prop up street protests.

The PAD was fabricating a series of stories to fault the government even though there was no evidence to back up its allegations, he said.

In its latest claim, the PAD said the government was tampering with the judiciary in order to help ex-PM Thaksin elude the law, although it failed to substantiate this, Kudeb said.

The recent scandal about the Bt2-million attempted bribery at the Supreme Court had no link to the government but the PAD was trying to pin the blame in order to have a pretext to justify its protests, he said.