The Democrat Party’s Prime Minister’s Office Minister and chief of double standards Sathit Wongnongtoey uses every opportunity to use the power of the state to repress his party’s opponents. Allegations against a community radio host in Chiang Mai are now allowing him to go after at least 20 broadcasters (Bangkok Post, 23 November 2009: “Evidence sought to arrest radio host for threatening premier”).
As PPT has already pointed out, pursuing one red shirt announcer who may have made a threat against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reeks of double standards when just days before the PAD called for the beheading of the government’s opponents and this brought no condemnation from Sathit and his fellow minsters.
Playing on the story from Chiang Mai, Sathit has ordered the “National Telecommunication Commission to examine the licences of community radio stations that incited listeners to kill the prime minister.” For Sathit, there are apparently several radio stations now involved. The NTC can close stations that are unlicensed.
The Post report states that about “20 community radio stations were inciting protest action against his government. They were located in areas of red shirt support, in Bangkok and elsewhere.” There’s a considerable difference between calling for protests and calling for assassination.
Meanwhile, even without the Internal Security Act yet implemented, authorities are attempting to limit red shirt and anti-government protests in Chiang Mai: “Protesters would be allowed to rally on a ground at the Tha Phae gate when the prime minister arrives…. Any protesters who demonstrate elsewhere in an unlawful manner would face legal action.”
