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| Sunday, 28 August 2005 |
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PM shows games to media BANGKOK, Aug 27 (AFP) - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Saturday defended a press conference stunt where he rated journalists on their questions by using signs and a buzzer, saying he was only trying to make fun. At an inaugural "meet the press" session Thursday, reporters asking questions the premier didn't like were shown a hand-held sign with a blue cross, and a buzzer sounded. Favourable questions received a red circle. "I bought those signs from a Japanese game show in order to reduce pressure during the first press conference and make fun, but the media, columnists and press associations are not in the mood for fun and considered that it was inappropriate," Thaksin said in his weekly radio program. "Those who were not at the actual briefing are using too much imagination," he said of the criticism. Thaksin also justified his verbal blasting of some questions, including one about a controversial executive decree covering Thailand's restive Muslim-majority south, which were dismissed as "unconstructive". "I also have my right to criticise that which is not constructive. I am merely inviting you to be more constructive and if you don't agree with that idea then it's okay," he said. "This question should not be raised as everybody knows that it is not true that foreigners have been involved," he said of the query as to whether international terrorists were linked with the problems in the south. Making fun, or "sanuk", is a national pastime in Thailand, but press commentators and journalist groups did not see the humour in the gesture from a prime minister who has a poor record on handling the media. The International Federation of Journalists on Friday condemned Thaksin's
actions, saying it was stunt "designed to ridicule and intimidate the media
into asking questions favourable to him". |
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