Full Thaksin CNN Interview to be Aired in Thailand Saturday and Sunday

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The following appears in THE NATION:

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TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW AVAILABLE

 

CNN's Full Interview with Ousted Thaksin to Air this Weekend

 

CNN's full interview with deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in which he vowed to retire from politics will go on air this weekend, the television network said.

 

CNN had broadcast five-minute excerpt of the interview with Thaksin from Singapore on Monday night.

 

The full half-and-hour interview with CNN's Bangkok Dan Rivers will be aired on its special edition "Talk Asia" at 7.30am and 11pm Saturday and at 8.30am and 9pm Sunday Bangkok time.

 

Thaksin told Rivers in the interview aired on Monday that he decided to stay out of the political arena and lived like a normal citizen. "Enough is enough," he said. He also denied that he was behind the New Year's Eve bombing that killed three people and injured 40 others.

 

The following is the CNN's transcript of the interview aired on Monday. (DR - Dan Rivers/TS - Thaksin)

 

TS - It's baseless allegations. No one believes so. Because everyone knows who is, who am I. I come from election, I come from the people. I owe gratitude to our people. I do everything for the good of the country and the people. I don't do something that's stupid.

 

DR - So you had no involvement..

 

TS - Not involvement at all. Uh, and but I would like to express my deep sympathy, deepest sympathy for those who lose, lost their loved ones and also all those who are injured. And the individuals who are involved must be brought to justice.

 

DR - This is the first time you've spoken since the coup of September the 19th, first of all, you were in the United States, in New York at the UN, when this happened, how did you find out that this was going on?

 

TS - Well I find out just uh, about uh, 4, 5 hours uh, before, before it happened, but I trying to get into the television station but uh, its very difficult at that time I cannot get into it until I can get into channel 9 briefly, but uh, you know, which I, it's a rumors at that time but I don't believe that this can happen again in the 21st century.

 

DR - So it was surprise when it happened?

 

TS - It's very surprise because you know, but anyway 70 years in Thailand, 17 coups happened is very unfortunate but it's, uh, it's an event that happened here in Thailand.

 

DR - Will you go back to, go back into politics?

 

TS - No. No. (DR: Go back as a private

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After announcing that the Thaksin interview will be aired in Thailand, now the satellite TV company, UBC, has given in to pressure and will not broadcast the interview after all. I do not know whether the interview will be available in Thailand via other sources.

 

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST:

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UBC Bows to Military Pressure, Agrees to Censorship

 

Bangkok Post reporters

 

The Thaksin Shinawatra interview with CNN on its weekly Saturday Talk Asia show will not be seen in Thailand.

 

Thailand's main pay-TV provider said yesterday it would block an interview with deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that CNN plans to run this evening. UBC spokeswoman Kantima Kunjara told the AFP news agency that they will not air it because of a request by the Council for National Security (CNS).

 

"Since the CNS has asked for cooperation from the broadcasting media not to broadcast statements from former prime minister Thaksin, UBC will cooperate and will not broadcast his interview," she said.

 

The Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) plans to replay the interview at the clubhouse on Monday.

 

In a letter sent to members yesterday, the FCCT expressed "deep disappointment" with UBC's decision to block excerpts of the interview, made in Singapore on Jan 15.

 

The FCCT decided to send a letter of concern to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Jan 16 because it considered UBC's action "regardless of on whose direction it was taken," to be "unnecessary and improper interference".

 

In the letter to Gen Surayud, FCCT president Ian Williams noted that the prime minister "made much of the importance of an open and responsible press" during an address to the FCCT on Nov 7.

 

"We hope that you will take steps to uphold this position, and also do everything in your power to promote a balanced debate in all the media about Thailand and its present situation," he added.

 

The FCCT president said the "attempt at censorship casts the Thai authorities in a poor light, and is in many ways pointless" as the interview had been reproduced in a number of publications and on several websites, and was available on YouTube.

 

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said: "Censoring or blocking news or information carried by any media does not prevent the information's existence, and those who want to have access to it usually succeed."