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| DTV: Accused of Being PTV's Proxy and Thaksin's Mouthpiece |
| UPDATE : 15 January 2009 |
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The core leaders of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship claim DTV is a channel for democracy and was founded during the time the Thaksin regime was set back.
The channel looks no different than PTV, the income for which came from the same source to protect the benefits of the same person. Many are thinking DTV is a proxy of PTV to act as a mouthpiece for Thaksin Shinawatra.
Considering the programme's sources of its income, its objectives, and its employees, many believe DTV is a proxy of PTV which was founded by core leaders of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship such as Veera Musikapong, Jakkapob Penkae, Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut Saikue, and Korkeaw Pikuntong in mid-2007, in the name of "Pue Pong Nong Pi" Company. Its funding came from England, with the objective of protecting former PM Thaksin Shinawatra while attacking the Council for National Security, Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda, and the People's Alliance for Democracy.
It was not until the victory of the People Power Party that made Samak Sundaravej PM, Prime Minister's Office Minister Jakrapob Penkae, Government Spokesman Nattawut Saikeu, and MP Jatuporn Prompan shut PTV down in March, 2008. The reason they gave was that the country has returned to peace. Moreover, the station was running under a deficit.
However, not long afterwards, the People's Alliance for Democracy restarted its movement to protest against the proxy government under Samak Sundaravej and PTV was revived to be used as a tool against the PAD and ASTV.
Moreover, Jakkapob abused his PM's Office Minister position and paved the way for the "Pue Pong Nong Pi" Company to produce the "Truth Today" program on the National Broadcasting Service of Thailand or NBT. As the process was far from transparent, it was handed in to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and Jakkapob was inspected and dismissed.
When the Democrat Party became the leader and formed the new administration, the "Truth Today" show was removed from NBT. There were rumors that Thaksin Shinawatra gave more than 50 million baht to the core leaders of the red-shirt group to establish a new satellite television channel to act as his mouthpiece as PTV did, with former executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party such as Pongthep Thepkanchana, Adisorn Piangket, and Sansanee Nakpong offering guidance.
Now comes the establishment of DTV with Adisorn Piangket as Managing Director of the D-station Company Limited and co-host of the show, "Talks with Adisorn Piangket". Other shows on DTV include "Thailand in the Eyes of the World" by Jakkapob; "Democracy Station" by Supparat Nakboonnam, the former Deputy Prime Minister's Office Spokesperson; "Democracy Classroom" by Pheu Thai Party MP, Sunai Jullapongtorn and Lieutenant Sunisa Lertpakawat, author of "Thaksin Where Are You?"; and "Villager's Lawyer" by Thana Benjathikul, Thaksin Shinawatra's lawyer. Core leaders of the red shirts, Weera, Nattawut, and Jatuporn will continue to host the "Truth Today" show.
It seems clear that DTV is a proxy of PTV, as executives of D-Station and hosts of the shows on DTV are all people close to Thaksin Shinawatra. It looks clear where the tens of millions of baht used to operate the station is coming from.
However, the question remains whether the real objective of DTV is to educate about democracy and act as a mouthpiece for those in rural areas, as they claim, or to provoke the red shirts and act as a mouthpiece for the former PM who has fled to other countries to escape his arrest.
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