Government, Priorities, and, Ministers, Being, Loose, with, Truth

The Bangkok Post reports (cache):

The National Disaster Warning Centre is resuming the construction of disaster warning towers in risk areas nationwide, having put the project on hold after last year's coup. Work was suspended because the military-led government was worried it would swing opinion in favour of the deposed Thaksin administration.

COMMENT: Yeah, because avoiding a repeat of a disaster where thousands of people
died must always be secondary to the government's goal of making Thaksin look bad. Remember the recent silence about the new airport?

And well, you wonder what credence you can give to the following government claims:

The government said today it is not trying to discredit ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra by publicising issues around the Thai Rak Thai party dissolution cases and the freezing of the ousted premier's assets.

PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan said Wednesday the idea for a PR blitz came from what he called the "war-room committee," about which he provided no details.

This committee "wanted to create understandings among the public on these issues. It is not aimed at leading a court decision nor at defending the Council for National Security," he claimed.

"We will present the stories based on facts."

He added that a radio spot will be a few minutes long and will be broadcast at the begining of each hour. On TV commercials, the government may have to use taxpayer funds to purchase air time for the propaganda shows, which could run up to an hour each, in several installments.

Without explanation, the public could get some wrong ideas about the issues, he said

COMMENT: At least the Post admits it is propaganda. Another, Minister well being loose the truth. The junta lapdogs at The Nation will no doubt be silent again.

Finally, by reports from people who I know were at the FCCT meeting last night, you got the same story from the MICT Minister last night who told a disbelieving audience some audacious porkies. From that he had only banned a very hundred websites and 14,000 were banned by Thaksin whereas it is in fact the opposite. This is not even getting into his dismissive attitude to women and regular sexist comments, his Hitler remarks (yes, even a Heil Hitler salute in front of the foreign media). He also told everyone he was incompetent and a terrible Minister. This was aside from dismissing Kitty's question and rude comments to her - I am sure she will post on what he said. Our lovely technocrats! Please post in the comments any other reports.