COMMENTARY
SANITSUDA EKACHAI
It serves him right! That seemed to be the shared sentiment among the press when Jakrapob Penkair's bloated ego finally blew up in his face.
No wonder. In his capacity as Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, the maverick minister has been at odds with the media from day one, with his brash attempts to make the media the government's propaganda tool.
Examples abound. When iTV, which was run by the pro-Thaksin management, was turned into TPBS (a Thai version of the public broadcasting service) by the coup-installed government, he immediately challenged the move by having the state-owned Channel 11 hire the embattled iTV crew, giving them full blessings to become TPBS' rival.
Knowing the power of community radio, he tried to manoeuvre its unclear legal status by offering state patronage for any stations willing to air his government's views.
That's not all.
Right after he took office, he threatened to fire Channel 9's big boss Wasant Paileeklee for allegedly putting the media corporation in the red. Wasant used to work for the anti-Thaksin Manager Group.
Later, he did sack Pramote Rathawinit, director-general of the Public Relations Department. It was seen as a revenge for the bureaucrats who supported the coup-installed government, and a stern warning for others to extract political submission.
What got Mr Jakrapob in hot water was not his disrespect for press freedom, however. If the axe finally falls upon him it will be from his brashness, which must make his supreme political patron (read: Mr Thaksin) feel that he has outlived his use and become too heavy a political burden.
Historian and social commentator Nidhi Eoseewong hit the nail right on the head when he said that the current political conflicts boil down to conflicts between power cliques.
Since the conflicts have nothing to do with larger goals, he added, any deals struck by conflicting parties will not lead to structural changes towards social and political reform.
In this power play, we can say that Mr Jakrapob is only one of the pawns that could easily be discarded so that his boss can move forward to checkmate.
For Mr Jakrapob, the writing is on the wall.
Amid the coup rumours with Mr Jakrapob's alleged lese majeste remarks at the centre of the storm, the top brass in the People Power party are reluctant to defend the embattled minister.
Education Minister Somchai Wongsawat, Mr Thaksin's brother-in-law, gave a clear political signal when he reportedly said Mr Jakrapob must take personal responsibility for whatever he said.
Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh also reported that Mr Thaksin remarked along the same lines.
Under this political scenario, any mishap befalling the minister who wants to control the media, will not in any way translate into a more open atmosphere for the media.
On the contrary. The state authorities have announced they are after some 20 "dangerous" websites, although it is simply impossible to suppress dissent in this age of the internet.
This goes to show that the authorities have little understanding that amid rapid social change that entails political complexity and instability, the crucial factor for peace is political openness and tolerance. Not political censorship.
True, the likes of Mr Jakrapob must learn that the price is indeed high for offending public sensibilities. But peace or violence often does not come from perceived threats. More significantly, it comes from our reactions.
How can peace be possible when we believe that violence is justified for those who offend what is close to our hearts? How can democracy be possible when we cannot tolerate those who are different from us?
What is unfolding shows that - whether or not Mr Jakrapob is soon out of the picture - the power play which uses the royal institution to boost one's political game will continue. This is good for no one. Not for the media. Not for the revered institution. And not for the country.
Sanitsuda Ekachai is Assistant Editor (Outlook), Bangkok Post.
Email: sanitsudae@bangkokpost.co.th
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