Govt eyeing BBC Thai over 'negative' Prayut report
THE government is considering requesting a sit-down with BBC Thai to discuss an online article it published that referred to a photograph of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and US President Barack Obama shaking hands at a UN meeting in New York last week
Deputy government spokesman Maj-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak said yesterday a decision on whether to seek a meeting with the UK-based media organisation should be made this week.
Werachon said the government had asked the BBC to reveal the identity of the reporter, referred to as an “outside contributor” in the article, but it refused to do so.
He did not say why the government had raised concerns over the report and did not provide any more details on the matter.
The article in question was posted on BBC Thai’s Facebook page on Friday.
Prayut’s roles at last week’s 70th UN General Assembly in New York were analysed in the article, while it also touch on what brought the PM and Obama together at the US-hosted Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping.
The photo of them shaking hands was taken at the summit and distributed to the media by the government.
Werachon, who accompanied Prayut to New York, had earlier dismissed the report and labelled its content negative.
Government spokesperson Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the report could not be true.
He said the place Prayut and Obama met was an official assembly arena with strict protocol on taking photographs.
He said it would have been impossible for anyone to secretly snap a photo like the BBC claimed.
National Council for Peace and Order spokesman
Colonel Winthai Suvari said the NCPO had not discussed the matter.
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