Thaksin and the National Anthem - October 20, 2004 Every morning at 8am the National Anthem is played across the country as flags are raised. On TV montages of patriotic images are shown while the anthem plays. A recent controversy erupted as Thai-language editorialists noticed that the Prime Minister was now part of these images on government TV channel 9. The Prime Minister shot is part of a series of one-second images that includes photos of the Muslim South followed by shots of army maneuvers (above--photos on this page are in the order they appear, but do not include every single shot). The image of the PM shows him with his eyes lowered in a humble manner the entire time--it is as it was known that the inclusion of the PM would be controversial. Immediately after the PM images are a series of longer three-second shots that include HM The King and the Royal Family. However outrageous this might sound, it is probably not coincidental that this controversy is being brought up as the election nears--the images have been running since January without comment. NATIONAL ANTHEM: Ch 9 stands by its use of PM’s image - The Nation, October 19, 2004 State-run television station Channel 9 yesterday defended its decision to include a picture of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during its daily broadcast of the national anthem, saying it depicted national solidarity.... The picture of Thaksin exemplifies a harmonious and unified nation, which is why the station’s senior executive used it, he said. Thaksin is the first elected prime minister to be included in the montage of images that accompany the national anthem...