Special report: Snap general election in Thailand

    BANGKOK, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Thai caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Tuesday asked his lawyer to file a lawsuit for defamation against the publisher of an English-language newspaper "The Nation" for a misleading report but the suit demanded no compensation from the paper.

    Thaksin was upset with "The Nation" for reporting that the Privy Council removed him from chairmanship of the committee overseeing preparations to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the King's ascension to the throne, the lawyer Chalermkiart Saikaew was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying.

    Chalermkiart said the Privy Council did not remove the caretaker prime minister from the position as reported on the newspaper's front page on March 20.

    "We have evidence from the Privy Council which confirms that it did not hold a meeting to remove the prime minister from the position as reported by the paper. This misleading report has damaged the prime minister's reputation and he wishes to sue the newspaper but he demands no compensation," the lawyer explained.

    Asked if the prime minister would sue his critics, the lawyer provided no direct explanation. He said it depended on what his client wanted to do with them, but he did not elaborate. Enditem