The Nation group, publisher of two of the region's most independent and quality newspapers - "The Nation" and "Krungthep Turakij", and the owner of Nation Channel UBC8, suspended all political programming on UBC8, their popular Thai/English cable channel after a radio interview with the "pipe-smoker" was taken off the air for a period yesterday, and while under continued threat from powers-that-be in Thailand's political élite to cancel concessions. The Nation today sports a front page cartoon of Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the second richest man in Thailand, and owner of much of Thailand's communication hardware infrastructure through Shin Corp, riding a battered blue dragon dragged down by money bags and holding a flag emblazoned with the words "Shin Government". Their headline in font sizes appoaching those deserving of a declaration of war shouted "SHUT UP OR SHUT DOWN". Obviously, the Nation is not cowering. The Nation has had government ads pulled last year for their political news coverage. Our own Chinese correspondant, a Thai, states in the APMF Network discussion that Thaksin is a living example of the Peter Principle, a man promoted one position beyond his level of competence. A successful businessman, Thaksin has ridden on the back of Thailand's monopolistic business practices to accrue his fortune, but employees of a private company can always leave with 1 week's notice. Thai citizens, however are stuck with "Thailand Shin Inc." for 3 years. Will Thaksin's arrogance herald his downfall? Will Thais stand for the Malaysianization of the media that has worked so successfully down South? Nobody knows the outcome really, but subsequent to the FEER issue, the Economist issue and now The Nation issue in quick sucession, there is no doubt about it. The gloves are now well and truly off...

Watch for continuing coverage in Hari Ini (see previous items re Thaksin and the media as well), Nation multimedia, and the Bangkok Post.