Dear Pry Ministur

This editorial, cracked me up, reading it the latest edition of BK Magazine, a free paper around Bangkok.

Dear Luung Samak(1),

Hi!!! Do you remember me? Im Daeng, 8! How is yur life as pry ministur? I think u r halfing a lot of fun.

Is it alrite to call you "uncle"? Sum peepel call u "jamook chumpoo"(2) And some people call u "baak maa"(3). So it make me confus.



U went to Burma rite? Thats so kool! The peepel there need a lot of help now. I saw Burmese peepel on TV and they look so hungree. Did u make sum food for Ung Sun Soo Chee?(4)


My Dad says u half to go becaus luung Taksin wants the Burmese 2 by his satites? Maybe u can give them a discoun becaus we feel sorree 4 them.

My Dad likes to watch news abowt your government and talk 2 to the TV. Sumtime he makes his hand look like the letter L and then he says "looser!" realee lowd.

Yesterday he did that wen Jakrapob (5) was on TV.My Dad calls him "Jackass" 555. My Dad is so funee! Jus a joke na. Please dont tell Jakrapob.

Ware will you go next? Maybee if you give a discoun 2 Cambodia 4 satlite they will share there tempel with us (6). I love u.

Love,
Your frien

Daeng, 8

PS. Gud luk with yor fite agains the meedeea!

(1) Lung .. ลุง or Uncle.
Samak, AKA Samak Sundaravej.

(2) Jamook chumpoo .. จมูกชมพู, Lit. Pink nose.

(3) Baak Maa .. I guess this is a "misspelling" of "Baa Maak", บ้ามาก .. Lit.Very crazy, but maybe something to do with a dog :S

(4) Samak used to host a Sunday morning cookery program on the government run Channel 11 TV station.

(5) Jakrapob AKA Jakrapob Penkair. Spokeperson for Taksin Shinawara during his time in office.

(6) "Maybee if you give a discoun 2 Cambodia 4 satlite they will share there tempel with us" .. A reference to the on going dispute between Thailand and Cambodia regarding the land on the border of Sisaket and the Preah Vihear Temple .. Too complicated to explain but check here for an explanation.

There is nothing new in the debate / fight .. A popular Thai television actress, Suwanan Kongying made a comment in 2003 stating that the temple belonged to the Thailand and should be returned. The Cambodians didnt take too kindly to this statement, and a night of rioting ensued on the streets of Phnom Penh where the Thai embassy was wrecked, dozens of Thai businesses were torched and hundreds of its nationals were forced to flee the country.