Above: From Khom Chad Luek: Ekkayuth is very scared of the billboard that threatens him

A tale of two newspapers: The threatening billboard - September 27, 2004

On September 27, 2004, The Nation rushed a grave sounding story onto their website about a supposed threat to two government critics (one of them anti-TRT tycoon Ekkayuth) by a mystery billboard.

The Thai-language paper Khom Chad Luek (also owned by The Nation) had the same story, but reported that "after checking" they found that the billboard is to promote the new film Suriyakart (Solar Eclipse) that will open October 14. It seems that both articles are identical except that the one on The Nation site omits the line in the first and last paragraph about the billboard being for a film (or perhaps The Nation article was rushed online before the source of the billboard was checked).

Mystery behind billboard ‘threat’ - The Nation, September 28, 2004
...The two businessmen, who have recently been outspoken in their criticism of the administration, said the warning on the billboard had something to do with their antigovernment views.
They were referring to a giant advertising billboard along the expressway near Sukhumvit Soi 62. The billboard carries the message: “A famous fortuneteller said on the day of the solar eclipse on October 14 well-known businessmen with the initials ‘Or’ are doomed.”...


Thai-language newspaper headlines
The English-language newspapers have a circulation of about 100,000 total. Ever wonder what is in the Thai-language papers with individual circulations of 500,000 to 1,700,000?

Matichon - September 27, 2004

* Thaksin will eat rice with workers at the Suwanapoom airport. The military prepare a tent for him to stay in.

* The newspapers reveals a new name of youth on the internet--“young online.” Their target is looking for a girlfriend and having sex with a young girl.


Thairath - September 27, 2004

* Bloody news [Thairath's infamous bloody/sensational photo on the front page]: The cruel head of gangsters in the slums catches a young guy and burns him to death. His condition is very serious and then he dies in the hospital. The policemen are now looking for the gangster.

* The famous Kamnan [an elected official who looks after the general welfare of the people in a district] in Pathumthani drives carelessly and falls into a canal. His family suspects he was killed
.

* ABAC University appoints a team to help the student who fell out of the bus. The law center of ABAC has a team to help prepare a lawsuit and collect evidence to deal with those responsible.

* Bloody news [Thairath's infamous bloody/sensational photo on the front page]: The cruel guard uses a hammer beat a guy because he could not stand seeing the guy [who is his employer] sleep in the building during work hours. He hit his head until he died and hid his dead body in the toilet.