Weekly News Magazines, January 8-15, 2016

From Matichon Weekly, January 8-14, 2016
Main cover reads: Above ‘P.’ is another ‘P.’
[The highlighted men on the cover are Deputy PM Prawit and PM Prayuth. Refers to the role of Deputy PM Prawit in the junta led by PM Prayuth. He is believed to play a significant role and have the power to supervise PM Prayuth’s government. Deputy PM Prawit is also PM Prayuth’s respected senior in the military group called the Eastern Tigers.]

Right side: Provoking ‘politics,’ Calendar model
[white] Happy New Year 2558 [2016]

[Pictured is the front of the Pheu Thai 2016 calendar with a photo of Thaksin and Yingluck. This refers to the Thaksin-Yingluck new year’s calendars distributed to their supporters. The junta banned the calendar on the grounds that it was party organizing which has been prohibited during the post-coup period. They denied it was a vendetta against Thaksin and his political party.
The distribution of the calendar was another amusing example of who really controls the Pheu Thai Party and much of Thai politics–particularly despite the party’s continual claims that Thaksin has retired from politics and does not direct the party’s activities.]

From Manager Weekly, January 9, 2016
Main cover reads: #teamtammy

[Monks on the cover, left-right: Phra Dhammachayo, Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn. Refers to the appointment of a new Supreme Patriarch. Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn is one of the candidates for the supreme patriarch. However, there are some groups against him due to the doubt of his close relations with the controversial abbot of Wat Phra Dammakaya, Phra Dhammachayo, whom he mentored when Phra Dhammachayo Phra Dhammachayo was ordained. Phra Dhammachayo was called by his opponents “Tammy” mimicking the pronunciation of his name.
This controversy involving Thai Buddhism is yet another area of the Thai world wrapped in with Thaksin. Thaksin had long attempted to supplant the traditional strain of Thai Buddhism with personal allies–particularly the Dhammakaya Movement which has extolled Thaksin as the ideal Buddhism layperson. The fear is that the sect would participate in a future Red Shirt uprising in Bangkok by ordaining 100,000 monks to march as human shields before for pro-Thaksin protesters. Thus, who controls the Buddhists hierarchy has become yet another political battleground.]

Bottom left: Online drama ‘Love story of a ‘motorpunk’
[The woman is the well-known actress Napapa ‘Pat’ Tantrakul and her ex-boyfriend ‘Jack.’ This refers to the slap fight between Pat and Jack’s ex-girlfriend. Due to this incident, their love story was revealed and some criticized since Pat since she is a well-known actress, but is dating a low-class motorcycle punk. This reveals some of the class controversy in Thai society.]

Bottom right: The end of Rajabhakti. ‘Big Dong’ still has a close tie with ‘Pom-Tu’

[This refers to the Rajabhakti Park scandal. Gen. Udomdej Sitabutr, the army commander during the construction of the project, was questioned about the involvement in this project. Although he received strong pressure to resign from his position to protect the junta’s image, he still maintain his position and displays his close relationship with both PM Prayuth, whose nickname is Tu, and Deputy PM Prawit, whose nickname is Pom.]

From Nation Weekend, January 8, 2016
Main cover reads: Magic calendar
[The woman on a cover is Yingluck who is Photoshopped to amke it look like she is distributing the Pheu Thai’s new year calendar.
On the calendar: Happy New Year 2559 [2016]

[Refers to a ban of the distribution of the Thaksin-Yingluck new year calendars by the Pheu Thai Party. The junta banned the said calendars saying they were not appropriate due to Thaksin and Yingluck having violated the law. However, others raised concersn about whether there were biased political motives behind the junta’s action.]

Top right: The way of [yellow] ‘Big brother’
[white] Growing up from two system. A compromiser.

[The man in the picture is Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan. This refers to the role of Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan who is a senior respected officer within the military group known as the Eastern Tigers. The members of the group oppose Thaksin, control the junta and include PM Prayuth. Deputy PM Prawit also has a good ties with Thaksin’s faction. He used to work under Yingluck’s administrative. Thus, he plays an important role to compromise between the many competing political ambitions in the counrty.]

From Lokwannee, January 9-15, 2016
Main cover reads: Peek-a-boo!!
Blurred letters: [white] Happy New Year 2558 [2016]

[Refers to a ban of distribution of Thaksin-Yingluck new year calendars by the Pheu Thai Party. The red crab at lower right refers to Yingluck whose nickname is “Poo.” This pro-Thaksin news source seems to relish that the specter of the Shinawatras can still unsettle Thaksin’s military opponents.]