From Matichon Weekly, March 2-8, 2018
Main cover picture: People’s “Democrat”
Men in the picture from left to right: Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban
[Refers to the news of the establishment of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee which will have former Democrat member Suthep Thaugsuban as head of a new political party.
This may cause competition with Suthep’s old party, the Democrats, led by Abhisit Vejjajiva.
The PDRC party pledges to support PM Prayuth to be PM of the next government.
This cover combines the words “People’s” from the new People’s Democratic Reform Committee and “Democrat” from the Democrat Party together to show their linkage.]
Top right: New blood “Thanathorn-Piyabutr” start up and establishes a new political party
[Refers to the new political party established by businessman Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and anti-junta Assistant Professor Piyabutr Saengkanokkul with the aims to get the country away from junta control.]

From Siamrath Weekly Review, March 2-8, 2018
Main cover reads: “Inappropriate time”
People from left to right: Yingluck, Peathongtarn, Thaksin, Pintongtha and Panthongtae
[Refers to a photo of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister, former leader Yingluck, taken in Singapore.
The article suggests the apparently deliberate circulation of the photo may not be good for the Shinawatras as it puts pressure on the junta to make sure the Shinawatras face legal consequences over the various cases they have lost.
As in lead ups to other elections seasons, Thaksin has raised his profile to suggest to his supporters that he is still keen to join in the political race. The circulation of this and other photos and the meetings Thaksin has had with Pheu Thai Party members are all thought to be part of the message that Thaksin is still in charge.
More about this: Thaksin shifts puppets]

From Manager Weekly, March 3-9, 2018
Main cover reads: “Strange” like this [yellow] Pee See: can do.
Men in the picture from left to right: Premchai and Pol Gen Srivara
[Refers to Construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta who was caught allegedly hunting protected wildlife including a black panther and barking deer in a world heritage forest.
This case has received the public attention as the public does not trust the police to investigate this case as the rich and powerful never are subject to the same legal consequences as normal folk are.
This was underlined when a photo circulated of Deputy National Police Chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul greeting Premchai in an unusually polite manner when Premchai showed up at the police station.
“Pee” means elder brother or sister. “Si” mean color and a person with color refers to a person in uniform, mostly meaning police and soldiers. This suggests a cozy relationship which will protect a tycoon like Premchai from any legal consequences.]
Top left: The conclusion of the 30-million lottery scandal. “Teacher Preecha-Jah Babin” lied. But… when will “reform the police”?
Men in the picture from left to right: Charoon Wimoon and Preecha Kraikruan
[Refers to the end of the 30-million baht lottery scandal which finally revealed that teacher Preecha and Rattanaporn (alias Jeh Babin) were alleged to have filed false complaints and giving false information to the police with the intent to cause others to face criminal charges. Those people claimed that the first prize lottery was their not retired police officer Charoon Wimoon.
This torturous investigation renewed calls for reforming the police so the public can trust them.]
Right: Disclose the list of 3 dangerous boxers; next fights of ‘Srisaket’ [will have] a remuneration of 35 million
[Refers to professional boxer Srisaket Sor Rungvisai who recently beat Juan Francisco Estrada and defended his WBC super flying weight title. Due to his victory, his next fights are believed to be with very challenging boxing and his remuneration can go up to 35 million baht.]
Bottom left: Only ‘Mae Karaked’ is not enough. Channel 3 reorganises (again) to solve a loss problem.
Couple in the picture: Meun Soontrontewa and Mae Karaked
[Refers to the famous Channel 3 drama “Buppasaniwas” (meaning they were husband and wife in a previous existence). Meun Soontrontewa and Mae Karaked are names of the leading roles of the drama. This drama helps to increase the TV ratings for Channel 3. Still it is not enough to help lift the fortunes of Channel 3 amid intense competition in the TV sector.]
Right: Buppasaniwas is coming. “ThepThaug’s Party” forgets “reform” and supports “PM Tu” only
Men in the picture from left to right: Suthep Thaugsuban and PM Prayuth
[Refers to the news of the establishment of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee led by Suthep Thaugsuban which will field a party in the upcoming election. The PDRC party vowed to support PM Prayuth to be the PM for the next government. This headline mimics with the famous drama “Buppasaniwas” meaning people who were related to each other in a past life referring to the close relationship between Suthep and PM Prayuth (whose nickname is “Tu”).]

From Lokwannee, March 4-10, 2018
Main cover reads: We will do as our promise… not really
[Refers to the junta that promised the public to have an election soon. However, they have used every mechanism to delay elections. This cover illustrates that while the junta is saying that they will do as they promise, they also keep their fingers crossed which means that they do not really do what they say. Meanwhile, people of all political colors raise up the anti-junta three-finger salute.]

From Siamrath Weekly Review, February 23-March 2, 2018
Main cover reads: Signs of horror

[Refers to events happening around Government House recently. These raised concern that they may indicate bad luck for the junta. The incidents were broken lotus pots and the two crows spotted killing a pigeon. After these incidents, red Chinese lanterns decorated Government House. These were thought to be an attempt to reverse the bad luck.
More on Thais and the belief in portents and omens]

From Matichon Weekly, February 23-March 1, 2018
Main cover picture: Crisis on ‘having faith’
Men in the picture include Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, PM Prayuth Chan-ocha, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam
[Refers to the decline in of junta’s popularity and its obvious attempts to delay elections.]
Top right: From a lotus pond–Streblus asper pot [a type of ornamental tree grown in a pot]. From red lantern-incense-36 incenses. The fortune teller sees ‘intense politics’
[Refers to the supposedly weird incidents that occurred inside the grounds of Government House. Some people believed it may be a sign of the bad fortune of the junta amid a decline in their popularity.]

From Manager Weekly, February 24-March 2, 2018
Main cover reads: #auntyteam
[Refers to cases of two women using an axe to attack a pickup truck parked in front of their house. Those women received a support from the public as it became clear the area they lived in had several large markets that were operating illegally with full knowledge of city officials. Social media used #teamaunties to show support for these women. After the publicity, government agencies were forced to investigate the illegal markets that were causing traffic jams.
The axe over a map of the nation might suggest that the aunties’ success in taking matters into their own hands to expose corruption might be a model to be applied for many issues in Thailand.]
Top: “I’m so crazy. All the money I spent could pay a down payment for a Ferrari car. Ota who eagerly paid unlimited amounts for “BNK48”
[Refers to an interview with Mina Wongchanapibol, part of a fan club for the popular girl group “BNK48.” This band is a sub-band from Japanese famous girl group franchise “AKB48.”
The word “Ota” comes from “Otaku” meaning a person who is a huge fan of something.
Mina is a fan of both AKB 48 and BNK48. He paid a huge of money to attend the groups’ concerts and gatherings and to buy goods related to the groups.]
Bottom left: Explore the kingdom of Assumption, ABAC Saint Gabriel’s College” Interest and conflict (billion)???
[Refers to a recent protest from hundreds of teachers, parents, students and alumni of Saint Gabriel’s College calling its director, Brother Assistant Professor Vinai Viriyavidhayavongs, to resign due to an alleged lack of transparency in the way the school operates. This article talks about the allegedly large amounts of money and conflicts of interests among three linked schools.]
Right: Shark smells the blood. Somyos sideline wrong move causes damage to the football association.
[Refers to former police chief and now President of Thailand’s football association Pol Gen Somyos Pumpanmuang. He has been criticized after he admitted borrowing Bt300 million from a wanted brothel owner. He also admitted he only did police work “as a sideline.” The admission that a man who held one of the most consequential posts in the country only considered his work there as a “sideline” shocked many.
“Shark smells the blood” may imply that those who considered Somyos as one of the most corrupt police figures in Thailand are eager to pursue his connections to the underworld.]

From Lokwannee, February 24-March 3, 2018
Main cover reads: #auntyteam… the trendiest

[Refers to the case of two women using an axe to attack a pickup parked in front of their house. After the clip of this incident went viral on social media, the women received support from the public as it became clear that government officials were colluding to allow illegal markets to operate in the area which caused traffic jams.
Social media used #teamaunties to show support for those women.
As is common in pro-Red Shirt media, the cover seems to suggest that people should take assertive action against Thaksin foes such as the military junta.]

From Siamrath Weekly Review, February 10-15, 2018
Main cover reads: Eager to [red] fight [white] and struggle
[This mocks the current situation of the junta led by PM Prayuth (pictured). The junta is facing criticism on many fronts including breaking their promise to have elections this year. The background of the cover is the annual political satire parade during the football match between Chulalongkorn and Thammasat Universities. The political parade is a highlight of the game and always receives attention from the public as students create satirical political floats. This year, police were ordered to make sure that no posters or placards attacking the military junta were shown in the parade.]

From Matichon Weekly, February 10-15, 2018
Main cover picture: 10 Feb Valentine’s Day. Love me, love my Deputy PM, too.
[Refers to PM Prayuth’s statement calling on the public to love Deputy PM Prawit after Prawit has come under pressure from the public to resigning due to a scandal over the source of his wealth.]
Top: Super ‘hunter’ Premchai Karnasuta is facing the mystery of Thunyai Naresuan
[Refers to construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta who was arrested for allegedly hunting wildlife, including a black panther, in the World Heritage Thunyai Naresuan sanctuary. The public criticized his heartless actions.]

From Manager Weekly, February 10-16, 2018
Main cover reads: There are people, tree and wildlife
[Refers to construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta (pictured) who was arrested for allegedly hunting wildlife in the World Heritage Thunyai Naresuan sanctuary. This headline comes from a song from the popular rock band Carabao. The song urges people to balance their life with nature and the love the nature.]
Top left: [yellow] Mor Sang effect: traditional doctor… last hope for cancer patients [white] the challenge for Thai health agencies
[Refers to Mr Sangchai Haelerttrakul (pictured), known as Mor Sang, gives free herbal medicines to cancer patients and relatives of terminally-ill cancer patients. His medicine has been claimed to be able to cure cancer. However, the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine is now conducting Laboratory tests on Mor Sang’s herbal medicines to determine their efficacy in the treatment of cancer. The result is expected to be announced in March. “Mor” in Thai means “doctor.”]
Top right: Disclose the close relationship – ‘Big Aod-tycoon Kampol’ explains the ‘Borrow-friend model’ and the famous saying “I like to do a stock investment. Being a police officer was my sideline job.”
Men in the picture from left to right: former national Police Chief Somyot Poompunmuang and Kampol Wirathepsuporn
[Refers to former Police Chief Somyot Poompunmuang who admitted that he is a close friend with the fugitive owner of the Victoria’s Secret Massage brothel, Kampol Wirathepsuporn. He said that he borrowed money from Kampol several times due to his stock investments.
His remarks came amid reports that the ongoing investigation into the financial transactions of the massage parlor showed Kampol was close to a former senior police officer who was indebted to him for about 300 million baht.
However, Pol. Gen. Somyot, whose nickname is Aod, insisted that his borrowing did not violate the law and he had already reported it to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. He also said that he was a businessman who liked to invest in the stock market while being a police officer was his sideline job. His saying has caused public disappointment as it paints top police officers again as have shading and unclear deals with alleged law breakers and then causally dismissing the impropriety.
This headline mimics his case of Deputy PM Prawit’s luxury watches. Deputy PM Prawit insisted that the watches did not belong to him, but were borrowed from his friend in a similar way Pol Gen. Somyot’s borrowed money from the massage parlor tycoon.]
Bottom left: I must be with you. [green] Having “Nong Tu” must have “Pee Poom” [white] couple-package promotion which Thai people have no chance to choose.
[In Thai, the word “Pee” means elder brother/sister while “Nong” means younger brother/sister.
This headline refers to the close relationship between Deputy PM Prawit (whose nickname is Pom) and PM Prayuth (whose nickname is Tu).
In a normal government, Deputy PM Prawit would have to step down due to his many scandals. However, the present government seized power and holds power essentially by force of arms. Prawit is one of the most powerful persons in the military (perhaps the most powerful) and thus it is not possible to oust him from his post no matter what the scandal.
PM Prayuth has said that, if the people love him, they should please try to love Deputy PM Prawit as well because, without the full team, the junta cannot move forward with their task to return glory to the country.]
Bottom-right: It’s ok to be hurt if doing tattoo with her. [yellow] “Fonmini”[white]# sexy tattoo maker in 2018
[Refers to Naphatsanan ‘Fon’ Samatha, the popular owner of the tattoo shop ‘4X4 Tattoo.’ Her story has been shared via social media concerning her sexy looks and her work. “Fonmini” refers to her nickname “Fon” and “mini” is a small-size girl.]

From Lokwannee, February 10-15, 2018
Main cover reads: It’s time for… “declining”
Dog: This year is an unlucky year…
[Refers to the decline of the junta after facing several challenges.
The cover, illustrates that this year of dog is a bad year for the junta as they facing the decline of their popularity. This pushes back against several reports in the media saying that the year of the dog will be a luckier time for Thailand.
The dog looks a like the tiger likely to refer to the Eastern Tiger military clique that now holds all political power in the nation.
The dog-tiger wears a black panther cap to symbolize the case of construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta who was arrested for allegedly hunting wildlife, including a black panther in the World Heritage Thunyai Naresuan sanctuary.
Premchai’s company has close ties with the junta as it carries out large projects for the government.
Wearing the panther cap likely means that military rule is as dead as the black panter Premchai shot.]