Another traitor

A man taking part in a charity run yelled at Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, who is under fire from the opposition and others for endorsing Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear Temple as a Unesco World Heritage site.

The runner shouted "Noppadon, you're a traitor!" three times as he ran past the minister.

An embarrassed Noppadon was standing next to US Ambassador Eric John at the starting tape of an event to commemorate decades of Thai-US relations.

Noppadon had the nerve to tell John: "This can happen in a democracy."

In March 2006, while Thaksin was on Silom Road, hostile shopkeepers shouted "Thaksin, get out!" and hounded him out of a popular shopping area.

The haranguing began when Thaksin was having lunch with then Thai Rak Thai MP candidates Jakrapob Penkair and Orathai Thanajaro in the food court at Trinity Complex.

A female shopkeeper, who was later branded by the People's Alliance for Democracy as the "Heroine of Silom", emerged from nowhere and shouted "Thaksin, get out!"

Her shout drew others. One screamed: "Thaksin, seller of the national assets!"

The fury was impromptu and raw. Thaksin appeared stunned by it, but managed to finish his lunch. He cancelled his shopping trip and headed for Ban Phitsanulok instead.

There was more to come. Thaksin's wife Pojaman was called "thick face" (thick-skinned) while shopping at The Emporium with her daughter Paethongtarn a couple of months later.

Not long after, Thaksin was ousted from the premiership.

Will Noppadon follow in his former boss's footsteps? Can Samak protect Noppadon from being reshuffled, as the PM has stated he will not reshuffle his Cabinet according to any suggestions by newspapers.

"I won't allow myself to be dictated to by the press," Samak said. "Let's wait and see whether the newspapers will lose face after their prediction on my Cabinet reshuffle turns out to be wrong," Samak said during his Talk Samak Style programme.

Yes, let's see who will lose face.

jintana@nationgroup.com