The annual practice of reporters assigning playful nicknames at year’s end turned ominous in 2005. The synchronisation is ominous. The nicknames given to the government, prime minister and Cabinet members this year by Government House reporters as part of the journalists’ annual tradition all point to one conclusion: in their eyes, the Thaksin administration’s legitimacy is wearing thin.

GUEST COLUMNIST: How the Internet changes the media world

Hardly any other industry has developed as dynamically in recent years as has the media sector. The impact of the so-called digital revolution is particularly evident in the way we communicate. Sending and receiving digitised data has become faster and faster, and at the same time, costs have fallen dramatically. An end to the trend is not in sight. At the heart of all this is the Internet.

Your bus pass to a world of freedom

Buses provide a valuable service, one that involves much more than getting you from point A to point B. You can even say it is a form of freedom. With the availability of public buses, you no longer have to drive and put up with all of the hassles that come with driving, such as finding a parking space or observing traffic rules.