What did Italian defender Marco Materazzi really say to Zinedine Zidane moments before being head-butted in the chest by the French legend in Sunday's World Cup final?

The mystery has prompted the media to hire lip-readers to divine what exactly Materazzi said. Interestingly, these lip readers all came up with different versions.

Like the world doesn't have enough secrets already, both Zidane or Materazzi refused to reveal what the fighting words were. Even without the Zidane incident, Thais are scratching their heads over who is the mystery "charismatic" person referred to by Thaksin. Thaksin earlier said this person with barami had planned to overthrow him.

At first, some speculated that the person was in the highest levels of power but government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee has apparently downgraded the "charismatic" person to the People's Alliance for Democracy, which is not a person at all, but an organisation.

To solve the Zidane mystery, the Thailand Post might ask people to send in postcards to guess what the Italian player really said. This would continue football fever now that the World Cup is over.

And to kill two birds with one stone, Thailand Post might just as well ask readers who they think the 'charismatic person' that Thaksin referred to was.

The love letter to an unfeeling beau

When Thaksin was feeling down and lonely, whom did he turn to for comfort? Apparently, it was his pen pal from the US, President George W Bush. Thaksin expressed "high personal regard for" Bush and his leadership.

In his 565-word letter, Thaksin emotionally told Bush about "the threat to democracy in Thailand". Thaksin mentioned the mounting street demonstrations in Bangkok as a means to acquire political power outside the election system.

Thaksin accused his opponents of using "various extra-constitutional tactics". Thaksin also asked Bush to stand by his side in opposing the demonstrations. He raised the question of "whether the country's political governance will be decided through the ballot box or in the street".

In response, Bush took a week to write Thaksin back in a 161-word letter which doesn't say anything much. In short, Thailand will have to deal with the problem on its own.

If Bush had discarded all diplomatic protocol, he may have wanted to write another letter as follows:

"Dear Thaksin,

I really have no idea what's going on in your country, now that we are busy with the nuclear crisis in North Korea. I know that you personally admire me so much that you even likened yourself to a Texan cowboy. But when a real cowboy faces a problem, he will go out and confront the problem himself instead of asking for help from others."