In fact, pubs are among the places that Paradorn's been spotted lately with former Miss Universe Natalie Glebova.

Maybe he's just helping Andrew Biggs teach her Thai, but another time they were at a photo studio opposite Central Lad Phrao. The rumour mill isn't coughing up anything about engagement photos, though.

So far the best the old mill can do is mull over the possibility that Beauty and the Ball developed a crush during the Thailand Open in September. Natalie was in the stands being a brand ambassador for Singha and, after a couple of beers (just kidding), gave Paradorn a hero's kiss on the cheek, right there at the side of the court. He was all sweaty too.

After that they were making the charitable rounds together.

Another notch on the old tennis racquet for Paradorn? It's already so chipped up after his romances with singer Tata Young and model Odette Henriette Jacomin that it's no wonder he was losing matches.

But if this latest gossip turns out to be true, who can blame the guy - she's The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, for Pete Sampras' sakes! (No offence, Tata.)

Natalie, of course, hasn't exactly been home watching the soaps with a pizza for a pal. She was earlier paired with actor Sornram Thepitak and even her employer, Piti Birombhakdi. Our sports correspondent, who really ought to be paying more attention to the scoreboard, says Paradorn and Natalie are a perfect match. "Who else in Thailand deserves someone like him?"

There's more to it than that: They're both Singha salespersons and have separately got more non-Thais doing the wai than all of Steven Seagal's movies put together.

A little more bonding can only do the country a world of good.

BAY: Biggest Achiever

of the Year

Charlotte Dhonavanik, who gets to count the big-denomination bills at the Bank of Ayudhya, is famously devoted to her employer. As marketing supervisor she's pushed "the BAY" to the forefront of consumer-banking services. She's also an executive at Bangkok Broadcasting Television Co Ltd, which runs Channel 7.

Still finding too much time on her hands, Charlotte accepted an invitation to co-edit a special issue of RS Publishing's Fame magazine.

The edition's theme suits her, though - it's "wealth".

"In my life I've tried several things, including financing and entertainment," Charlotte says. "This is the first time I've been invited to be an editor. It's another assignment where I can show my knowledge and exercise my connections to get articles."

See for yourself if she knows of what she speaks. Her issue of Fame hits the shelves tomorrow.

Sumet feels insufficient to

reshape everyone's economy

Kids everywhere will be doing without that second helping of ice cream now that the sufficiency-economy theory has shown up in the slogan for the upcoming Children's Day: "Me Khunnatham nam jai, Yu yang porpiang liang abaiyamuk" - which means "Moral-led mind, live modestly and stay away from vice".

You can see why sufficiency-economy expert Sumet Tantivejkul is a busy man these days.

The secretary-general of the Chaipattana Foundation, which enjoys His Majesty the King's patronage, is constantly getting invitations to make speeches about the fiscal theory to various organisations. "I'm fully booked until next March," he says.

But while sufficiency economy is a notion that can be applied to all aspects of life, Sumet isn't an expert on every aspect.

He was recently asked to speak on "Art and Sufficiency Economy". It's a nice idea, and Sumet's got nothing against art, but, "I'd really have no idea what to say," he frets.

So artists will just have to muddle through on their own, and if you're planning a panel discussion on "Green-tea Toothpaste and Sufficiency Economy", keep in mind that you can't necessarily count on Sumet. Check with him first, and give him some time to study up.

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 veen@nationgroup.com