Demagogue

No, this is not from The Onion, although you'd be excused for thinking it might be. A report by the Associated Press:

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he will not answer reporters' questions until next year because the alignment of the planets is not in his favor.

"Right now Mercury ... is in a corner perfectly aligned with my star. Mercury is no good, so if it's not good, I am going to request not to speak. I'll just wait until next year to talk," Thaksin told reporters Sunday after returning to Bangkok from a trip to South Korea and China. He added that Mercury moves slowly and will not steer clear of his star until next year.

Considering President Bush's plummeting approval ratings, one would think that Thaksin's superstitions might have led him to avoid keeping company with the prez. But as the photo below confirms, the two dizzy heads of state enjoyed some quality time together during Bush's recent Asian tour.


Given Thaksin's style of governing, he and Bush appear to have much in common. Reports the AP:

Since taking office in 2001, Thaksin has shown hostility toward the media, and his critics accuse him of trying to restrict press freedoms by manipulating coverage, canceling TV and radio shows, and through media takeovers by his political and business allies.