Muangthai Raisabdah

Muangthai Raisabdah (Thai: เมืองไทยรายสัปดาห์, lit. Thailand Weekly) is a Thai political talk show hosted by Sondhi Limthongkul and Sarocha Pornudomsak. The show is Sondhi's personal mouthpiece, and up to 2004 it praised Premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Later, when relations between the two soured, it became one of the Premier's most vocal critics. In September 2005, the show was cancelled by its broadcaster, MCOT, after Sondhi allegedly made on-air comments disrespectful to King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Sondhi started independently broadcasting his show via satellite and internet, turning tapings into rallies against the government. In February 2006, Sondhi co-founded the People's Alliance for Democracy and the show was incorporated into the PAD's anti-Thaksin rallies.

Muangthai Raisabdah was originally broadcast on MCOT Channel 9, a leading Thai broadcaster, and produced by M Group, Sondhi Limthongkul's media company. The news analysis talkshow's hosts were Sondhi Limthongkul and Sarocha Pornudomsak, and the original editorial stance was strongly pro-Thaksin Shinawatra and pro-Thai Rak Thai. In 2002, Democrat Party Alongkorn Pollabutr accused the government of granting favors to M Group shows. On a 23 September 2003 broadcast, Sondhi noted that Thaksin was "the best prime minister our country has ever had."

Muangthai Raisabdah political stance changed in early 2004, after the governor of the Bank of Thailand fired Viroj Nualkhair, CEO of state-owned Krung Thai Bank. Viroj Nualkhair was Sondhi Limthongkul's banker, and had forgiven Sondhi of billions of Baht in debt. Sondhi's public criticism of the Thaksin government increased throughout 2004.

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