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Im not sure what's going on with The Nation. Im absolutely sure it was my favourite read of the two Thai English language news-papers, in fact I always insisted it was. Last week on my very first morning in Bangkok I was horrified to discover in my little newspaper box of my hotel room a rather thin miserable Bangkok Post! A blunder of the first order. This from a hotel that never ever needs reminding. I could drop out the sky and they would know exactly how to prepare for my landing. Yes there was no fluffy duvet, just a single crisp starched sheet laid out on the bed neatly, ends untucked. Yes the flowers were purple and orange orchids. Lychees but no apples or Chinese pears in the fruit bowl. Four towels, six face cloths, eight bottled waters, a large silver jug of fresh iced mandarin juice, aircon on low, terrace doors slightly parted, net curtains drawn and gently blowing.......they even remembered green and never black umbrellas. But there it was, the Bangkok Post! The very first course of action was to find out if there had been a change in management. And yes sure enough it was true, a German manager had replaced the Dutch one. She was also a woman their very first. She appeared cool as a cucumber, tall, slim in her loose flared open light grey pant suit. Hair swept back up in a shiny blonde French roll, aquiline nose, eyes like Daniel Radcliffe, young and very charming. Engaging in a completely disarming manner. She beckoned to pour us each a glass of cold sparkling and we moved outside onto the terrace. I learnt of how much she loved being in Bangkok and managing the hotel, where she had been before, about staff changes and who was where. I completely forgot to mention I had been given the wrong newspaper but on leaving she winked and pointed to the Bangkok Post lying on the table saying "you wont need The Nation anymore but if you would like I will get them both sent up for you". Sure enough The Nation was even skinnier than the Post and the headliners were identical. On reading I discovered The Nation had indeed lost its soul and spirit which was rather sad I thought. Im like most men a creature of habit and found nothing nicer than a pot of steaming coffee and The Nation to read every morning, it's my way of easing myself into the day. Reaching for the ipad is not, so Im only comparing the physical thing, and how right she is. It looks like they've lost all their journalists too, what's left still haven't graduated from the Sukhumvit school of English. Articles look they've been badly copied....what a complete and utter difference to what it was! The Post wasn't much better I must say but it at least made me want to turn the page! The newly hired waiter that brought my coffee on the other hand was absolutely the right edition, tall, perfect smile, perfect arse in tight black trousers and waist coat. He couldn't keep a straight face either, so I got a gush of beautiful smile, though what was quite so amusing Im not so sure. Definitely a case of is that a rifle in your pocket or are you just happy to be serving me. The newspaper hardly seemed to matter.