Samak Sundaravej's way with words is more than just a problem for the local press - try being his interpreter on overseas jaunts.

Government officials admit the PM's a difficult man to translate, not because of his colourful terms but because of the incomplete thoughts. "Sometimes there's just a phrase without a verb or a specific noun," moans one translator.

Samak seems puzzled too. He once complained that he'd only uttered a couple of sentences, but the translator went on and on. Most of that would have been guesswork, of course.

A little off the chin

Thai stars rarely admit to having had a date with the plastic surgeon, but in Hollywood anything goes.

"Speed Racer" star Susan Sarandon happily confessed to all on the eve of her 62nd birthday: She hates the idea of Botox, but is forever going under the knife - a snip or two around the jaw just to tighten things up.

Writer's cramp

Hands up, all journalists who don't write on a computer. Would you believe that at the daily Star Soccer, three columnists still write out their screeds in longhand? The names of the low-tech throwbacks are in the new book "Bor Boo, Who are You?"