By: The English-language newspaper of media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul -- a fierce critic of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- will close at the end of this month due to financial problems, its publisher said Thursday.
ThaiDay, which is inserted into the Thailand edition of the International Herald Tribune, will cease publication on Aug. 31, said Paisal Sricharatchanya, who is also its editor-in-chief. The newspaper is one of Thailand's four English-language dailies.
"I understand that the group has been suffering some financial difficulties and there is no end in sight," said Paisal, adding that he did not have detailed knowledge of the finances of the Manager Media Group, which owns the newspaper.
The group is owned by Sondhi, a media tycoon who has been at the forefront of a move to oust Thaksin. Sondhi was a key leader in street protests last year, accusing Thaksin of corruption, greed and abuse of power.
"There have been delayed payments in staff salaries and this has affected staff morale," Paisal said. "So it was decided to close the newspaper."
He said the closure was regarded as temporary and that ThaiDay hoped to return "bigger and better." He said some form of an online version was being seriously considered.
ThaiDay, which was started in 2005, follows the fate of a number of newspapers that have sought to compete with the two long-standing English-language dailies, The Nation and Bangkok Post. All have failed.
A fourth daily, Business Day, is a small-circulation publication focusing on economic and business news.
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