BANGKOK – A day after the military ruler of Thailand expressed his discontent with the "boring" background of his weekly TV show, hundreds of Thai netizens have responded by posting doctored images of the junta leader with new, hilarious backgrounds.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, Prime Minister and chairman of Thailand's military junta, complained to the press at the Government House on 25 November that the public is not paying attention to his weekly televised addresses.

"Are you all bored of it now? Do you want me to dance in front of the camera next time?" Gen. Prayuth asked. 

According to a report on Matichon, Gen. Prayuth also instructed technicians at the Government House to change the background of the weekly talk show, which is called "Returning Happiness to the People." 

The current background is an image of the Government House and the Thai national flag. 

Hours later, a Facebook page called "Change the Background For the Dear Leader" was created, and its administrator asked other Facebook users to submit their creative ideas. Dozens of submissions poured in almost immediately.

One image shows Gen. Prayuth in front of a poster for "The Hunger Games" film series; a mocking reference to the movie that gave inspiration to anti-coup "three finger salutes" in Thailand. On 19 November, five student activists were dragged away by security officers after they flashed the salute at Gen. Prayuth during his public address in Khon Kaen province.

Another image places Gen. Prayuth in front of a Hello Kitty background, and one Facebook user replaced the junta leader with a cat on the podium instead – a possible homage to the internet obsession with cats.

(Browse more of the photoshopped images here.)

Gen. Prayuth seized power from Thailand's elected government on 22 May and was chosen as Prime Minister in August by his rubber stamp parliament, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

Since the military takeover, Gen. Prayuth has addressed the nation through an hour-long TV broadcast every Friday night to discuss the administration of the country, the economy, and other social issues. 

However, Gen. Prayuth often veers off script to offer personal wisdom and bizarre comments on Thai politics. In one address, the general told the nation that he is a selfless man who works untiringly for the country, even picking up garbage from the streets whenever he sees any. In another, Gen. Prayuth fumed at anti-coup protesters and advised them to raise their three-finger salutes in their homes instead of public places.

It is unclear whether officials at the Government House will change the background for "Returning Happiness to the People" for tonight's airing as ordered by the junta chairman. 

One thing is certain, however: none of the submissions to the "Change the Background" Facebook page will make it to the TV show. When a reporter asked Gen. Prayuth today what he thought about the entries on the comedy page, the junta chairman responded curtly: "I've seen it. They are all disgusting." 

Gen. Prayuth is increasingly seen as an autocratic ruler who exercises his power over the nation with an iron-fist. Since staging the coup on 22 May, the general has banned any public protests against his regime, pressured the media to avoid publishing critical remarks about his government, and ordered brief detentions of over 300 people considered sympathetic to the previous government. 

In September, a spokesperson of the military junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), urged Thais to refrain from posting photoshopped images of Gen. Prayuth on the internet, as the images may "mislead" the public. 

"There have been people with ill intention altering photos of the NCPO leader and posting them on social media  in order to mislead the public," said spokesperson of the junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Col. Winthai Suvaree at a press conference on 16 September.

"It is very inappropriate. It should not be done," Col. Winthai said. "I am sure that the people are aware it is an effort to smear Gen. Prayuth."

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BURIRAM – Consumption of Thai traditional herbal spirits can be fatal in the cold weather, a public health official warns, as parts of rural Thailand are facing the annual cold snap.

Thada Wannathanapiyakul, a senior official of the Ministry of Public Health in Buriram province, said the common belief among Thai rural residents that drinking ya dong can harden human bodies against the cold weather is misguided. 

"It's a misunderstanding," Thada told Khaosod today, "The result is the opposite: the liquor can damage the liver and the stomach. It can cause infection in the intestine and the stomach, especially for the elderly people."

In the worst case, she said, drinking ya dong in a particularly cold day can even cause deaths. "There are many fatalities and illnesses related to spirits drinking in the winter each year," he said.

The official added that ya dong is even more hazardous than other types of alcohol because it features venomous creatures  such as vipers, centipedes, and scorpions. 

"Drinkers may catch virus or venom from these animals," Thada said. 

According to Thada, officials in the northeastern provinces are warning residents to refrain from using ya dong as medicine in the cold, and advising them to keep themselves warm and exercise frequently. 

'Winter' in Thailand officially starts in November each year. While the rest of the country retains much of its tropical climate, temperature in the northern and northeastern parts of Thailand drop dramatically during this period.

This morning, average temperature in some parts of Chiang Mai province is measured at 15 Celsius degree, while mountain peaks can be as cold as 6.5 – 11 degree on average, with subzero temperature at night and dawn. 

Due to the sharp drop in temperature, the Disaster Prevention and Relief Centre in Chiang Mai province this morning has declared five districts in the province "natural disaster zones." Officials say they will deliver blankets, warm equipment, and other supplies to the affected communities soon. 

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TRAT – The Buddhist authority in Trat province has formally defrocked a monk who was photographed hugging two female tourists on the popular island of Koh Chang last week.

Nitithorn Kawisawan, assistant to a kamnan (local administrator) on Koh Chang island, said the monk, Phra Supot, voluntarily agreed to leave the monkhood last night. He was then formally defrocked by senior monks at Wat Khlong Prao temple.

In a photo that went viral on the internet over the past week, Phra Supot was seen hugging to two foreign women, presumably tourists, who were visiting Wat Khlong Prao temple. The incident took place on 22 November, Nitithorn said. 

According to Buddhist practices, monks are not allowed to touch women. 

Phra Supot has already left his temple in Koh Chang and returned to his hometown in Udon Thani province, ending his six-year monkhood, Nittithorn said. 

"The incident has caused some damage to Wat Khlong Prao temple, but there's only a short-term effect. We don't talk about it anymore," Nittithorn told Khaosod. "Today, the temple hosted a funeral. Many people attended the ceremony, but we don't talk about it."

The former monk did not answer phone calls from our correspondent.

Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly stated that Phra Supot was expelled from his monkhood. However, a local official said the ex-monk agreed to be defrocked on his own. 

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BANGKOK – After traveling nearly 400 kilometres on wheelchair, a 52-year-old ALS patient arrived at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok to honour His Majesty the King today.

Sathit Chantarangsi began his journey from his hometown in Pitsanulok province on 15 November with the goal of paying respect in front of a portrait of King Bhumipol at Siriraj Hospital, where the 86-year-old monarch is being treated for several illnesses. 

Police officers and volunteer medics escorted Sathit on the roads as he made his way to the capital city on wheelchair. He reached Siriraj Hospital at around 9 am this morning. There, Sathit laid flower in front of the king's portrait and signed get-well messages on the guestbook provided by hospital staff. 

According to Sathit, he started to suffer from ALS seven years ago and petitioned His Majesty the King for medical assistance. Sathit said his petition was accepted by the Royal Household Bureau, which placed him under care of two public hospitals in Bangkok. The palace also provided him with a free wheelchair, he added.

"I made it my goal that I will devote the rest of my life into repaying His Majesty's kindness in any way I can," Sathit told reporters before he left his hometown in early November. 

He continued, "I have long intended to ride my wheelchair to wish His Majesty the King a speedy recovery from his illness, because I want to show that my disability isn't an obstacle, and because I have a strong will. I believe I would be successful."

A number of residents in the provinces that Sathit passed along also donated money to him for accommodation and food. 

King Bhumibol was checked in to the Bangkok hospital on 3 October with a high fever and rapid heartbeat. The king later underwent a surgery to remove his gallbladder, which was said to be infected. 

On 13 November, the palace said His Majesty was also suffering from an intestinal infection, but that his overall health was improving. 

The king's frail health is a cause of anxiety for many Thais because the monarch is widely credited for bringing stability to Thailand for more than 60 years on the throne.

Read more: PM Granted Audience With HM King, Ending Wild Rumours

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BANGKOK – The conservative military government of Thailand has approved a law that would bar university students of different sexes from sharing the same dorm rooms, unless they are older than 25.

The draft of the law calls for a segregation of sexes for occupiers of "student dorms" across the country and defines "dorms" as the residence for university students under 25 years of age, according to the minutes of yesterday's Cabinet meeting that were published by the Government House website and first reported by Prachatai news site. 

Although the bill does allow dorms that cater to both sexes in the same compound, the buildings still have to be separated, and women and men cannot live in the same building, the draft of the law proclaims. 

Following the Cabinet's approval, the bill has been sent for further deliberation by the junta's rubber stamp parliament, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA). The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is also required to "create understanding" with dorm owners before the law is effective, Prachatai reported. 

The age of consent in Thailand is 18. However, the conservative nature of Thai society meant many couples live apart, in their own parents' homes, until they are married, sometimes in late 20s. 

After staging the coup against the elected government on 22 May 2014, the military junta announced that it would implement social and political measures that correspond to the values of "Thai tradition." To achieve its stated goal, the junta has appointed a number of conservatives to its governing bodies, such as the NLA and the National Reform Council (NRC). 

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, chairman of the military junta and Prime Minister, was forced to publicly apologise in September after he suggested that foreign tourists in Thailand should refrain from wearing bikinis if they want to be safe from rape and murder.

"[Tourists] think our country is beautiful and is safe so they can do whatever they want. But I ask: will they survive in Thailand if they dress in bikinis? Unless they are not beautiful," Gen. Prayuth told an audience at Government House on 17 September.

His remark drew condemnation from many foreign media agencies because it came in the wake of the killing of two British tourists on the southern island of Koh Tao on 15 September; one of the victims was also sexually assaulted before she was killed, according to police. 

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