Why News from Thailand is so short
There are three types of newspapers: 1 Newspapers read by people who rule the country (eg NRC Handelsblad), 2 newspapers read by people who would like to rule the country (de Volkskrant) and 3 newspapers read by people who don't care who rules them as long as that person has tits (Excusez le mot, but that's how they say it).
The English language newspaper Bangkok Post belongs to the first category, where it should be noted that no government needs to worry about what the newspaper writes, because it is only read by a small elite. If there's anything governments need to worry about, it's what's on television, tabloids (eg Thai rat) and the social media can be seen or read.
I write the above to explain why the daily News from Thailand section, which I make based on Bangkok Post, has recently been much shorter than, for example, a year ago.
I skip a lot of parts that will interest few because they deal with internal struggles, political squabbles or – like the book The Language of News Media writes – being 'talk about talk' and nothing more. Jantje says something, Pietje responds and Klaasje comments on that. Nice pooh, everyone…
So dear readers and dear readers, not a word today about the hefty opening article in today's newspaper: an analysis of the possible impeachment (impeachment proceedings) of the former Speakers of the House of Representatives and Senate. The newspaper eagerly dives into the subject, because both gentlemen are Pheu Thai people, the party of Thaksin and Yingluck, and there is no sympathy for that now Bangkok Post.
To dedicate one word to it. That procedure will not come, the newspaper analyzes, because the members of the emergency parliament who are affiliated with the army do not feel like messing around, and the anti-Thaksin members are afraid of legal consequences because parliament is probably not authorized to impeach politicians at all. . That procedure is reserved for the Senate, but it only exists again after elections have been held.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission, which spearheaded the case in a 4.000-page report, is unlikely to leave it at that. She could still go to the Holders of Political Positions section of the Supreme Court. So does a second impeachment proceeding, where Bangkok Post does not write about, but the other English-language newspaper The Nation yes yesterday.
This concerns former Prime Minister Yingluck because of her role as chairman of the National Rice Policy Committee. The NACC accuses her of negligence because she would have done nothing against the corruption and the spiraling costs. That will be a lot of newspaper articles that I can skip and that you, dear readers, do not have to read. Good morning.
NB The above text is a column; News from Thailand can be found here.
Dear Dick, the less you have to translate from the Bangkok Post, the more time you have for your daily columns and looking at sexy legs under jean shorts. To speak with Cruyff: ……………
Well, sometimes it's nice to have a shorter newspaper. As long as BP doesn't last a year, that will be a bit boring and soon Dick will also be out of shape. If figuring that out is sometimes like top sport, isn't it?
What does the newspaper say about the reader? I am not a member of anything, but I read the newspaper regularly. Until 10 years ago I thought the UK was a good newspaper and NRC in second place. Now those roles have been reversed, I think the NRC is tightening up and the UK is doing a lot more tinkering instead of critical journalism or investigative journalism. That disappointment in the quality of many media, plus the fact that I sometimes don't read a paid (received free) newspaper for a week, still prevents me from taking out a subscription. But we have to stick to Thailand... I assume that journalism is also (de-?) evolving there, and newspapers or other media are losing authority, quality or popularity or making progress over time. The BP post -assuming Dick's summaries are correct- is also too often disappointing in terms of quality.
it is an idea to use the nation as a starting point for your news provision. I know that they are classified as right-wing compared to the Bangkok post, but if I can judge the two newspapers on their internet edition, then my preference, regardless of political preference, really goes to the nation.
greetings and success,
rob o.
@ rob o My comparison of Bangkok Post and The Nation falls in favor of the former. In terms of design: Clearer layout, a more readable font with good spacing, quality photos. In terms of content: A larger number of Thai news items, nicer cartoons (I don't understand anything about the cartoons in The Nation), interesting sections of Life and Business; good and informative supplements such as Muse, Guru, Brunch and Spectrum (with sometimes fine examples of investigative journalism), critical columnists (my favorites: Sanitsuda Ekachai and Veera Prateepchaikul). I take the alleged partisanship and political color into the bargain. In terms of (un)reliability there will be little difference, I suspect.
News is so short;
Dear Dick, you know that I have great respect that you spend a lot of time translating "your Bangkok-Post", because you have the most confidence in it [see NRC]. But aren't you the one who makes the Thai news so neutral as possible to us and then also read other newspapers, because now you actually get a very one-sided exposure than what is really happening in Thailand!
Gr; William Schevenin…
@ willem scheveningen What should be, is not always possible. Using more sources requires a significant expansion of the 1-man newsroom, including an editor who can read Thai.