The Nation ceases publication after 48 years

[MRToMRT]

Its the way of the world. Pity though as I do enjoy reading it with my morning coffee down at the local coffee shop. I can't bring myself to sit there looking at it on my phone.

[pornprong]

58 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

The demise of The Nation can be attributed to some very poor management under two individuals with the same name (careful - computer law). But the rot set in back in 97 when the Asian financial crisis hammered many companies. That was followed by the Thaksin era when the megalomaniac made The Nation pay dearly for its opposition to him by withdrawing advertising by his companies and government departments. IMO The Nation had many fine and fearless writers (Suthichai Yoon, Thepchai Yong, Sophon Onkgara, to name just a few), but you can carry the torch for only so long. The relentless pressure from the military and the military backed establishment has also scared off many would-be journalists, leaving mostly hacks happy to engage in press release journalism. The Nation still does publish the occasional piece critical of those who deserve criticism, but it's no longer The Thunderer that we so badly need. 

Thaksin's fault, really?

Nothing to do with....

 

"Though The Nation has a right-of-center opinion page, which welcomed the 2014 coup and military rule...."

and

"over the past decade, it morphed from a progressive newspapers into a coup-apologist cheerleader for military intervention...."

and

"The acquisition by T News portends a further move to the right by the Nation group. T News is ultra-royalist and pro-junta both editorially and in its daily coverage."

 

No no no.... it's Thaksin's fault (and Ja New beat himself up with baseball bats).

Edited June 29, 2019 by pornprong

[Suradit69]

4 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

Mostly, nearly everyone in Thailand, foreigners and Thais alike, is routinely uninformed. 

The major "news" providers in western countries are increasingly politically biased and present only information that suits their agenda and in many cases they shape the "truth" in ways that misinform their readers, viewers or audience through omission and commission.

 

To say that people in western countries are better informed than Thais is naively laughable. The use of gossip and propaganda on Twitter or Facebook or whatever as a substitute for factual news (if such a thing ever existed) simply creates a population of sheep queuing up to be shorn and is probably no better informed than a population that gets its news by chatting up the neighbors.

 

Think for a moment about how well informed the Brits were going into the Brexit vote and who now want a do-over or about the lunacy of most American elections where the electorate haven't a clue about whichever billionaire they're allowed to vote for.

Edited June 29, 2019 by Suradit69

[Pilotman]

Really sorry to see it go.  It was a much better outlet for real news than the Bangkok Post.  Shame.  

[Denim]

22 hours ago, rooster59 said:

known for its independent and aggressive news reporting,

 

By whom ???

 

 ' Muppets on a string '  more like.

[Lucius verus]

Newspapers will be gone soon after the baby boomers have died off.

Young people don't read papers.

I read the Post for years until it removed my favourite columns and became a family orientated paper.......whatever that means.

Most news is fed to us by the corporations that own the media.

I watch RT and any other independent outlet not aligned to the USA.

[Dexlowe]

3 hours ago, pornprong said:

Thaksin's fault, really?

Nothing to do with....

Get your chronology in order, sunshine. You're referring to recent years. I'm referring to the time he was in power, and his actions during that time against The Nation are well documented. I was there and know it well. Do your research, especially involving Thepchai Yong. 

[pornprong]

48 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

Get your chronology in order, sunshine. You're referring to recent years. I'm referring to the time he was in power, and his actions during that time against The Nation are well documented. I was there and know it well. Do your research, especially involving Thepchai Yong. 

The time Thaksin was in power?

 

You mean 13 years ago?

 

In those 13 years, forces opposed to Thaksin have been in power during 2006, 2007, 2008, (Dec 2008-Dec 2009 elected government constrained by street mobs), 2009, 2010, 2011, (2013 elected government contained by street mobs), 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and of course 2019.

 

Doesn't it make more sense that instead of following Thepchai Yong's example and producing a newspaper that printed impartial, factual content, The Nation's decision to join forces with those that Thepchai stood against in 1992 and start churning out anti-democratic, pro-coup nonsense played the lead role in the paper's demise?

 

Seems like a rather long bow to be drawing, that the anti-democracy, right wing, coup loving Nation newspaper has gone bust because of Thaksin's actions from 13 years ago.

 

BTW, you need to get with the times, everything is Thanathorn's fault now, not Thaksin's.

 

PS, I just love the way junta huggers believe their location somehow turns their opinions into facts.....it doesn't.

[bannork]

Thaksin did everything he could to suppress any critical press. He bought the only openly free political TV station, ITV, and turned it into lightweight entertainment. Any private media that criticized him were deprived of advertising revenue from government departments. I remember The Nation's feature on Thaksin's Ministers- every man very rich. There were no ordinary people in those Cabinets.

It is only with Future Forward Party that we have seen ordinary people able to become MPs.

At that time The Nation were brave in their opposition to the money politics of Thaksin. So was Sonthi Limthongkun. I'm surprised he survived those years.

 

[pornprong]

43 minutes ago, bannork said:

Thaksin did everything he could to suppress any critical press. He bought the only openly free political TV station, ITV, and turned it into lightweight entertainment. Any private media that criticized him were deprived of advertising revenue from government departments. I remember The Nation's feature on Thaksin's Ministers- every man very rich. There were no ordinary people in those Cabinets.

It is only with Future Forward Party that we have seen ordinary people able to become MPs.

At that time The Nation were brave in their opposition to the money politics of Thaksin. So was Sonthi Limthongkun. I'm surprised he survived those years.

 

"At the time The Nation were brave".......so what happened to that bravery when faced with an even greater foe, a foe not only to the freedom of the press, but also to the freedom of the citizenry?

Edited June 29, 2019 by pornprong

[user68677878]

Due no doubt to the decrease of English speaking tourists and residents.

[user68677878]

27 minutes ago, bannork said:

Thaksin did everything he could to suppress any critical press. He bought the only openly free political TV station, ITV, and turned it into lightweight entertainment. Any private media that criticized him were deprived of advertising revenue from government departments. I remember The Nation's feature on Thaksin's Ministers- every man very rich. There were no ordinary people in those Cabinets.

It is only with Future Forward Party that we have seen ordinary people able to become MPs.

At that time The Nation were brave in their opposition to the money politics of Thaksin. So was Sonthi Limthongkun. I'm surprised he survived those years.

 

Money versus the gun?????

[bannork]

22 minutes ago, pornprong said:

"At the time The Nation were brave".......so what happened to that bravery when faced with an even greater foe, a foe not only to the freedom of the press, but also to the freedom of the citizenry?

Read the history of The Nation. They understood the money politics of Thaksin which destroyed the checks and balances set up in the 1997 constitution, so they turned to supporting the coup which led to Surayut becoming PM.

The freedom of the citizenry had been destroyed already by Thaksin. He bought up all the NAP MPs (New Aspiration Party, nearly 80 MPs). His  choices were appointed to the independent organizations- just like now!

It is only now we are seeing the emergence of an actual democratic party in the FFP where those from the grassroots have the opportunity to become an MP, and hopefully play a part in the direction of the party.

How many executive and party members of Thai Raksa Chart played a role in selecting Princess Ubolratana to be their PM candidate?

I wager none, Jaturon Chaisaeng didn't know the news until it broke, and now those executives are banned from politics for 5 years.

 

 

[wotsdermatter]

On 6/28/2019 at 2:33 AM, Puchaiyank said:

Where am I going to find paper to place on the floor for my dog to do his business?

Never mind your dog, what about newspapers for fish and chips?

'nuf sed

[Lacessit]

On 6/28/2019 at 1:33 PM, Puchaiyank said:

OMG...Where am I going to find paper to place on the floor for my dog to do his business?   ????

The back door of any Immigration office?

[overherebc]

Sort of skimmed through a lot of the post and so many blame the demise of newspapers on political views they have blah blah blah etc.

It's just that now the 'news' goes out on 'the net' and not on paper. It's not different news, it's just delivered by a different system.

The 'Town Crier' was replaced by the single sheet news page and that was replaced by, eventually, newspapers that are being replaced by pages on a phone, tablet or desktop. It's the same mindset sticking out the same news with their own political bias.

People who have strong political views would buy the newspaper that reports on and endorses their own views. Now 'the net' works in the same way.

Newspapers are going because advertising is going on 'the net' and the newspapers are running out of money.

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by overherebc

[overherebc]

Sort of skimmed through a lot of the post and so many blame the demise of newspapers on political views they have blah blah blah etc.

It's just that now the 'news' goes out out on 'the net' and not on paper. It's not different news, it's just delivered by a different system.

The 'Town Crier' was replaced by the single sheet news page and that was replaced by, eventually, newspapers that are being replaced by pages on a phone, tablet or desktop. It's the same mindset sticking out the same news with their own political bias.

[overherebc]

Sort of skimmed through a lot of the post and so many blame the demise of newspapers on political views they have blah blah blah etc.

It's just that now the 'news' goes out out on 'the net' and not on paper. It's not different news, it's just delivered by a different system.

The 'Town Crier' was replaced by the single sheet news page and that was replaced by, eventually, newspapers that are being replaced by pages on a phone, tablet or desktop. It's the same mindset sticking out the same news with their own political bias.

[elliss]

On 6/28/2019 at 4:10 PM, bdenner said:

No problem! BigC, Tesco, Makro etc. are still supplying me with enough paper to start my rubbish fire! The norm here in the 20th century Isaan.

 

Add udon map magazine , your fire will burn better .555

 

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by elliss

[elliss]

1 hour ago, wotsdermatter said:

Never mind your dog, what about newspapers for fish and chips?

'nuf sed

 

         Fish n chips ,  fond memories, thx.

          Not have , since brexit vote .  

          A chip butty , once a week on my pension day .

           

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by elliss

[Jan Dietz]

On 6/28/2019 at 2:39 PM, DPKANKAN said:

What!!! Not read one for years!!! I do the Bangkok Post crossword in the one at our local bar!!! 5555 ????????????????

So you are the one ruining the experience.

BTW you got most of them wrong ????