Chiang Mai Mail

[flying]

On line ???

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Thanks for coming to my defence guys! Always scary reading about yourself isn't it? Still, everyone has a fair point. Will try to indulge myself less, but one can't always be bleating about politics all the time either. Gets a bit tiring. Mapguy, you'd better skip September's Citylife, there is quite a self indulgent article I wrote. Nevermind, plenty of other features though.

[john b good]

Chiang Mai Mail and Chiang Mai Expat Club: two institutions I have no use for.

Agreed.....

Chiang Mai Mail, not even really very good for wrapping fish and chips and Chiang Mai Expat Club full of vested interests.

Both suck big time.

Aaaand neither will ever hold a candle to Chiang Mai City Life and Pim's team.

[mcgriffith]

OK, I am NOT posting this to fawn all over SJM. She is a fine lady and a very talented writer (and a good businesswomen as well) and does not need any kudos from anyone for what she does.

I will however say that I just finally plunked down the 500 B for a year's subscription. I really enjoy the editorial and literary content of this pub.

Many might be put off by the glossy-page large format slick appearance....think it's only about a High Tea at the Dhara Dhevi for Lord Whatshisname .

Not true. I have been delighted and amazed over the last 2 years to read hard hitting investigative reporting on: Burmese sex trade workers in Chiang Mai. Handgun violence in LOS. Burma/Myanmar. The recent piece on jails in Asia. And I also like most all of the columnists, humor, restaurant reviews, etc.

Altogether a fine publication.

I recommend it wholeheartedly.....Citylife, that is.

As for the other.....my dear Mother always said that if you have nothing nice to say about someone, better to leave it unsaid...

[Mapguy]

Chiang Mai Mail and Chiang Mai Expat Club: two institutions I have no use for.

Agreed.....

Chiang Mai Mail, not even really very good for wrapping fish and chips and Chiang Mai Expat Club full of vested interests.

Both suck big time.

Aaaand neither will ever hold a candle to Chiang Mai City Life and Pim's team.

We are talking about two forms of "journalism" here. Never mind the Expat Club, which serves a useful but limited function that has spawned a marketing newsletter

Perhaps the Chiang Mai Mail can't "hold a candle" to "Pim's team." They are different, a weekly and a monthly. Their main similarity is that they both pander to the expatriate community because that's where the advertising money lies for them. Both are in business to make money. Since neither has any particular competition in such a small town with such a small readership base, they are able to indulge themselves and putter along without any particular competition. But neither is going to win any journalism prizes; advertising prizes, maybe, but not prizes for journalism or writing.

I think the people who work on these publications are certainly lovely people, but, well, they've never really been challenged. This is a small town with small-town journalism. Too bad. My one wish is that there would indeed be a publication in English with timely news about Chiang Mai. There is none.

I hope that my remarks will engender other than pledges of continuing friendship for the editorial people of both publications.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Mapguy

[Ulysses G.]

I beg to differ; there is LOTS of competition here for paying advertisers, because so many people have started publications directed at expats and tourists. Anyone who can thrive with so much competition must be doing something right and Citylife Chiang Mai certainly appears to be thriving.

Pim has taken her magazine from a tiny, barren "newsletter" - it was originally called "Chiang Mai Newsletter" - to a fun, enjoyable, very professional magazine that people come in to my bookstores and ask for every month. It is the only free publication that locals actually ask for by name.

Anyone who calls himself "Mapguy" is pretty obviously looking for something more serious, but, in my opinion, Pim has always kept her eye on the ball, a publication about goings on in Chiang Mai that is attractive, and not too heavy while still informative, is what the masses are looking for.

Edited August 27, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[sylviex]

Mapguy seems to imply that our positive assessments of Pim's work are made on the basis of a friendship with her. I can assure you that I have never had any personal contact with Pim or members of her staff, whatsoever.

My comments were made purely on the basis of the quality of Pim's writing, in particular, and the interesting nature of the Citylife articles, in general.

Edited August 27, 2008 by sylviex

[Contractor]

Chiang Mai Mail and Chiang Mai Expat Club: two institutions I have no use for.

Agreed.....

Chiang Mai Mail, not even really very good for wrapping fish and chips and Chiang Mai Expat Club full of vested interests.

Both suck big time.

Aaaand neither will ever hold a candle to Chiang Mai City Life and Pim's team.

We are talking about two forms of "journalism" here. Never mind the Expat Club, which serves a useful but limited function that has spawned a marketing newsletter

Perhaps the Chiang Mai Mail can't "hold a candle" to "Pim's team." They are different, a weekly and a monthly. Their main similarity is that they both pander to the expatriate community because that's where the advertising money lies for them. Both are in business to make money. Since neither has any particular competition in such a small town with such a small readership base, they are able to indulge themselves and putter along without any particular competition. But neither is going to win any journalism prizes; advertising prizes, maybe, but not prizes for journalism or writing.

I think the people who work on these publications are certainly lovely people, but, well, they've never really been challenged. This is a small town with small-town journalism. Too bad. My one wish is that there would indeed be a publication in English with timely news about Chiang Mai. There is none.

I hope that my remarks will engender other than pledges of continuing friendship for the editorial people of both publications.

Well said Mapguy. An intelligent and calm response.