Bangkok Post Vs The Nation

[Bangyai]

Given that Thailands media do not enjoy total freedom of speech I have been disappointed that some articles I have read in both papers have gone further than giving just news and have published articles that verge on propaganda ? Given the current political crisis and the need for facts rather than editorial opinion which newspaper do TV members think has done a better job of printing impartial news ?

[Jimjim]

They are giving a few more editorial opinion articles and their news articles surely give a certain slant, yes. Such is the way to do it in such times.

[Samuian]

The Bangkok Post's Quality has declined an awesome lot since the reign of Sir Taxin ... "The Nation" well usually has more interesting Editorials then Reports...

However just today on CNN was mentioned that Russia, Georgia and Libya spend MILLIONS on PR in the US alone, to give the world a different image.... how many other countries may just do this?

And how much does the Ex-PM "invests" on PR - what do Newspapers do live on?

[2long]

A shame really, because I'm very much anti-Toxin and anti-Samak, but the English media here are so biased! A more on-the-fence approach would really help.

[grantbkk]

I changed my subscription from the Bangkok Post to The Nation in 2003. The Oost back then was being totally manipulated by the government in power and was really not reporting any Thai news objectively or honestly. I think that changed with the September 19th, 2006 coup. The once proud The Nation has been reduced to a free sheet and some business news. The following is my farewell letter to The Nation I sent them last week:

Today, Sunday, I received my renewal notice for my yearly subscription to The Nation. Back in 2003 I cancelled my subscription to the other English language newspaper because I felt that all political news was one sided, biased towards Government House. For about four years I was satisfied with The Nation, the editors and reporters, while I even contributed from time to time with Letters to the Editor and small pieces in the Entertainment Section. For the past year The Nation has been in such decline content and editorial wise that one can only surprised that the publication still exists.

The change of format and decision to go with the free sheet is a complete disaster. As a subscriber, basically I am paying a premium to have someone deliver a complementary publication to my home rather than have my maid go out and get it for me. Now on Saturday and especially Sunday there is nothing of news value at least to me.

I regret The Nation is in such a state that future of the publication is doubt by so many. It is like losing an old friend so there is a degree of sadness to see the once vaulted The Nation in such a withered state. I hope the owners and staff of The Nation can pull out of the current nosedive and return as a valued source of news we all once enjoyed.

[lazeeboy]

i prefer the crossword in the post ,as for news forget it ,on line news much better

[animatic]

When I arrive the Bangkok Post was clearly emasculated financial and with lawsuits by Thaksin,

Since he departure and relative lessening of his sway, they have gotten more even handed.

READ: can actually talk about the opposition.

The Nation was the ONLY voice of the opposition during that time.

As thye only 'relatively free' voice logically they did more opposition articlews,]

since this side of the story was missing.

The Nation has since turned significantly more busniess oriented,

and the POST has widened it's scope. They both resembel each other more,

with 'less' obvious editorial slant pro or con the powers that be.

But it's pretty hard lately to be pro government...

I read both and then read between the lines.

I also bounce that analysis off of the english speaking Thais

and fluent Thai speaking farangs in my world.

Between those multiple sources I formulate my OWN OPINIONS.

Is ANY ONE SOURCE adequate for blind allegence,

Not hardly.

Same as anywhere.

Edited September 5, 2008 by animatic

[Payboy]

Bangkok Post Vs The Nation, News or propaganda ?

neither.....mostly advertisments interspersed with copy-paste articles from various agencies....

[Boater]

isn't the nation owned by the Leader of the PAD???

[Samuian]

i prefer the crossword in the post ,as for news forget it ,on line news much better

well till then The Post was pretty good, loved Trink...weekly comments in The nation as well... alll disapperead down the drain after a certain Mr.Tycoon came into the cross hairs... makes one think, doesn't it?

[steveromagnino]

isn't the nation owned by the Leader of the PAD???

not at all.

Manager is owned by one of the leaders of the PAD.

Matichon in Thai would be one of the most balanced; during the TRT years one of the few publications to turn down AIS marketing spend to report the truth (at that time Manager, Sonthi and Thaksin were still best mates)

Right now the BKK Post has a few obviously pro TRT and a few obviously pro PAD types, and a fair few in the middle.

[robbiecia]

Having been a faithful Bangkok Post reader for the past five or six years, i finally gave it up as of last week.

As an expat.........have you noticed that many stories concerning us, were not to be found in the Post.

Thai visa is much better for the real story.

The editor's note on the front page on sept 1 said something like.....we are sorry but newsprint is so expensive we had to raise the price.............funny how the thai newspapers didnt go up.

I would love to tell them that we should not have to pay for all the glossy and expensive advertising supplements they have everyday.

Rant over

[steveromagnino]

I would love to tell them that we should not have to pay for all the glossy and expensive advertising supplements they have everyday.

Rant over

Actually, the advertisers have to pay for them.

[ajarnmark]

Bangkok post is certainly better unless you want to hear everything against Thaksin, then your choice must be the Nation.

Nation is the worst newspaper I have ever seen in my life. They have only one agenda, to put all blame on Thaksin and Samak.

As another poster says that he is anti-Thaksin and anti-Samak so he believes the English media is very biased. Why? Just because they write something in favor of Thaksin or Samak, they are biased.

Look at Thai economy now and in 2006. There have been corruption in Thailand in every party's government, however, at least in the times of Thaksin and Samal, Thai economy recovered.

I have and expecting a lot of flame from anti-Thaksin and anti-Samak (or should we say anti-democracy) folkso n TV.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I rely on TV to keep me up to date on the news, you guys only post the facts right? If we go out to breakfast and have a choice I usually pick the post and take the nation for the wife and then we swap. On some days it is even the same days paper.

[rixalex]

Given that Thailands media do not enjoy total freedom of speech I have been disappointed that some articles I have read in both papers have gone further than giving just news and have published articles that verge on propaganda ? Given the current political crisis and the need for facts rather than editorial opinion which newspaper do TV members think has done a better job of printing impartial news ?

Funny how people only seem to object to the media taking a line when it happens to differ from their own opinion of things.

[Pierrot]

In the PostBag today :

To avoid any misunderstanding, the "foreign journalists" the poster is talking about, are those working for the foreign press, not those working for the local newspapers, the BP or the Nation.

"…foreign journalists posted here are probably not very well seasoned.

To all foreign journalists: please respect your profession and start engaging in informative and insightful journalism, because we are all tired of reading the same over-simplistic sensationalistic garbage in the foreign press. "

Next one :

"May I suggest that if an interested foreign reader wants to clear the clouds of confusion, he should not just rely on his local news source but turn to the two Bangkok-based English newspapers which are published on the internet."

Publishers of the B P have absolutely no shame

[PhilHarries]

Prefer the Post over the Nation and have done since first going to Thailand sixteen years ago.

Whether there is or is not any political bias depends on your political sway. Very few of us are truly neutral, no matter how much we may proclaim otherwise, and thus in a position to pass judgement.

I read the sports, the world news, any Thai news that grabs my attention and then it's off to the cartoons (Garfield is #1) and the puzzles. I might skim through the business section but basically the remainder goes in the bin. Later when I've finished with the puzzles I might return to the Thai news and read a few more articles. I don't immerse myself in Thai politics as it is of little relevance to me and I can't influence it anyway.

[Bangyai]

Given that Thailands media do not enjoy total freedom of speech I have been disappointed that some articles I have read in both papers have gone further than giving just news and have published articles that verge on propaganda ? Given the current political crisis and the need for facts rather than editorial opinion which newspaper do TV members think has done a better job of printing impartial news ?

Funny how people only seem to object to the media taking a line when it happens to differ from their own opinion of things.

That was my point. Should they be ' taking a line ' at all ? Some people watch ASTV and assume its all the truth , unedited and undoctered. Similarly, some people will watch NBT and think that is unbiased. As another poster said you have to trawl around a lot to form your own opinion . The question was, which paper do people consider most impartial ?

[phaethon]

I stopped reading the Nation when I noticed their online version carried home page advertisements for a certain island sex forum. I recently noticed this has disappeared so I may reconsider next trip.

[rixalex]

Given that Thailands media do not enjoy total freedom of speech I have been disappointed that some articles I have read in both papers have gone further than giving just news and have published articles that verge on propaganda ? Given the current political crisis and the need for facts rather than editorial opinion which newspaper do TV members think has done a better job of printing impartial news ?

Funny how people only seem to object to the media taking a line when it happens to differ from their own opinion of things.

That was my point. Should they be ' taking a line ' at all ?

Yes they should, as long as it's mine.

[wintermute]

Both are terrible sources for any kind of objective "news" since they are actively controlled by government censors or manipulated according to business interests.

I only read sources that are based from outside of Thailand. That's the only way to be sure nothing is being whitewashed. Asiasentinel.com is particularly good as a source for informative articles about Asia and Thailand in particular.

[Artisi]

Wouldn't waste my time / money on either. It is easier to read the news on the internet - an unlimited choice with many actually reporting real news - not rehashed goverment directed rubbish.

[Sparkles]

Having been a faithful Bangkok Post reader for the past five or six years, i finally gave it up as of last week.

As an expat.........have you noticed that many stories concerning us, were not to be found in the Post.

Thai visa is much better for the real story.

The editor's note on the front page on sept 1 said something like.....we are sorry but newsprint is so expensive we had to raise the price.............funny how the thai newspapers didnt go up.

I would love to tell them that we should not have to pay for all the glossy and expensive advertising supplements they have everyday.

Rant over

Only today I wrote to the President and Chief Operating Officer Mr David Armstrong firstly re the price increase of 50% in only 2 years and secondly re comtent.

I see many parts of this publcation that could be culled to not only save cost but because the great majority of us probably have no interest in eg the extended financial data in the Business section. I think anyone interested in that would have far better ,and more up todate, alternatives. I also dont see many 5-15 year olds rushing out to buy the Post for their Sunday comic section.

My main beef with the Post though is there are virtually no investigative reporting and heaven knows there are a million stories in this cess pit Bangkok.

I have read a daily newspaper for nearly 50 years and have finally succumbed to the alternative, the internet, its not the complete answer for me but its cheaper and far more interesting and informative.

[Zpete]

When I am in LoS.

Does it have news?..

I buy it for the puzzles, X-words mainly.

[marquess]

Used to love it back in 2000/01 when they had the Modesty Blaize cartoon strip and then on Fridays, it was great with Trink. Still better than the Nation, but most of the news is highly censored and never really really reported with the objectivity of truth in mind. Only the letters page is worth reading, if one can avoid Jack Gilead and the other serial writer who's name I forget. Some of the editorials are great. I subscribed for five years, but just buy it two or three times a week now.

[PhilHarries]

I also dont see many 5-15 year olds rushing out to buy the Post for their Sunday comic section.

Maybe not but I do.

[alaina]

The Nation has a great talent for creating new words... intoxinated, just brilliant!

[HorseDoctor]

From how both papers have totally ignored the allegations and proof against Thai DCA for culpability in the Thai Orient/ 1-2 Go crash in Phuket I can envision very little is reported on fully and with truth in mind.

Very much like western media. A load of propaganda .

[thaigene2]

I changed my subscription from the Bangkok Post to The Nation in 2003. The Oost back then was being totally manipulated by the government in power and was really not reporting any Thai news objectively or honestly. I think that changed with the September 19th, 2006 coup. The once proud The Nation has been reduced to a free sheet and some business news. The following is my farewell letter to The Nation I sent them last week:

Today, Sunday, I received my renewal notice for my yearly subscription to The Nation. Back in 2003 I cancelled my subscription to the other English language newspaper because I felt that all political news was one sided, biased towards Government House. For about four years I was satisfied with The Nation, the editors and reporters, while I even contributed from time to time with Letters to the Editor and small pieces in the Entertainment Section. For the past year The Nation has been in such decline content and editorial wise that one can only surprised that the publication still exists.

The change of format and decision to go with the free sheet is a complete disaster. As a subscriber, basically I am paying a premium to have someone deliver a complementary publication to my home rather than have my maid go out and get it for me. Now on Saturday and especially Sunday there is nothing of news value at least to me.

I regret The Nation is in such a state that future of the publication is doubt by so many. It is like losing an old friend so there is a degree of sadness to see the once vaulted The Nation in such a withered state. I hope the owners and staff of The Nation can pull out of the current nosedive and return as a valued source of news we all once enjoyed.

I agree the Nation used to be a good read - it seemed to take a more thoughful approach to its reporting, and it covered much more 'real' news (IMHO) than the Bangkok Post. However, all that went out the window when the first PAD rallies started a couple of years ago. The unbiased reporting became shamefully elitist and pro-patronage/feudalist. Fast-forward to today, and it has become so bad that they are now simply a propaganda rag for right-wing nationalists and wealthy old families.

The Bangkok Post has begun to improve itself a bit. Their new Sunday paper out today read pretty well. Like you, I've decided not to take out a subscription again to the Nation, and whatever hi-so-nephew decided the Nation should try to follow the doomed News Day business model should be required to prostrate him/her self at the feet of their parents and pay them back every penny they wasted at Harvard Biz School or wherever they sent him/her.