Best English Newpaper

[DJ_Tom]

I wouldn't risk reading that much and becoming like Kan Win

[Serendipitist]

As stated by The Economist, February the 5th, 2005 @ page 23:

"The family of TRT's secretary general recently bought a big stake in the Nation, Thailand's most outspoken paper.

[ProfessorFart]

I must admit G Burns that I've never heard an Aussie bleating for Vegemite ever................

[SEAtramp]

As stated by The Economist, February the 5th, 2005 @ page 23:

"The family of TRT's secretary general recently bought a big stake in the Nation, Thailand's most outspoken paper.

The family in question is Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Thaskin appointed him Minister of transport. No prizes for guessing why. No prizes for guessing who paid (owns) the 10% shares.

[DJ_Tom]

Why is that a person struggling to speak proper English would want to co-own an English newspaper ?

[bannork]

Almost 2 years ago The Nation decided on a revamp to go along with their new printing press; employing far less journalists than the Bangkok Post, they came to the conclusion they couldn't compete for westerners, tourist or expat,with their rival so their target group changed to Thai yuppies with lifestyle themes taking up half the paper. Enormous photos of sad souls like Michael Jackson now cover half the page with sensationalist headlines akin to 'The Sun' commonplace. I don'tbelieve there are enough Thai yuppies or expat farang readers to sustain this approach but ironically their business section is far superior to The Bangkok Post, both in content and display, and their regular columnists' contributions in the main section are always thought provoking.

May both survive, so necessary in the present era.

[Plus+]

It's not like Suriya doesn't have money to buy any newspaper he wants. His family owns lots of autoparts businesses and he is the major donor to TRT himself. It's Taksin who often asks him for money, I believe, not the other way around.

He bought these shares last year, The Nation hasn't changed much since then.

BP, imo, is a lot more professional outfit than The Nation, but the later is more straightforward and "honest", and that's what I need from the newspaper.

[SEAtramp]

Taksin who often asks him for money, I believe, not the other way around.

Thaskin is a multi millionaire i hardly think he needs to ask for Money. Money has nothing to do with it. Owning shares (by proxy) in Bangkok newspapers does, especially when your in politics. small clip worth reading.

His house servants have more shares in his Shin group than most shareholders.

[Plus+]

Taksin needs money to run TRT. He'd be stupid to pay for it himself.

[SEAtramp]

Taksin needs money to run TRT. He'd be stupid to pay for it himself.

TRT. Is the goverment elect ! I would assume its the country that "now" pays for it.

Thai Rak Thai was founded and funded by Thaksin from its concept.

[sriracha john]

Comeon, vote for The Nation! Not for Thaksin's rag!

That would almost certainly be a vote for Thaskin. He owns more than 10% of The Nation. Making him The Nation's third highest shareholder.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

May I ask what's your source for that information? edited: no need... I read the source in your later post...

If it's true, their editorial staff sure don't seem to be influenced by his shares. They blast away at him, and rightfully so, on a daily basis.

Edited March 29, 2005 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

One more thing comes to my mind.

In Bangkok and obviously some other locations, you can obtain a copy of some of your favorite newspapers by computer print-out.

One of the pubs I know, have got the Zurich Tagesanzeiger, every day.

You can order other newspapers and pass by to pick it up.

I don't want to make advertising, but have a look in here:

http://newspaperdirect.com/

These guys have distributors all over Thailand and you can get, French, Dutch, English, German, Danish etc.

It works basically that they appoint 'printing stations' equipped with the proper computer-connection.

May be a help for the one or other. As said, no advertising from my side and I have no cnnection with these guys.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for the link, Axel. I appreciate it and I'll check it out when I'm in Bangkok. Feel free to tell your "bosses" that your free "advertising" here worked well.... they picked up a new customer.... what's your commission?

[sriracha john]

As stated by The Economist, February the 5th, 2005 @ page 23:

"The family of TRT's secretary general recently bought a big stake in the Nation, Thailand's most outspoken paper.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would question their adjective "big" stake, but as stated in above post, it certainly hasn't influenced their editorial comments one iota. They remain staunchly independent, unlike the Post which has really toned down their

anti-Thaksin comments after their leading editor was fired.

[sriracha john]

Why is that a person struggling to speak proper English would want to co-own an English newspaper ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mr. T's English skills are just fine. His American PhD is testament to that....

***gosh, I'd really love to read "his" dissertation someday. I just wonder if HE'S read it.***

[lovethailandlongtime]

If everything is better in the UK.....stay there....

   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try take piss

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not at all....I just get a bit ticked off with the Poms that want their UK food, UK papers, UK beer etc.....What are they going to Thailand for, they may as well stay in the UK. I know that this may seem stereotypical but you do see it a lot in the Brits....the "Tuesday is Bangers and mash, where is my bangers and mash" type.

Some of them just wont break out of their cosy little habits even after living in another country for years.

But I have met some good ones that do have a bit of adventure about them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and i thought we (prisoners of mother england-the pomes) were supposed to be the stereo typical whingers and whiners???

gburns get a grip of yourself your misserable little man.

all you ever seem to do on here is bleet on about the english..

if our country is that bad then why have half your country emigrated to earls court/wilsden green.??????

Come on burnsy just admit it,you wanna be a pommie like us.

jealousy never comes as itself my old son.!!

[sriracha john]

Taksin who often asks him for money, I believe, not the other way around.

Thaskin is a multi millionaire i hardly think he needs to ask for Money. Money has nothing to do with it. Owning shares (by proxy) in Bangkok newspapers does, especially when your in politics. small clip worth reading.

His house servants have more shares in his Shin group than most shareholders.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting article. Thank you for the link. I do dispute one part of it, however:

Thailand’s two leading English-language dailies—The Nation and the Bangkok Post—have been pressured to tone down their anti-Thaksin tone. Revamps in the executive boards of both companies were believed to have been to engineered to soften their critical views of government.

All one has to do is pick up a copy of The Nation and read the biting editorials or lampooning political cartoons or lambasting front pages to see they have NOT toned down their anti-Thaksin stance. In many regards, it's The Nation that is the sole remaining source for independent news.

I totally agree with the article's concern over ITV, which due to it's nation-wide distribution and Thai content exert a much bigger influence than ANY

English-language newspaper.

In today's media, it's television where most people get their news.

[maerim]

I would have thought a better title for this post would be "Which is the least worst English language newspaper"

Where is the reporting of the killing of the two backpackers?

It is not exctly a non story is it? As most of the expected 12 million or so tourists expected here would like to go home after their holiday (men who have a mid life crisis heading for Pattaya disregard this last sentance) in one piece and alive.

In my opinion they are both rubbish.

Edited March 30, 2005 by maerim

[lampard10]

If everything is better in the UK.....stay there....

   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try take piss

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

....the "Tuesday is Bangers and mash, where is my bangers and mash" type.

.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm glad there are these types,or I wouldn't sell much bangers and mash on a tuesday. Anyway you've got to remember as Ozzies havn't got any food of their own they eat the local stuff wherever they go

Anyway back on theme,I don't like the nation cause it's printed so early in the day,the sports reports take two days to reach us. So what you read in the Nation today,you could have read in the post yesterday.

[Serendipitist]

I would have thought a better title for this post would be "Which is the least worst English language newspaper"

Where is the reporting of the killing of the two backpackers?

It is not exctly a non story is it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is the argument I would take, on judging any paper anywhere in the world. Alas, all too often, the effects of editorial policy (in any publication worldwide) should be judged somewhat paradoxically by what is left out of a given publication rather than by what is included.

[Highwayman]

I changed to The Nation last year when it was increasingly obvious that The Bangkok Post was unable to properly report many things due to behind the scenes pressure.

The Nation is by no means perfect but you do get a sense that they have writers who are less likely to have someone watching over their shoulder, telling them what they can or cannot write. Sometimes it does appear they are critical of government just for the sake of it but that's better than what you get in The Bangkok Post nowadays, where you can read some articles and think that they might as well be transcripts of government press releases.

I still get The Bangkok Post on Wednesday simply for Database which is a world class IT newspaper supplement. There is lots in there that you don't get off the internet.

I've also got to like The Nation because they even published my letter to the Editor the other day. :D

[aletta]

The Post has some first class and very interesting supplements.

[maerim]

The Post has some first class and very interesting supplements

Especially if you are interested in new factories that make bearings, rubber gaskets and the like it can't be beat for that.

[Highwayman]

If l was the editor of The Bangkok Post, then l might be a little worried about changing readership if this Thai Visa poll from just six months ago is any indication. Changing times perhaps.

Edited March 30, 2005 by Highwayman

[ThaiPauly]

BK Post wins hands down when it comes to response from advertising. I ran ads for staff firstly in the Nation. the response was so poor I took out the same space in the Post and got 10 times the response.

It would seem that Thais prefer the Post for reasons I can't explain.

I take the Post every day and am reasonably happy with it, as a former Publisher I think I am wise enough to be able to read between the lines and form my own judgement , but I was very sorry when they got rid of old Trink, his column used to make me laugh

[gburns57au]

If everything is better in the UK.....stay there....

   

Try take piss

Not at all....I just get a bit ticked off with the Poms that want their UK food, UK papers, UK beer etc.....What are they going to Thailand for, they may as well stay in the UK. I know that this may seem stereotypical but you do see it a lot in the Brits....the "Tuesday is Bangers and mash, where is my bangers and mash" type.

Some of them just wont break out of their cosy little habits even after living in another country for years.

But I have met some good ones that do have a bit of adventure about them.

and i thought we (prisoners of mother england-the pomes) were supposed to be the stereo typical whingers and whiners???

gburns get a grip of yourself your misserable little man.

all you ever seem to do on here is bleet on about the english..

if our country is that bad then why have half your country emigrated to earls court/wilsden green.??????

Come on burnsy just admit it,you wanna be a pommie like us.

jealousy never comes as itself my old son.!!

I would say there are a lot more Poms in Oz than there are Aussies in the UK...And I aint so little.....

Oh and by the way I was born in Pinwall in Warwickshire.....came here when I was 11 yo and never been back there.....I served in the Army here, I am an Aussie citizen, I have an Aussie passport, I love the AFL and watching the Aussies humiliate the Poms in the cricket. At the age of 13yo the RAF Assosciation offered to fly my family back to the UK after my father died....all except my eldest sister refused the offer (she went back eventually).

I cut the apron strings.....

and just to keep this on topic (sort of)...

I dont read Pommie newspapers here or in Thailand and I prefer the BKK Post when I am there along with the Pattaya Mail, both of which I read on line.

Oh yeah....I can also spell the Queens English.....shouldnt it be "bleat' and "miserable"

Edited March 30, 2005 by gburns57au

[qualtrough]

The Bangkok Post is not Thailand's first English language paper-far from it. There was a Bangkok Times for a long time up until the end of WWII. There were others too, but I don't recall their names.

I used to like the Post, but the Nation has taken a far stronger stand against the current nonsense. I also think the Post treated Trink in a shabby way towards the end, but that's another issue...

[bkkmadness]

Wasn't the Bangkok Recorder the first English language newspaper?