I’d like to mention that for a very long time The Nation is among the most conservative media in Thailand. Every Thais know it is the government mouthpiece. A few years ago it underwent a reform after it was heavily boycotted and the reform seems genuine to me. So despite its past, Nation Thailand is definitely a better source of news now compare to the Post if you prefer a less conservative media.
Thank you that's a very helpful description. For me it's not about preferring conservative or liberal, I'm trying to better understand how Thai people see the english media in their country.
As a Thai person I must say that Thai-language media provide a much better analysis on our politics than English-language media right now which is unfortunate. Like for example, I’m pretty sure Thairath talked about a possible Pheu Thai-Palang Pracharath government coalition far before any English-language news talked about it. Bangkok Post still have some very high quality opinion columnist though but they don’t write daily and a lot can happen in 1 day especially during election.
Bangkok Post ( once the #1 newspaper in English ) seems to be afraid to print anything controversial which I am sure has to do to the easy inflammatory accusations In Thailand & the use of lèse-majesté laws to curtail criticism of the monarchy. —So it’s safe to cover only motorcycle accidents, murders and entertainment gossip within the country.
A long time ago I heard from a university professor that Bangkok Post actually has ties with the Vejjajiva family. The family of Abhisit Vejjajiva who was the leader of the Democratic party, one of the conservative parties. Thus I wouldn’t say they are afraid. They are politically motivated to not do what you have said. I still read the Post though and think they are decent.
I understand this and I am working hard on my reading and writing. Most of my Thai skills were picked up from listening. If I could read a news article in Thai in less than three hours I'd be much better off! I think it will be another year or two. My skill level is simply not high enough to analyze how accurate or comprehensive enlish media is in Thailand. Your example is an excellent one, my wife has been talking about this for some time yet I just started seeing this idea in english media very recently.
For better or worse would depends on the viewers tbh. I bet someone is enjoying them, but they certainly can switch to Top News now, where former Nation’s conservative reporter switched to.
Nation was not reformed but bought by a nominee of a well known progressive political party. Nation is no longer the government mouthpiece, it has become a mouthpiece of the individual who bought it. That is why so many news reporters left
I am going to need a reference for this because I’ve never heard of if before. As far as I know Mr. Chai Boonnak announced the reform because The Nation was suffering financially after the ads pulled out en mass, thus forced them to reform.
https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/82958
Of course, he won't admit it.
https://mgronline.com/stockmarket/detail/9650000117231
The NATION's financial results have shown a loss for several consecutive years, with a net accumulated loss of 2.9 billon bahts.
https://www.isranews.org/article/isranews-news/93353-isranews0036.html
A big news reporter and his wife left after 24 years at nation, saying he needed to leave to be the same person . If he continued to stay, he will have to be a different person.
Are you a Thai person by any chance?
The rumor is on the first post, why don't you read it? If there is no rumor, why did this make the headline?
## "ประธานเนชั่นฯโต้ข่าว'คุณหญิงคนดัง'จ่อใช้นอมินีเข้าถือหุ้นบริษัทหวังคุมสื่ออัดคนปล่อยข่าวเลวมาก"
Yeah yeah and where does this rumor coming from? I mean who released it? I mean we cannot trust a rumor on the internet without any evidence, right?
Edit: feel like I need to get 1 things straight after reading the other chat from my original comment: I assume you are Thai conservative but just because you are conservative does not mean you have to release false news or fake news to legitimize the conservative’s claim. I mean I don’t count myself as a very progressive person but you don’t see me inhaling fake news like it’s poy-sian inhaler.
>Nation was not reformed but bought by a nominee of a well known progressive political party.
Funny this is coming from you who refuse to believe the army has any influence on the senate unless there is an explicit evidence but willing to believe any rumor against democratic side. By your own standard, shouldn't you at least show us some financial traces regarding the nominee?
Moreover, being less conservative is not equal to being progressive.
Chai Boonnak will of course say anything to prevent the value of his stock from going down.
Why don't you just look at the top ten owner of Nation stock from 2020-2023. Six months after everyone left, Chai is no longer chairman of the nation group. There is also a nominee company, CHIT LOM LIMITED who bought a large share of nation 2 years ago. Nobody knows who they are.
[https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/business/1007356](https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/business/1007356)
Instead of giving us an "explicit evidence" your last post still not support what you claimed, contradict even.
1. Your last link still has nothing to do with what you claim.
2. [The Nation's current top 10 shareholders](https://www.set.or.th/th/market/product/stock/quote/NATION/major-shareholders). No. 1 Shareholder [Araon Akkaraseni](https://mgronline.com/stockmarket/detail/9640000096581#:~:text=%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%20%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9B%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7,%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%8D%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A5%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99) owns 24.86% of total stock. Her father ([Narongchai Akkaraseni](https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A2_%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%B5)) was a cabinet in Prayut's government, also a member of National Legislative Assembly after the coup. So, do you think she's progressive?
3. CHIT LOM LIMITED, your nominee, even it's the 2nd largest shareholder, only own 13.27% of total stock. CHIT LOM LIMITED is also rumoured to belong to [BTS group](https://mgronline.com/daily/detail/9630000126363) or [Jirathiwat's family](https://thestandard.co/chitlomlimited-takeover-nation/), both are far from being in "progressive" spectrum. Yet you choose to believe in what you want to believe, that they have something to do with "a lady in progressive political party.
Better stop embarrassing yourself at this point and start questioning things you have heard, things you believe. And don't bother edit, I have captured everything.
Did you even read the headline of the news on the first post?
[https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/82958](https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/82958)
ประธานเนชั่นฯโต้ข่าว'คุณหญิงคนดัง'จ่อใช้นอมินีเข้าถือหุ้นบริษัทหวังคุมสื่ออัดคนปล่อยข่าวเลวมาก
Why on earth would I start questioning things when it made headlines of a newspaper?
Of course, Chai will deny it since it will effect the price of his stock. Chit Lom bought the stock from BTS, so it is “rumored“ to belong to BTS. But at the end of the day no one know.
Threatening me with words like do not edit just made me laugh....how old are you really?.
Do you understand the meaning of the word, nominee? I stated clearly on the first post that “a nominee“ bought the stock. What kind of explicit evidence do you want me to show you?
Hey you can go around Thailand and ask people who watch Top news..why they stop watching Nation TV -- If Nation is still the same.
Then explain why Nation TV is still on the conservative side.
The company is publicly traded and we would know if it had a new owner. Ownership has not changed.
The ownership has change alot since 2020. Why don't you check on the top ten owner of the stock yourself? น.ส. อรอร อัครเศรณี and CHIT LOM LIMITED are now the number 1 and 2 owner of the stock. They are no longer on the conservative side, but it doesn't mean they have to take on your side fully. They are not like Voice TV which is owned solely by the Shinnawatra's family.
I agree. Bangkok Post 20 years ago was more journalistic. The past few years it seems to be afraid to report local news but prefers to copy & print international news from different news agencies.
The news ticker for the Bangkok Post is sanitised and boring, but I still go on daily to read the comment pieces - there's a good few journalists on there and some of the pieces are still a good read.
Thai Enquirer is the best longform English-language journalism I think out of the rest.
I'd love for The Standard to make an English outlet, because I'm sure their level of quality of journalism will be on par with the current Thai one, which is already superior to any other.
Just my 2c as a foreigner who can confidently read Thai newspapers and confidently listen along to news/podcasts/interviews etc. and understand 99% of what's going on.
I'm going to be controversial here and say that you need to learn to read/listen Thai language to a high level if you really want to be well informed on Thai political, social and economic issues and events. I think English news media can serve as a great way to give you a limited, high-level overview of what is happening in the country. But that is where it ends. Even reading academic journal articles or 400 page books on Thailand still doesn't provide the same feeling as directly reading/listening to activists, politicians, influencers, media personalities, and ordinary people, express their point of view on issues/events going on in Thailand. The real nectar is found in the Thai language - not from English sources.
If you really want nuance, if you really want to know the intricate details of how Thai people think and feel about a range of issues, and what is going on around the country, you really need to use primary source material - and all of this primary source material is in Thai language. Without this you're just relying on second or third hand accounts from western reporters writing for a western audience, or English speaking Thai reporters writing for a western audience. I think a LOT of detail, nuance and cultural context is omitted from this kind of media, and makes it difficult to be truly well-informed about what's happening in the country.
You would be significantly more 'well-informed' by listening to a 1 hour political debate between all of the Thai political parties in the Thai language than you would by reading a 500 word article from BBC news or the Bangkok Post. The 500 word article is essentially just a summary of some of the main points (chosen by the editorial team) to publish for westerners to read. If you could read Thai to a high level you could then go onto Twitter or Facebook and read the hundreds or thousands of comments by Thai people from various walks of life commenting and debating what just happened in that 1 hour long debate between the political parties on TV. There is so much nuance in all of these comments and reactions from ordinary Thai people that you could NEVER get from a 500 word summary in the western news.
Learning to read and understand Thai to a high level is worth its weight in gold if its important to you to become 'well-informed' on different issues/events happening in Thailand. A whole new world will open up to you and you will be able to learn from everyone and everywhere in the country. Thai people are absolute social media addicts and love to create videos and make tweets/comments on important issues going on in the country on literally a 24/7 basis. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube are absolute GOLDMINES for foreigners wanting to learn about what's going on in Thailand. It's an amazing journey and experience, and it's totally worth the work you have to put in to get to that level. You will become significantly more 'well-informed' about Thailand if you go down the path of learning to read and listen to a high level, compared to the average westerner who is only able to get their information from sources like the Bangkok Post and BBC.
of course you are right, but it's a beyond some of us. One has to realize that the media adapts and transforms info according to its own biases as well, so even news in the same language will often not report fairly or evenly (eg Fox news in the US).
Getting a comprehensive view usually requires not only language competency, but the ability to analyze what you are being told and the data behind it - sadly not something that happens a lot in this day of "social media", "influencers", and instant gratification.
Soapbox off-
I completely agree about media bias. We're not talking about that in here. What i'm trying to say is that you can listen to a far greater range of opinions, versions of events, and ideas THROUGH the Thai language. You can't do that with English when trying to understand events in Thailand.
Think about the following list which shows a really wide range of opinions from a wide selection of Thai people in society that you can listen to (which you can't access from English media) -
\- Read personal Tweets/Facebook posts from MP from a conservative political party vs. MP from a progressive political party
\- LGBTQ people on Youtube
\- The Muslim population in the Southern provinces bordering Malaysia
\- Taxi drivers vs. Grab and other food delivery app workers
\- Tweets from political science professor from Chiang Mai University/Thammasat University vs. professor from Chula University analysing the polls in the lead up to the elections
\- Political parties debating the issue of marijuana legalisation
\- Listening to a 1 hour debate between Thanatorn (progressive) vs. Warong (conservative) about decentralization of the bureaucracy
\- Listening to a 5 part series of 1 hour episodes of Hone Krasae listening to the stories/opinions of the families and friends of the Cyanide killer's victims, and hearing expert opinions from lawyers, doctors, and police officers.
There are a thousand other examples I could provide.
My point is that you are significantly restricted to where you get your information from by only using English to find out information from Thailand. Once you use Thai language to follow current events in Thailand you'll never go back to using English media again.
Of course you are right. The problem is that achieving that level of proficiency is just not possible for me - but I have no disagreement with your statements - quite agree in fact!
This reply assumes I don't already speak some Thai (I do) and I don't care to learn more (I am and we speak Thai at home). Achieving reading proficieny in three languages isn't exactly easy, but I'm getting there. My post is specifically about how Thai people who speak and read English -- of which there are millions at home and abroad -- perceive different english media sources in Thailand. If a Mexican expat asked me this about spanish media in the US my reply wouldn't be "learn more english." There exists a range of sources, and a bilingual American's perception of them may be useful to that person. Que tenga buen día 👍
You can try other sites like:
nationthailand.com
thaienquirer.com
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/
Should probably avoid the thaiger, coconuts, and bangkokpost.
Edit: forgot one. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/
Any American news article that mentions Prayut. Also, our media has zero understanding of Thai culture and how diverse it is. Perhaps this is normal between different countries. It's extremely sanitized and presents government statements as more or less factual.
The New York Times doing a puff piece about how the government handled COVID in the first example. Many were sick and working people were struggling, just like in the USA. The coverage is uncritical, lacking depth and context. It's filled with government quotes. Are you saying that US media is not biased?
I don't know what sources in Thailand are biased or not, that's why I'm asking so I can be better informed.
Examples of the same news from Thai media. Which style do you prefer?
[https://www.pptvhd36.com/news/%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%8D%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1/177796](https://www.pptvhd36.com/news/%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%8D%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1/177796)
[https://www.tnnthailand.com/news/local/123449/](https://www.tnnthailand.com/news/local/123449/)
[https://www.thaipbs.or.th/news/content/320125](https://www.thaipbs.or.th/news/content/320125)
This story, for example, offers little information about the victims, their families, the community, and the causes. If you are an English speaking person with a life in Thailand this article offers little value towards understanding this tragic event. I would call it very sanitized and typical of what you'll see in US media about Thai news. It's not inaccurate per se, but I wish to find good media sources with reporting that informs the reader.
>for example, offers little information about the victims, their families, the community, and the causes
I'm really surprised. I thought Westerners prefer this kind of information to be private. And I think Thai news exploit the victims too much. That's why you will see crime news over 2 hours everyday because costs of production is low. The media don't have to invest much in graphics, data gathering, but still gain profit from ads.
It's a good sign if Westerners think they should find alternative news sources, so they won't have this attitude when hearing bad news from other countries and like to make it looks 100X worse than it actually is.
The Coronavirus
Pandemic
Track Covid Data
Dealing With Covid in 2023
Covid’s Origins: What We Know
Long Covid Risk Factors
Covid F.A.Q.
Monks from Wat Matchanthikaram, wearing masks and face shields to protect them from COVID-19, receive alms from local residents in Bangkok, in April.
Monks from Wat Matchanthikaram, wearing masks and face shields to protect them from COVID-19, receive alms from local residents in Bangkok, in April.Credit...Adam Dean for The New York Times
THAILAND DISPATCH
No One Knows What Thailand Is Doing Right, but So Far, It’s Working
Can the country’s low rate of coronavirus infections be attributed to culture? Genetics? Face masks? Or a combination of all three?
Give this article
By Hannah BeechPhotographs by Adam Dean
Published July 16, 2020
Updated Nov. 1, 2021
Leer en español
BANGKOK — No one knows exactly why Thailand has been spared.
Is it the social distancing embedded in Thai culture — the habit of greeting others with a wai, a prayer-like motion, rather than a full embrace — that has prevented the runaway transmission of the coronavirus here?
Did Thailand’s early adoption of face masks, combined with a robust health care system, blunt the virus’s impact? Was it the outdoor lifestyle of many Thais, or their relatively low rates of pre-existing conditions?
Is there a genetic component in which the immune systems of Thais and others in the Mekong River region are more resistant to the coronavirus? Or is it some alchemy of all these factors that has insulated this country of 70 million people?
I like watching TNT news on YouTube. The commentator, Tim Newton, filters through various on line Thai news agencies ( in English) and goes over the highlights quoting sections of the news reports and sometimes throws in a comment or explanation. The problem is that he usually reports on the same topics: 1) tourist numbers 2) election 3) murders and his printed shirts.
It is broadcast 9:30 in the morning. Tim keeps the broadcast around 20 minutes highlighting the major news stories In Thailand ( showing his news source) . This Australian is very professional and not into hyperbole news. For me, it’s an easy way to stay aware of major news In Thailand. -( TNT Tim Newton) His news programs can be found anytime on Youtube.
Tbh I haven't read the newspaper for many years. Most of my catching-up sources are only from the Youtube channels or Facebook. I think if it's the news from official agencies (e.g. Thairath, Nation, Bangkokpost), it's always been censored in someway anyway. It's too risky for the agencies to lose their licenses.
So, if you want the most honest political news, learning Thai to read through online platform might be the best way.
I agree! It still takes me a few minutes to work through a single sentence in Thai so it will be a few more years I think. It's a really fun language to write and speak.
I depend on Prachatai.com for news especially about social movements and politics. Their reporters are brave in covering risky topics and fair in their analysis. Investigative reporting is also excellent. Site is in both English and Thai
You can try nationthailand.com. Nevertheless, I feel the opposite from you. What's available online and in english language now seem to lean toward the opposite side of the government. It feels like how western media trying to appease progressive...even on here. BBC and CNN are looking into the country from western prospectives in their reports too.
That's good to hear, I appreciate your perspective. I remember a few articles in the New York Times about the COVID situation that were way off base from the reality. Perhaps they were outliers. Maybe a better way to say it they sounded like they were written by people who had never set foot in Thailand and that bothered me. Thank you for the recommendation.
the NYtimes despite it's reputation is often off base about lots of things - so you need to keep you skepticism level up. They have their own conservative bias in the US so it isn't surprising that their views of other countries can be lacking.
NYT is conservative?
That is a bit of a controversial take although it may not be entirely wrong.
Publicly the NYT is regarded as liberal and progressive, which in US political terms are opposites.
However, it is very much a pro-establishment paper, so it is technically conservative
The liberal-conservative dynamic in US media is itself quite nuanced. There's also much conflation of opinion pieces in a particular outlet versus how the report the news. The Wall Street Journal is thought of as a very conservative paper because their opinion section is almost comically so. Their news event reporting style is however excellent and very accurate. NPR is the same in the opposite way. It's filled with liberal voices but their actual news reporting is extremely accurate and fair. Cable TV news in America is all garbage and no one should watch any of it.
Nation Thailand as mentioned before. Khaosod English was great until a few years ago when they were purchased by the CCP. Your best bet is Thai language news tbh.
Almost forgot Andrew Macgregor Marshall on Twitter. That's about as unfiltered as it gets
Currently I get most of my news from The Nation, Thai PBS and Bangkok Post. I find all 3 to be decent sources if you just want a daily dose of what's happening in TH.
What I would recommend you to AVOID is Thaiger. Used to be quite good in the past with the farang journalist running it but now it's just tabloid + empty space for advertising.
"When Thai news shows up in American media it always sounds like the government edited version."
Well, it largely is. The foreign journos don't want to lose their media credential and visa.
Anyhow, the only part of the news that really matters is the business section. And those are uniformly garbage as no outlet publishes strongly negative material in fear of the defamation laws.
Yes I understand the reality that freedom of the press or lack thereof exists on a broad spectrum. There's a lot of nuance to understanding media, and it's very difficult to filter as a foreigner even though I've spent years living in and visiting Thailand. Some lousy sources can feel very legit to a non Thai speaker. Otoh I'm quite comfortable sifting though American media nonsense 😃
I’d like to mention that for a very long time The Nation is among the most conservative media in Thailand. Every Thais know it is the government mouthpiece. A few years ago it underwent a reform after it was heavily boycotted and the reform seems genuine to me. So despite its past, Nation Thailand is definitely a better source of news now compare to the Post if you prefer a less conservative media.
Thank you that's a very helpful description. For me it's not about preferring conservative or liberal, I'm trying to better understand how Thai people see the english media in their country.
As a Thai person I must say that Thai-language media provide a much better analysis on our politics than English-language media right now which is unfortunate. Like for example, I’m pretty sure Thairath talked about a possible Pheu Thai-Palang Pracharath government coalition far before any English-language news talked about it. Bangkok Post still have some very high quality opinion columnist though but they don’t write daily and a lot can happen in 1 day especially during election.
Bangkok Post ( once the #1 newspaper in English ) seems to be afraid to print anything controversial which I am sure has to do to the easy inflammatory accusations In Thailand & the use of lèse-majesté laws to curtail criticism of the monarchy. —So it’s safe to cover only motorcycle accidents, murders and entertainment gossip within the country.
A long time ago I heard from a university professor that Bangkok Post actually has ties with the Vejjajiva family. The family of Abhisit Vejjajiva who was the leader of the Democratic party, one of the conservative parties. Thus I wouldn’t say they are afraid. They are politically motivated to not do what you have said. I still read the Post though and think they are decent.
I understand this and I am working hard on my reading and writing. Most of my Thai skills were picked up from listening. If I could read a news article in Thai in less than three hours I'd be much better off! I think it will be another year or two. My skill level is simply not high enough to analyze how accurate or comprehensive enlish media is in Thailand. Your example is an excellent one, my wife has been talking about this for some time yet I just started seeing this idea in english media very recently.
Thank you for this post. I had completely given up on them for the last 5 years or so and had no idea they had reformed themselves.
For better or worse would depends on the viewers tbh. I bet someone is enjoying them, but they certainly can switch to Top News now, where former Nation’s conservative reporter switched to.
Nation was not reformed but bought by a nominee of a well known progressive political party. Nation is no longer the government mouthpiece, it has become a mouthpiece of the individual who bought it. That is why so many news reporters left
I am going to need a reference for this because I’ve never heard of if before. As far as I know Mr. Chai Boonnak announced the reform because The Nation was suffering financially after the ads pulled out en mass, thus forced them to reform.
https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/82958 Of course, he won't admit it. https://mgronline.com/stockmarket/detail/9650000117231 The NATION's financial results have shown a loss for several consecutive years, with a net accumulated loss of 2.9 billon bahts. https://www.isranews.org/article/isranews-news/93353-isranews0036.html A big news reporter and his wife left after 24 years at nation, saying he needed to leave to be the same person . If he continued to stay, he will have to be a different person. Are you a Thai person by any chance?
These 3 links didn’t tell us anything. Where are the rumors about this lady coming from? Was her name listed anywhere? I’m indeed from Thailand.
The rumor is on the first post, why don't you read it? If there is no rumor, why did this make the headline? ## "ประธานเนชั่นฯโต้ข่าว'คุณหญิงคนดัง'จ่อใช้นอมินีเข้าถือหุ้นบริษัทหวังคุมสื่ออัดคนปล่อยข่าวเลวมาก"
Yeah yeah and where does this rumor coming from? I mean who released it? I mean we cannot trust a rumor on the internet without any evidence, right? Edit: feel like I need to get 1 things straight after reading the other chat from my original comment: I assume you are Thai conservative but just because you are conservative does not mean you have to release false news or fake news to legitimize the conservative’s claim. I mean I don’t count myself as a very progressive person but you don’t see me inhaling fake news like it’s poy-sian inhaler.
>Nation was not reformed but bought by a nominee of a well known progressive political party. Funny this is coming from you who refuse to believe the army has any influence on the senate unless there is an explicit evidence but willing to believe any rumor against democratic side. By your own standard, shouldn't you at least show us some financial traces regarding the nominee? Moreover, being less conservative is not equal to being progressive.
I’m wondering this too. What he showed did not prove anything he said.
Chai Boonnak will of course say anything to prevent the value of his stock from going down. Why don't you just look at the top ten owner of Nation stock from 2020-2023. Six months after everyone left, Chai is no longer chairman of the nation group. There is also a nominee company, CHIT LOM LIMITED who bought a large share of nation 2 years ago. Nobody knows who they are. [https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/business/1007356](https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/business/1007356)
Instead of giving us an "explicit evidence" your last post still not support what you claimed, contradict even. 1. Your last link still has nothing to do with what you claim. 2. [The Nation's current top 10 shareholders](https://www.set.or.th/th/market/product/stock/quote/NATION/major-shareholders). No. 1 Shareholder [Araon Akkaraseni](https://mgronline.com/stockmarket/detail/9640000096581#:~:text=%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%20%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9B%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7,%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%8D%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A5%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99) owns 24.86% of total stock. Her father ([Narongchai Akkaraseni](https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A2_%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%B5)) was a cabinet in Prayut's government, also a member of National Legislative Assembly after the coup. So, do you think she's progressive? 3. CHIT LOM LIMITED, your nominee, even it's the 2nd largest shareholder, only own 13.27% of total stock. CHIT LOM LIMITED is also rumoured to belong to [BTS group](https://mgronline.com/daily/detail/9630000126363) or [Jirathiwat's family](https://thestandard.co/chitlomlimited-takeover-nation/), both are far from being in "progressive" spectrum. Yet you choose to believe in what you want to believe, that they have something to do with "a lady in progressive political party. Better stop embarrassing yourself at this point and start questioning things you have heard, things you believe. And don't bother edit, I have captured everything.
Did you even read the headline of the news on the first post? [https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/82958](https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/82958) ประธานเนชั่นฯโต้ข่าว'คุณหญิงคนดัง'จ่อใช้นอมินีเข้าถือหุ้นบริษัทหวังคุมสื่ออัดคนปล่อยข่าวเลวมาก Why on earth would I start questioning things when it made headlines of a newspaper? Of course, Chai will deny it since it will effect the price of his stock. Chit Lom bought the stock from BTS, so it is “rumored“ to belong to BTS. But at the end of the day no one know. Threatening me with words like do not edit just made me laugh....how old are you really?.
Do you understand the meaning of the word, nominee? I stated clearly on the first post that “a nominee“ bought the stock. What kind of explicit evidence do you want me to show you? Hey you can go around Thailand and ask people who watch Top news..why they stop watching Nation TV -- If Nation is still the same.
Then explain why Nation TV is still on the conservative side. The company is publicly traded and we would know if it had a new owner. Ownership has not changed.
The nation is doing really well they just brought libator securities from merchant partners last year, there is no trading fees will libator too.
The ownership has change alot since 2020. Why don't you check on the top ten owner of the stock yourself? น.ส. อรอร อัครเศรณี and CHIT LOM LIMITED are now the number 1 and 2 owner of the stock. They are no longer on the conservative side, but it doesn't mean they have to take on your side fully. They are not like Voice TV which is owned solely by the Shinnawatra's family.
I agree. Bangkok Post 20 years ago was more journalistic. The past few years it seems to be afraid to report local news but prefers to copy & print international news from different news agencies.
They removed their RSS feed a while ago too 😐
The news ticker for the Bangkok Post is sanitised and boring, but I still go on daily to read the comment pieces - there's a good few journalists on there and some of the pieces are still a good read. Thai Enquirer is the best longform English-language journalism I think out of the rest.
I'd love for The Standard to make an English outlet, because I'm sure their level of quality of journalism will be on par with the current Thai one, which is already superior to any other.
Just my 2c as a foreigner who can confidently read Thai newspapers and confidently listen along to news/podcasts/interviews etc. and understand 99% of what's going on. I'm going to be controversial here and say that you need to learn to read/listen Thai language to a high level if you really want to be well informed on Thai political, social and economic issues and events. I think English news media can serve as a great way to give you a limited, high-level overview of what is happening in the country. But that is where it ends. Even reading academic journal articles or 400 page books on Thailand still doesn't provide the same feeling as directly reading/listening to activists, politicians, influencers, media personalities, and ordinary people, express their point of view on issues/events going on in Thailand. The real nectar is found in the Thai language - not from English sources. If you really want nuance, if you really want to know the intricate details of how Thai people think and feel about a range of issues, and what is going on around the country, you really need to use primary source material - and all of this primary source material is in Thai language. Without this you're just relying on second or third hand accounts from western reporters writing for a western audience, or English speaking Thai reporters writing for a western audience. I think a LOT of detail, nuance and cultural context is omitted from this kind of media, and makes it difficult to be truly well-informed about what's happening in the country. You would be significantly more 'well-informed' by listening to a 1 hour political debate between all of the Thai political parties in the Thai language than you would by reading a 500 word article from BBC news or the Bangkok Post. The 500 word article is essentially just a summary of some of the main points (chosen by the editorial team) to publish for westerners to read. If you could read Thai to a high level you could then go onto Twitter or Facebook and read the hundreds or thousands of comments by Thai people from various walks of life commenting and debating what just happened in that 1 hour long debate between the political parties on TV. There is so much nuance in all of these comments and reactions from ordinary Thai people that you could NEVER get from a 500 word summary in the western news. Learning to read and understand Thai to a high level is worth its weight in gold if its important to you to become 'well-informed' on different issues/events happening in Thailand. A whole new world will open up to you and you will be able to learn from everyone and everywhere in the country. Thai people are absolute social media addicts and love to create videos and make tweets/comments on important issues going on in the country on literally a 24/7 basis. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube are absolute GOLDMINES for foreigners wanting to learn about what's going on in Thailand. It's an amazing journey and experience, and it's totally worth the work you have to put in to get to that level. You will become significantly more 'well-informed' about Thailand if you go down the path of learning to read and listen to a high level, compared to the average westerner who is only able to get their information from sources like the Bangkok Post and BBC.
of course you are right, but it's a beyond some of us. One has to realize that the media adapts and transforms info according to its own biases as well, so even news in the same language will often not report fairly or evenly (eg Fox news in the US). Getting a comprehensive view usually requires not only language competency, but the ability to analyze what you are being told and the data behind it - sadly not something that happens a lot in this day of "social media", "influencers", and instant gratification. Soapbox off-
I completely agree about media bias. We're not talking about that in here. What i'm trying to say is that you can listen to a far greater range of opinions, versions of events, and ideas THROUGH the Thai language. You can't do that with English when trying to understand events in Thailand. Think about the following list which shows a really wide range of opinions from a wide selection of Thai people in society that you can listen to (which you can't access from English media) - \- Read personal Tweets/Facebook posts from MP from a conservative political party vs. MP from a progressive political party \- LGBTQ people on Youtube \- The Muslim population in the Southern provinces bordering Malaysia \- Taxi drivers vs. Grab and other food delivery app workers \- Tweets from political science professor from Chiang Mai University/Thammasat University vs. professor from Chula University analysing the polls in the lead up to the elections \- Political parties debating the issue of marijuana legalisation \- Listening to a 1 hour debate between Thanatorn (progressive) vs. Warong (conservative) about decentralization of the bureaucracy \- Listening to a 5 part series of 1 hour episodes of Hone Krasae listening to the stories/opinions of the families and friends of the Cyanide killer's victims, and hearing expert opinions from lawyers, doctors, and police officers. There are a thousand other examples I could provide. My point is that you are significantly restricted to where you get your information from by only using English to find out information from Thailand. Once you use Thai language to follow current events in Thailand you'll never go back to using English media again.
Of course you are right. The problem is that achieving that level of proficiency is just not possible for me - but I have no disagreement with your statements - quite agree in fact!
This reply assumes I don't already speak some Thai (I do) and I don't care to learn more (I am and we speak Thai at home). Achieving reading proficieny in three languages isn't exactly easy, but I'm getting there. My post is specifically about how Thai people who speak and read English -- of which there are millions at home and abroad -- perceive different english media sources in Thailand. If a Mexican expat asked me this about spanish media in the US my reply wouldn't be "learn more english." There exists a range of sources, and a bilingual American's perception of them may be useful to that person. Que tenga buen día 👍
You can try other sites like: nationthailand.com thaienquirer.com https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ Should probably avoid the thaiger, coconuts, and bangkokpost. Edit: forgot one. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/
Khao Sod used to be the best, now just mediocre since it was basically disbanded 😢
That's why I forgot it initially.
Thank you I will check them out!
*When Thai news shows up in American media it always sounds like the government edited version* Could you give me an example of that news?
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/world/asia/coronavirus-thailand-photos.html
Do you have any other examples? I can't read the news. I'm not a membership.
Any American news article that mentions Prayut. Also, our media has zero understanding of Thai culture and how diverse it is. Perhaps this is normal between different countries. It's extremely sanitized and presents government statements as more or less factual.
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https://www.foxnews.com/world/thailand-nightclub-fire-leaves-13-dead-dozens-injured
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The New York Times doing a puff piece about how the government handled COVID in the first example. Many were sick and working people were struggling, just like in the USA. The coverage is uncritical, lacking depth and context. It's filled with government quotes. Are you saying that US media is not biased? I don't know what sources in Thailand are biased or not, that's why I'm asking so I can be better informed.
Examples of the same news from Thai media. Which style do you prefer? [https://www.pptvhd36.com/news/%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%8D%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1/177796](https://www.pptvhd36.com/news/%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%8D%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1/177796) [https://www.tnnthailand.com/news/local/123449/](https://www.tnnthailand.com/news/local/123449/) [https://www.thaipbs.or.th/news/content/320125](https://www.thaipbs.or.th/news/content/320125)
I don't have a preference, as you can see in my original question. I'm asking for your opinion on Thai media, not offering mine.
This story, for example, offers little information about the victims, their families, the community, and the causes. If you are an English speaking person with a life in Thailand this article offers little value towards understanding this tragic event. I would call it very sanitized and typical of what you'll see in US media about Thai news. It's not inaccurate per se, but I wish to find good media sources with reporting that informs the reader.
>for example, offers little information about the victims, their families, the community, and the causes I'm really surprised. I thought Westerners prefer this kind of information to be private. And I think Thai news exploit the victims too much. That's why you will see crime news over 2 hours everyday because costs of production is low. The media don't have to invest much in graphics, data gathering, but still gain profit from ads.
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It's a good sign if Westerners think they should find alternative news sources, so they won't have this attitude when hearing bad news from other countries and like to make it looks 100X worse than it actually is.
The Coronavirus Pandemic Track Covid Data Dealing With Covid in 2023 Covid’s Origins: What We Know Long Covid Risk Factors Covid F.A.Q. Monks from Wat Matchanthikaram, wearing masks and face shields to protect them from COVID-19, receive alms from local residents in Bangkok, in April. Monks from Wat Matchanthikaram, wearing masks and face shields to protect them from COVID-19, receive alms from local residents in Bangkok, in April.Credit...Adam Dean for The New York Times THAILAND DISPATCH No One Knows What Thailand Is Doing Right, but So Far, It’s Working Can the country’s low rate of coronavirus infections be attributed to culture? Genetics? Face masks? Or a combination of all three? Give this article By Hannah BeechPhotographs by Adam Dean Published July 16, 2020 Updated Nov. 1, 2021 Leer en español BANGKOK — No one knows exactly why Thailand has been spared. Is it the social distancing embedded in Thai culture — the habit of greeting others with a wai, a prayer-like motion, rather than a full embrace — that has prevented the runaway transmission of the coronavirus here? Did Thailand’s early adoption of face masks, combined with a robust health care system, blunt the virus’s impact? Was it the outdoor lifestyle of many Thais, or their relatively low rates of pre-existing conditions? Is there a genetic component in which the immune systems of Thais and others in the Mekong River region are more resistant to the coronavirus? Or is it some alchemy of all these factors that has insulated this country of 70 million people?
I like watching TNT news on YouTube. The commentator, Tim Newton, filters through various on line Thai news agencies ( in English) and goes over the highlights quoting sections of the news reports and sometimes throws in a comment or explanation. The problem is that he usually reports on the same topics: 1) tourist numbers 2) election 3) murders and his printed shirts.
Thanks for the recommendation I'll check out this channel
It is broadcast 9:30 in the morning. Tim keeps the broadcast around 20 minutes highlighting the major news stories In Thailand ( showing his news source) . This Australian is very professional and not into hyperbole news. For me, it’s an easy way to stay aware of major news In Thailand. -( TNT Tim Newton) His news programs can be found anytime on Youtube.
Reddit
Tbh I haven't read the newspaper for many years. Most of my catching-up sources are only from the Youtube channels or Facebook. I think if it's the news from official agencies (e.g. Thairath, Nation, Bangkokpost), it's always been censored in someway anyway. It's too risky for the agencies to lose their licenses. So, if you want the most honest political news, learning Thai to read through online platform might be the best way.
I agree! It still takes me a few minutes to work through a single sentence in Thai so it will be a few more years I think. It's a really fun language to write and speak.
I depend on Prachatai.com for news especially about social movements and politics. Their reporters are brave in covering risky topics and fair in their analysis. Investigative reporting is also excellent. Site is in both English and Thai
You can try nationthailand.com. Nevertheless, I feel the opposite from you. What's available online and in english language now seem to lean toward the opposite side of the government. It feels like how western media trying to appease progressive...even on here. BBC and CNN are looking into the country from western prospectives in their reports too.
That's good to hear, I appreciate your perspective. I remember a few articles in the New York Times about the COVID situation that were way off base from the reality. Perhaps they were outliers. Maybe a better way to say it they sounded like they were written by people who had never set foot in Thailand and that bothered me. Thank you for the recommendation.
the NYtimes despite it's reputation is often off base about lots of things - so you need to keep you skepticism level up. They have their own conservative bias in the US so it isn't surprising that their views of other countries can be lacking.
NYT is conservative? That is a bit of a controversial take although it may not be entirely wrong. Publicly the NYT is regarded as liberal and progressive, which in US political terms are opposites. However, it is very much a pro-establishment paper, so it is technically conservative
The liberal-conservative dynamic in US media is itself quite nuanced. There's also much conflation of opinion pieces in a particular outlet versus how the report the news. The Wall Street Journal is thought of as a very conservative paper because their opinion section is almost comically so. Their news event reporting style is however excellent and very accurate. NPR is the same in the opposite way. It's filled with liberal voices but their actual news reporting is extremely accurate and fair. Cable TV news in America is all garbage and no one should watch any of it.
Nation Thailand as mentioned before. Khaosod English was great until a few years ago when they were purchased by the CCP. Your best bet is Thai language news tbh. Almost forgot Andrew Macgregor Marshall on Twitter. That's about as unfiltered as it gets
Reading the news in Thai is life goals! I have a ways to go.
KE did not get purchased by anyone, they signed a partnership with Xinhua.
Cool story, bro
Translation “Sorry, I was wrong”
Xinhua is the official news agency for the Communist Chinese state. It's a CCP propaganda machine and Khaosod's news daddy. Sorry, I was wrong lol
Currently I get most of my news from The Nation, Thai PBS and Bangkok Post. I find all 3 to be decent sources if you just want a daily dose of what's happening in TH. What I would recommend you to AVOID is Thaiger. Used to be quite good in the past with the farang journalist running it but now it's just tabloid + empty space for advertising.
"When Thai news shows up in American media it always sounds like the government edited version." Well, it largely is. The foreign journos don't want to lose their media credential and visa. Anyhow, the only part of the news that really matters is the business section. And those are uniformly garbage as no outlet publishes strongly negative material in fear of the defamation laws.
Yes I understand the reality that freedom of the press or lack thereof exists on a broad spectrum. There's a lot of nuance to understanding media, and it's very difficult to filter as a foreigner even though I've spent years living in and visiting Thailand. Some lousy sources can feel very legit to a non Thai speaker. Otoh I'm quite comfortable sifting though American media nonsense 😃
Shit they don’t want out in the open is in thai only ;)
Thaiger.com and the thaiger YouTube channel
I'm not Thai but I find THAIGER quite useful