Showing 1 - 10 of 23
What Thai Media Should Stop Doing
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 11/03/2022
» As a result of developing panda eyes from following Tangmo's tragic saga, Russia's invasion of Ukraine (let's call a spade a spade) among other stories, I'm reminded of a few patterns that Thai media use when reporting newsworthy stories that perhaps they shouldn't. Here are a few based on my own observations and for your entertainment (we all can use it, it has been a tough couple of weeks).
Popcat fever
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 20/08/2021
» How many pops have you made? Popcat website/game took Thai internet by storm over the weekend. And the furry frenzy was still going strong at the time of going to press. ICYMT, here's a summary of the online feline phenomenon so far. Yes, cat pun very intended.
Taxi Timeline
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 11/06/2021
» Taxi service in Thailand is about to enter a new drive after the Cabinet recently approved a draft regulation to allow the use of private cars for transport apps. The draft by the Ministry of Transport is expected to be put to use this month or within July. When enacted, vehicles with up to seven seats that are registered as personal cars can double as taxis via the apps.
What's in the Nickname?
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 01/01/2021
» It's a year-end tradition for Thai media to anoint figures in the political world with nicknames (with a varying degree of sarcasm). On Monday, their nicknames were revealed and -- in case you had been busy with the New Year celebration since Christmas -- I'm here to explain the idea behind some of them. g
Thailand: The Land of...
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/11/2020
» I'm sure, I'm not the only one who has been rethinking Thailand's nickname The Land Of Smiles. According to Win Lyovarin, two-time S.E.A. Write winner and 2013 National Artist for Literature, Britisher David Lander, creative director at an ad agency, should be credited for coming up with the phrase. Lander came up with the slogan in a pitch for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Fun fact: The Land Of Smiles is also the title of a German operetta, which premiered in 1929.
What has uncle Tu done wrong?
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 23/10/2020
» A Twitter account belonging to the Prime Minister Operations Center (@PMOC10) last Saturday shared eight pictures of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha along with a question that goes, "What has PM Uncle Tu done wrong?". The question is obviously asked in a passive-aggressive and I-feel-underappreciated tone. These pictures seem to be a protest against criticism of his governance and response to throngs of people who have come out to protest against him.
#ProtestIdeas
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 31/07/2020
» Accompanying the student-led protests against the government that continue to spread in many provinces, are new hashtags. #ไอเดียออกม๊อบ (unofficially translates to #IdeasForMob) is the latest one that has caught my eyes. Thai twitter users use the hashtag to come up with ways to make the protest more fun and interesting. Leave it to Thais to find lighter sides of things. Here are a few examples. g
You go, girl!
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 03/07/2020
» A student by the name Ploy staged an impromptu protest in Siam Square last Saturday, pictures and videos of which were posted by two Twitter handles @BadStudent_ and @NuttaaBow. She sat on a chair hands-tied behind her back and mouth taped shut. A placard hanging from her neck reads, "This student violates a school rule by wearing her hair long past her eye lobes and in bangs, destroying the unique identity of Thai students. Please punish her." It ends with a hashtag "#เลิกบังคับหรือจับตัด (#StopForcingOrCutting)". A call to stop forcing Thai students to have a certain type of haircut or having their hair cut by the teachers against their will.
22 New Rules of (Not) Clubbing
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 26/06/2020
» Have you seen the draft list of 22 measures said to be applied to night-time entertainment venues once they are allowed to reopen? It will be submitted to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) today, ahead of the fifth phase of Covid-19 curb-easing. While some of the measures are to be expected, a few rules have raised eyebrows as they don't sound conducive to reopening. Worse still, it seems that the person who suggested these new regulations has never put foot into a nightspot before.
#BehindTheHashtags
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/03/2020
» Many student protests that were partly set off by the dissolution of Future Forward Party over the past two weeks has also ushered in new hashtags into the lexicon of Thai social media. At the time of writing, it has been reported that there are 28 hashtags associated with campus protests. Some are humourous while others carry strong political stances and sharp gibes. Whether you agree with these students who've chosen to make their voices heard, it's better to get used to their protest hashtags as more student flashmobs are on their way (but many speculate that the designation of Covid-19 as a dangerous communicable disease may be used as a tool to suppress them). Not to mention, an online campaign calling for people to wear black on Fridays as a symbol to oppose dictatorship began last Friday.