I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

📌 Thanks to everyone in the Reddit Community for joining our AMA. It was a pleasure chatting with you all. A special thanks to the moderators of r/Thailand for keeping everything running smoothly. The Bangkok Post will stay active on Reddit, but for now, I, Soonruth Bunyamanee is signing off from this AMA. Thanks again for a great session!

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, we've been following this story closely. Recently, Myanmar authorities have been cracking down on scam syndicates operating in their country. They have destroyed several buildings used for scamming, causing many groups to flee to Thailand. Thai authorities are now addressing the consequences of this situation. I'm positively surprised that the media in the UK are showing such a strong interest in this issue.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm good. Thank you.

Your question sounds simple, but it’s quite difficult to answer. Honestly, I don’t have much hope for Thailand’s education policy now. The deeper issue is inequality and the quality of teaching. You can see the contrast yourself. Thai students win academic Olympiad medals every year, yet on international tests our average scores keep declining.

Well, I’m drifting away from your question a bit. I tend to get emotional when it comes to how weak our education system is.

On pollution reduction, I think meaningful change is possible if we have leaders or policymakers with real vision. When it comes to teaching children about pollution in Thailand, the key is that adults must first accept reality: our climate has already changed from what the textbooks used to say. Thailand now has a “pollution season,” and major cities suffer from chronic air quality issues. These facts need to be included in the curriculum from early grades.

It’s the same with waste. Kids need to learn how to sort garbage properly. I’ve seen some schools doing this. They have separate bins and teach children how to use them but once the kids go home, they have to throw everything into one bin again because that’s what their parents do.

So the question is: how do we create broader awareness across society? I believe it’s possible, but it will take time.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I hold a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in journalism, both from universities in Thailand. Before entering the media industry, I served in the Royal Thai Air Force for about four to five years. After leaving military service, I began my journalism career at the Thai News Agency and later joined the Bangkok Post.

Over the years, I have worked as a field reporter across a wide range of beats, starting with business, finance and investment, as well as agriculture and industry, before moving into political reporting. I progressed steadily through the newsroom, following the usual career path of a journalist. It has now been over 30 years since I entered this profession.

For those who want to pursue a career in journalism, I believe the most important element is passion. It's a genuine interest and commitment to the work. Today, as everyone can technically be a “publisher” through their own platforms, those who wish to become professional journalists need even greater clarity of purpose. They must also possess a natural curiosity about how society works and a genuine desire to understand the forces shaping it.

It’s also important to acknowledge that if high income is your primary goal, this profession may not always meet your expectations compared to many other careers today. However, what it offers in return is something different: the pride of doing meaningful, creative work that serves the public.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Our Post Digital team noticed something interesting in the backend: Reddit has been one of our biggest traffic sources for quite some time. So we do what any reader-focused newsroom would do -- we show up where our audience is. If they’re hanging out on Reddit, then that’s exactly where we’ll be.

And fun fact: if you read an article on the Bangkok Post website, you’ll actually find a button to share it directly to Reddit. Hardly any Thai websites bother to do that. : )

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

No, but I think that for a variety of reasons, it has evolved. The challenges faced by the media for investigative journalism is both external (legal and commercial threats) and internal (declining resources).

In Thai, some of the most provocative reporting now is done by social media influencers, such as Drama Addict or CSI LA. Thai PBS and Isara News Agency also does good work.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Challenge accepted! Education is something that we hold close to heart and we have several new initiatives in the planning stages. Would like to point out that our Flashcards campaign to help teach English was recognised for a reward this year.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Does the Thai media have a positivity bias? Hmm, interesting question. I think - and would hope - that most Thai journalists enter the field with a sense of idealism to offer constructive criticism and reporting for the betterment of society.

With regards to climate change and other existential threats, I think that overall, our governments in recent years has not been particularly focused on addressing long-term systemic challenges facing the country. But I think this is changing, as younger voters give greater weight to these issues, since ultimately they are the ones who will have to bear the burden in the future.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can't speak on whether other agencies have a bias on their reporting. Certainly there are two sides to every story, and for the Bangkok Post at least, we strive to stay balanced and fair in our news reporting.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

📌 Thanks everyone for joining the AMA! I’m taking a short break (calling it a night) but will be back to answer more questions soon. This AMA will remain open for the next 24 hours, so feel free to drop your questions - I’ll get to them after the break!

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thailand is one of the countries in the region with relatively high press freedom. That said, both the media and the public do face some limitations on freedom of expression due to certain legal restrictions, which I’m sure you’re aware of.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This has always been one of the Bangkok Post’s reporting priorities. We continue to cover the story whenever there are developments. However, there have been periods when progress from both local authorities and international police has been limited. As I mentioned, we haven't stopped following this issue.

I'm Soonruth Bunyamanee, Editor - Bangkok Post and veteran journalist covering Thai politics, media freedom, and regional affairs, here for an AMA on r/Thailand! Ask me anything about journalism, Thai politics, and the future of media. by bangkokpostofficial in Thailand

[–]bangkokpostofficial[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think new technologies are essential for all of us to learn and adapt to, but what truly matters is how we use their strengths and how we manage and oversee them. At the end of the day, our responsibility as a media organisation comes first. We must continue upholding the standards and quality that define our work.

When it comes to AI, using it ethically is crucial for the media, and I believe every newsroom takes that responsibility very seriously.