The Bangkok Post is an English -language daily newspaper published in Bangkok , Thailand . It is published in broadsheet and digital formats. The first issue was sold on 1 August 1946. It had four pages and cost one baht , a considerable amount at the time when a baht was a paper note. It is Thailand's oldest newspaper still in publication. The daily circulation of the Bangkok Post is 110,000, 80 percent of which is distributed in Bangkok and the remainder nationwide. It is considered a newspaper of record for Thailand.
35-469: From July 2016 until mid-May 2018, the editor of the Bangkok Post was Umesh Pandey . On 14 May 2018, Pandey was "forced to step down" as editor after refusing to soften coverage critical of the ruling military junta. The Bangkok Post was founded by Alexander MacDonald, a former OSS officer, and his Thai associate, Prasit Lulitanond. Thailand at the time was the only Southeast Asian country to have
70-635: A Soviet Embassy . The U.S. embassy felt it needed an independent, but generally pro-American newspaper to counter Soviet views. Some claim the financing came directly from the US State Department or possibly even the OSS itself, although there is no proof of this. Nevertheless, under MacDonald's stewardship, the Bangkok Post was reasonably independent and employed many young reporters, including Peter Arnett and T. D. Allman , who later became known internationally. Alex MacDonald left Thailand after
105-404: A random drawing of the number determining the order in which their parties appear on ballots , numbers which are also used in nationwide campaigning . Yingluck Shinawatra received a major psychological boost when her Pheu Thai party drew the number one; sitting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrat Party drew number ten. * Sent 125 candidates for all party-list seats After the drawing,
140-706: A military coup in the early 1950s, and the newspaper was later acquired by Roy Thomson . The paper has since changed hands. Major shareholders in Post Publishing include the Chirathivat family (owners of Central Group ), the South China Morning Post of Hong Kong and GMM Grammy Pcl , Thailand's biggest media and entertainment company. Post Publishing PLC, publisher of the Bangkok Post , Post Today (daily Thai language business), and M2F (free Thai language daily) newspapers, returned
175-436: A modest profit of 450,000 baht in 2016 compared to a 42.1 million baht loss in 2015. On 14 May 2018, Pandey was "forced to step down" as editor after refusing to soften coverage critical of the ruling military junta. He said the board of directors had asked him to "tone down" the newspaper's reporting and editorials on the actions of the military government, especially its suppression of free speech and election postponements. In
210-554: A poison that had to be detoxified. The Democrats have repeatedly accused Thaksin and the Pheu Thai Party of disloyalty to King Bhumibol. The parties Bhumjaithai and Chartthaipattana formed a pre-campaign electoral alliance pledging to support whichever party won. The parties were members of Abhisit's coalition. Red Shirt leaders Jatuporn Prompan and Nisit Sinthuprai had been jailed for months on charges of violating national security and insulting King Bhumibol following
245-408: A proposal had made to hold the election on 14 November 2010, however, this was pushed back following a failure to come to agreement during the crisis. On 9 May Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced that he would dissolve the lower house of parliament to hold an election on 3 July. King Bhumibol Adulyadej signed a royal decree on the dissolution the same day. This motion followed a court ruling
280-525: A toxic environment and breaching ethics. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha denied that the government pressured the Post to reassign Pandey, dismissing the action as "an issue within a private company." The Bangkok Post employs (April 2015) 179 journalists, including reporters, rewriters, editors, copy editors, photographers, and designers. Twenty-nine foreign nationals work as copy editors and print and digital news editors. Sunday editor Paul Ruffini
315-614: A turnout of 75%, populist Pheu Thai Party won a majority with 265 seats. Its leader Yingluck Shinawatra became the first female prime minister in the history of Thailand. The Democrat Party therefore became the main opposition party with a total of 159 seats. The election results were acknowledged on 27 July after the Election Commission dealt with a number of objections regarding alleged irregularities. Reelections and recount were ordered to be held in several provinces , due to electoral fraud discovered by
350-444: A written statement by Pandey issued on 14 May, he said, "When asked to tone down I did not budge and was blunt in letting those who make decisions know that I would rather lose my position than bow my head." The Post issued a statement on 16 May to assure its readers of its continued commitment to "editorial independence". A senior Post official said that, "This is not an issue of government interference or press freedom per se,...This
385-523: Is an Australian national. Many Post staff reporters are Thai nationals, as fluency in Thai is required. Foreign staff write for the newspaper's news, op-ed, sports, business, and features sections. In a country where media censorship is common, the Bangkok Post portrays itself as being comparatively free. There are instances where the newspaper has been accused of self-censorship to avoid controversy or conflict with powerful individuals, including adherence to
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#1732779517098420-500: Is simply an internal organisational matter." Pandey was not fired, but transferred to another high-ranking post as assistant to a deputy COO at no loss of income. Some sources within the company attributed Pandey's ouster as editor to his poor management style and ethical breaches. Some staffers who worked with Pandey cited his creation of a hostile workplace environment and unprofessional behavior. Five current and former staffers blamed him for driving away many newsroom employees, creating
455-609: The 24th House of Representatives . The protestors of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) or " Red Shirts " who occupied downtown Bangkok in April and May 2010 had demanded new elections. The government's counter-proposal to hold elections on 14 November 2010 was rejected by them and was followed by a violent crackdown when the protestors refused to disperse. Elections were finally announced in May 2011. With
490-739: The Constitutional Court over vote buying. The PPP's executive team was banned from politics for 5 years. After the party's dissolution, all of the party's members of parliament had to join another party if they wished to retain their seat. The majority of them transferred to the newly founded Pheu Thai Party . Some representatives defected to the Democrats, which enabled the Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to be elected by parliament as prime minister. The National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship ("Red Shirts")
525-462: The Election Commission of Thailand distributed handouts nationwide, listing all registered parties by number, name and logo; each party's list of candidates and party platform ; modified for each district with campaign portraits of their candidates, again in numerical order. Local campaigners add party numbers to pre-printed campaign posters, or print new ones. In most cases, the numbers are in Red, but in
560-534: The People’s Power Party won a majority of seats in the parliament and became the leading party to set up the new government. Samak Sundaravej , party leader, became the 25th Prime Minister of Thailand . This election victory led to a series of political demonstrations by the royalist Peoples Alliance for Democracy ("Yellow Shirts"). On 2 December 2008 the People’s Power Party had been dissolved by
595-619: The Pheu Thai Party economic policy committee. He also served as a vice-minister under prime minister Srettha Thavisin . Umesh was editor of the Bangkok Post from July 2016 to May 2018. He was forced to resign by the newspaper's board of directors after he refused to curtail criticism of Thailand's military-led government. In 2019, Umesh was a party list candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart Party , which
630-526: The Santi Asoke Buddhist sect) supported the NO campaign of some PAD supporters, which featured proverbial animals in color-coded suits as non-human electoral candidates , most bearing the slogan: Don’t let animals enter parliament ( อย่าปล่อยสัตว์เข้าสภา ). Also prominent: Flee ( หนี... ) (blue-suited tiger) For ( ปะ... ) (red-suited crocodile). Chamlong Srimuang , a key supporter of
665-489: The "vote-no" movement, did not vote "no" after all. In fact, he did not vote at all; his and his wife’s names were not on the list of eligible voters as they had voted in advance in the previous election but did not realise that they had to inform election officials that they did not want to do so in this one. Other PAD supporters, however, formed the New Politics Party whose logo is a yellow sauwastika under
700-585: The 2010 crackdown on the Red Shirts. They had been released on bail, but the bail was revoked immediately after Abhisit announced the 2011 elections. They were not allowed to vote in the elections. Abhisit unveiled a slate of candidates highlighted by 30 celebrities and heirs of political families, including Chitpas Bhirombhakdi , heiress of the Singha Beer fortune and former staff member of Abhisit's secretariat office. She had earlier resigned after she
735-598: The commission. The first session of the National Assembly was convoked on Monday, 1 August at Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and its state opening was held at the same time. Following the victory by Pheu Thai Party, several countries, including Germany and Japan, lifted the ban that had once been imposed upon Thaksin Shinawatra, a convicted felon in Thailand. After the 2007 Thai general election ,
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#1732779517098770-657: The country's strict lèse-majesté law, which prohibits open criticism of members of the Thai Royal Family . Yet another example was the newspaper's failure during the Vietnam War to report on bombing forays made from US Air Force bases in Thailand over military targets in North Vietnam and Cambodia , none of which received coverage in the local press. Throughout the early-2000s, the Bangkok Post took positions that were, at times, generally favorable to
805-426: The election. The Pheu Thai Party promised to increase the minimum wage to 300 baht per day. Abhisit had promised to raise the minimum wage to 300 baht prior to the elections, but changed his mind after pressure from employers. Rak Thailand Party of Chuwit Kamolvisit conducted a vigorous "Angry Man" campaign pledging to be in opposition to whichever party won. For Heaven and Earth Party (political arm of
840-641: The government. After the Thai election of 2011 the paper took a largely anti-Thaksin position aligned with the Yellow Shirts and the Democrat Party . The Bangkok Post was at one time well known among expatriates for Bernard Trink 's weekly Nite Owl column, which covered the nightlife of Bangkok. Trink's column was published from 1966 (originally in the Bangkok World ) until 2004, when it
875-438: The largest in Thai history and were mostly peaceful. In April and May 2010 heavy Red Shirt protests led to violent clashes and the military cracked down on the protest camp in the heart of Bangkok from 13 to 19 May 2010. Abhisit government's had passed several major amendments on electoral laws on 11 February 2011, transforming the constituency vote from multiple-seats-per-constituency to single-seat-per-constituency, reducing
910-424: The latter part of the campaign, the Democrat Party (10) changed theirs to Green. The Democrat Party promised that with their rule all Thais would live "under the same sky" with all groups being served fairly, whereas a Pheu Thai victory would result in "mob rule" in which social division and violence would spread and some groups could stand above the law. Abhisit referred to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as
945-417: The newspaper. The targeted audience includes individuals studying English and teachers using articles in the classroom. The editor of Bangkok Post Learning is British national Gary Boyle. Umesh Pandey Umesh Pandey ( Thai : อุเมส ปานเดย์ ) is a Thai journalist and politician, currently serving as Thai Trade Representative . Umesh previously served as editor of the Bangkok Post and an adviser to
980-438: The number of constituency MPs, and increasing the proportional party list MPs. In the previous general elections in 2007, the Democrat Party had lost the constituency vote but won the proportional party list vote. On 17 February 2011 Prime Minister Abhisit announced that parliament would be dissolved by June. On 11 March 2011, it was further announced that parliament would be dissolved by the first week of May 2011. Previously
1015-401: The runway of the prestige project Suvarnabhumi Airport along with the news editor, while The Nation , the Post' s competitor, actively campaigned for Thaksin to resign. Bangkok Post columnist Andrew Biggs , who had previously worked at The Nation , views the Post as the "more staid" of the two dailies. He noted that both publications have been "...champions of democracy. The Nation
1050-446: The same day that the recently approved electoral laws (to 2007 Constitution §§93–98 involving method of electing members of parliament ) are constitutional. Had parliament been dissolved without the ruling, there would have been a possibility of challenging the election date. This election covered 375 single-member constituencies , and 125 under proportional party lists . After registration closed, party leaders participated in
1085-506: Was a pressure group that opposed the Thai military's alleged influence in the formation of Abhisit's government. It promptly organised several rounds of protests and calls for general elections. Abhisit government finally ordered the military to crack down on the Red Shirts in 2009, resulting in several deaths and hundreds of injuries on both sides. The Red Shirts launched a new round of protests in mid-2010, again demanding new elections. The 14 March protest, centered around Phan Fah bridge, were
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1120-420: Was caught handing out nude calendars to secretariat office staff. The Chartthaipattana fielded four sports celebrities as candidates: former national team football player Piyapong Pue-on , tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan , Olympic taekwondo bronze medallist Yaowapa Boorapolchai , and former rugby player Apirak Areemitr . Abhisit promised to increase the minimum wage by 25% if the Democrat Party won
1155-418: Was discontinued. The newspaper has a letters page where expatriate and Thai regulars exchange opinions on local and international concerns. According to the Post , more than half of its total readership are Thai nationals. During the tenure of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra , the Post largely toed the government line—at one point bowing to government pressure by firing a reporter who had exposed cracks in
1190-1426: Was dissolved by the Constitutional Court . This article about a Thai politician is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 2011 Thai general election Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) Dipangkorn Rasmijoti Paetongtarn Shinawatra ( PTP ) Phumtham Wechayachai ( PTP ) Suriya Juangroongruangkit ( PTP ) Anutin Charnvirakul ( BTP ) Pirapan Salirathavibhaga ( UTN ) Pichai Chunhavajira ( PTP ) Prasert Jantararuangtong ( PTP ) Wan Muhamad Noor Matha ( PCC ) Mongkol Surasajja [REDACTED] Wan Muhamad Noor Matha ( PCC ) Pichet Chuamuangphan ( PTP ) Paradorn Prissanananthakul ( BTP ) Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut ( PP ) [REDACTED] Mongkol Surasajja Kriangkrai Srirak Bunsong Noisophon President: Chanakarn Theeravechpolkul President: Prasitsak Meelarp President: Nakarin Mektrairat Diplomatic missions of / in Thailand Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Borders : Cambodia Laos Malaysia Myanmar (Maritime : India Indonesia Vietnam) Foreign aid General elections were held in Thailand on 3 July 2011 to elect
1225-442: Was just a little more vocal about it." Biggs's column in the Bangkok Post was ended with the 30 December 2019 edition. A special Learning section of the Bangkok Post website helps Thais learn to read English by using the daily newspaper. Vocabulary, reading questions, video and web resources are provided for a selection of articles every day. Articles are taken from the general news, tourism, entertainment, and business sections of
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