Pravit Rojanaphruk :
A Thank You Note To Dear Readers & Viewers of Khaosod English
จดหมายขอบคุณผู้อ่านข่าวสดอิงลิช (ภาษาไทยอยู่ด้านล่าง)
The flood of messages expressing sadness at the demise of Khaosod English online news over the weekend touched me deeply and I feel compelled to write a thank you note here.
Thank you. Thank you for making us know that we have been a part of your life and how you understand what’s going on in Thailand, particularly politics and people’s politics. It is with a heavy heart for me to type these words to all of you.
Since the management abruptly asked us to help them earn incomes at the Thai-language Khaosod (Thai language) which is the breadwinner, I feel it’s only right to lessen their burden by spending most of the time to help the Thai-language sister.
I and Tappanai (@tappanai_b) will continue to do FB Live coverage as usual, actually even more frequent, although it will be in two languages, Thai and English. That means I can rant less in English.
As I understand, the Twitter and Facebook account of @khaosodEnglish will remain and we will continue to offer some content, particularly FB Live, bilingual news and life-style related video clips and my weekly English-language column every Saturday – so please continue to follow. The English-language Thai-media is larger than Khaosod English and the four of us, myself, Teeranai Charuvastra, Asaree Thaitrakulpanich and Tappanai Boonbandit.
Personally, I will continue to offer whatever I can in terms of brief up date and analysis and my strong opinion on what’s happening in Thailand and beyond on my Facebook page: Pravit Rojanaphruk and Twitter @PravitR . Till death or prison do us part, which ever comes first. This I have been doing ever since the Thai junta, led by Gen Prayut Chan-ocha, detained me in an informal facilities for “attitude adjustment” in 2014 and 2015.
My attitude cannot be adjusted and you can expect me to continue to communicate with you on my personal Facebook account Pravit Rojanaphruk and on Twitter @PravitR.
What’s more, the English-language Thai media landscape continues to exist beyond Khaosod English or The Bangkok Post. For those still wanting to know about what’s going on in Thailand, please check out and follow Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer), Thisrupt (@Thisruptdotco), Prachatai English (@prachatai_en), The Isaan Record (@isaanrecord), BK Magazine (@bkmagazine), Thai PBS and Coconuts (@coconuts), where two former Khaosod earlier left and joined the tropical-sounding media outfit.
Again, no words could describe how touched we are by the tributes and this is a reminder that what we did isn’t futile, inconsequential or redundant.
With fortitude, I will carry on and make sure that with one door now more than half closed, a new door is to be pushed open and explored with public service in mind. When the then The Nation newspaper asked me to resign after over two decades of working there because the Thai military junta, led by Gen Prayut, detained me without charge for the second time in the latter half of 2015, I did not stop. Eventually I was invited by the late Tagoon Boonpan, then deputy chair of Matichon Group, to join Khaosod English on that year.
Journalism is not just a job for me. It’s a calling. It’s a calling and contract to serve and make the public well-informed, to make society freer, more equal, just and democratic. I am no one’s public relations. And I shall find ways to continue to serve.
With that note, merci, thank you, takk, arigatou, danke, spaseeba, komab sumnida, xiexie, shukraan, salamat, terimah kasih and khob khun maak krub.
Always have faith in serendipity. This is not a farewell but au revoir!
Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer
March 8, 2021
Bangkok