Keeping a pulse on political, economic and social developments in Thailand is never an easy task even if you live in Thailand. A certain skill is needed to read between the lines of not only what is said but what has not been said. I have another purpose. Often I will come across an article about a place or person that sends me out the door to investigate for possible material to be used in a novel. Many of my novels also have a political angle and it is good to have a wide source of opinion and information about the fault lines that characters seek to avoid. Often news from the political world reads like noir fiction and that makes it all the more compelling to form part of a crime novel.
The leading English language newspapers are:
But if you are looking for alternative points of view and independent voices, I would recommend the following blogs:
For a line by line (or blow by blow) analysis of one person’s take on the quality of analysis and reasoning by members of the local press Thailand Jumped the Shark is a provocative, edgy and frequently insightful website.
If you like satire and parody, then Siam Sentinel takes on the sacred cows. Irony isn’t a natural part of the Thai political tradition where it is often seen as a personal assault. Sometimes the cross-cultural perception, especially when expressed as satire can cause amusing misunderstandings. The posting are often very funny.
Two other blogs worth checking out are Bangkok Pundit and for a more scholarly blog New Mandala
Comments