If you are looking for a quality English language newspaper in Pattaya, don’t bother. Actually, you could probably use that sentence, replacing “Pattaya” with the city or country of your choice and it would still be true; but that is your problem. My problem is finding a decent source of news for the city I live in; and there isn’t one.
The two main offerings are The Pattaya Mail and Pattaya Today; and I suppose I should start by declaring that I used to write for both of them.
The Pattaya Mail’s content comprises verbatim reporting of local news stories (murder, rape, robbery), padded out with social events usually involving the proprietors of the paper. Then add 50% for adverts, mainly for property which had no chance of selling. In my desire to write something, I offered to produce a column devoted to movie reviews and music. There was no pay, and absolutely no indication of gratitude from the editors. Having frequently sought advice on how much I should write, and always being told “up to you”; they decided that one of my submissions was too long and edited it (badly) with no consultation. So I left and went to write for Pattaya Today.
This was much better publication to write for. They actually seemed to care about their contributors and even bought us all a meal every few months. Writing as Spike Tennyson and Justin Trousers (geddit?), I produced Sight and Sound and Computer Monitor (geddit?); hard-hitting, brilliant pieces (not really) on the state of the movie and music industries, and reviews of the computer games that I liked to play.
After a while, I became bored of writing about the same topics week after week; so I stopped and started this load of nonsense; which allows me to write about what I want, when I want; even if it doesn’t get me a free meal every few months.
Still, I retained an affection for Pattaya Today. It had the same crap news as The Pattaya Mail; but there were also some columns which offered occasional amusement, and a friendly editor and owner.
But recently the paper has fallen on hard times. Many of the contributors left, maybe because there was a new owner who did not know what he was doing (allegedly); and lost millions of baht as a result (fact).
Many of the ex-contributors have now appeared in the first issue of a new publication, Pattaya One. In fact Pattaya One’s pitch seems to be that it has these people writing for it; and is offering very little besides. Issue 1 is offered as a free download and has sixteen pages. I assumed this was just an extract, so I handed over my 15 baht for the actual paper; and that had the same sixteen pages.
About seven of those pages are advertising (mainly property), which leaves nine pages of content. There is the obligatory column from an unbiased property commentator who just happens to work in real estate; who as usual manages to include the words “investor”, “market” and “opportunity” in the same sentence. In response I would offer a sentence containing the words “a”, “fucking” and “lie”; but I understand that nonsense like this helps ensure there will be property adverts in the next issue.
I was rather hoping for some news. Not the usual re-hashed police reports as used by the other papers; but some actual observations on what is going on in this fetid metropolis. Instead there is a single piece, focusing on the Thai wife of a foreigner who won a lawn bowls championship. Sigh.
There is a one page report on how to build a road, using the Thappraya mess as an example. I suppose this is a close to investigative journalism as we are likely to see.
The rest of the paper is made up of columns from ex-Pattaya Today writers, plus a couple of new contributors. Too much emphasis on the bar girl scene for my liking; what they really need are some articles on movies, music and computer games.
Still, I wish the venture well, especially as their business model seems to include the concept that all future issues will be free to download. And it’s better than the UK’s Daily Mail.
Comments 🔗
2010-10-03| TT saysErrrmmmmm, one is somewhat confused what that garbage is all about. As a former contributor to aviation tech mags and motorccle mags, and me old Mum stil writing for the best publications in Blighty and she is 89 years old, am somewhat dumbfounded as to what your point is?. Ever read any of James Cameron’s reportage?. Nae worries, where you come from, it takes your first release from young offenders to even accept that a pencil is not just for stabbing people in the eye. Pip -Pip, TT.
2010-10-03| Ed saysFound the original article easier to read than TT’s comments so can only assume aviation tech has a small following….
Love the the comment on the property market.
Sign him up Pattaya One. That is so long as he doesn’t bite the hand that feeds him now and again… the property developers.
2010-10-03| Jon saysWhen I was a journalist (until very recently) I was approached to write for the Pattaya Mail and was astonished to see just how shite the pay was - the (modest) standard rate of pay in Bangkok is five times higher.
Pay peanuts, get monkeys…exception for those like you who did it out of passion.
2010-10-04| genuinej saysThere’s very little that’s not better than the UK’s Daily Mail. Even Pattaya People is marginally so.
2010-10-04| Steve Mays saysI have been living in Pattaya and working in the Eastern Seaboard for 5 years and for the last 2 years our company has been getting the Pattaya Times newspaper.
The Pattaya Times is by far the best of all Pattaya newspapers with content rarely seen in the other papers on topical subjects of interest to readers who focus on business, events and what is going on in Bangkok and Pattaya that affects foreigners living here.
In the Pattaya Times is no crime drama, or photos of accidents or bar girl dribble.Just interesting, useful articles.
Pay 20 baht and read the Pattaya Times. You may become a loyal reader as we have at Ford.
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2010-10-05| Billy the Brush saysMy God, how did a normal person get in here?
2010-10-05| Spike saysThanks Steve, will check it out. Might even write something complimentary about it. While you are here, could you please produce a proper truck for the Thai market; preferably with a V8 and for less than a million baht. You will sell at least one.
2010-10-07| Kevin saysI wasn’t sure but always suspected that justin trousers column was you. Quite enjoyed it, especially liked the review you did on that nutcase that went to Alaska every year to play with the grizzly bears.
2010-10-07| Spike saysJustin Trousers had a fan? Should have you stuffed and stuck on a plinth.
2010-10-09| Kathy Reyes saysHi Mr Spike. I hope you still remember me. I enjoyed reading your article. How are you? I left Pattaya Today for a year. Now, I’m back managing the newspaper. Hope to hear from you soon.