Thepchai Yong
Encyclopedia
Thepchai Yong is a Thai
newspaper and television journalist known for his reporting on corruption and his criticism of the governments of Suchinda Kraprayoon
and Thaksin Shinawatra
.
Thepchai Yong began his journalism career in the early 1980s as a proofreader for the Thai English-language daily The Nation
. He eventually worked his way up the position of editor, a position he still held during the 1992 "Black May" democratic uprising against the military government of General Suchinda Kraprayoon
. Despite military pressure, Thepchai Yong refused the Suchinda government's demands for The Nation to downplay its coverage of the protests and resulting military reprisals. His actions won him the International Press Freedom Award
of the Committee to Protect Journalists later that year.
From 1996 to 2000, Thepchai Yong served as News Director of iTV
, the nation's first independent television network. During this time, he became known for his investigations into political scandals and corruption. He also acted as anchor for the station's primary news broadcast. Following election of Thaksin Shinawatra, however, he found himself sacked for his unflattering coverage of the prime minister's telecommunications conglomerate, the Shin Corporation
.
After leaving iTV, Thepchai Yong helped found the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association in 2001, serving as its president from 2002-2004. During this time, The Nation, with which Thepchai Yong was still active, reportedly found itself under increasing pressure from the government of Thaksin Shinawatra. In 2003, the group's Thai-language paper Kom Chad Luek
came under pressure not to run a story that Panthongtae Shinawatra
, the prime minister's son, had been caught cheating on a college exam; Thepchai Yong ran the story on the paper's front page, and was subsequently forced to resign from the Nation Multimedia Group.
Thepchai Yong became Managing Director of the Thai Public Broadcasting Service
—a government entity which replaced iTV—in 2008.
from Harvard University
's Nieman Foundation for Journalism
. He has also won the Human Rights Press Award of Amnesty International
.
In 2010, he traveled to Washington, DC to receive an Internews
Media Leadership Award.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
newspaper and television journalist known for his reporting on corruption and his criticism of the governments of Suchinda Kraprayoon
Suchinda Kraprayoon
Suchinda Kraprayoon was Prime Minister of Thailand from 7 April 1992 until 24 May 1992.Suchinda, son of Juang and Sompong Kraprayoon, was born 6 August 1933 in the province of Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, and is of Chinese and Mon descent...
and Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
.
Thepchai Yong began his journalism career in the early 1980s as a proofreader for the Thai English-language daily The Nation
The Nation (Thailand)
The Nation is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper founded in 1971 and published in Bangkok, Thailand, and is owned by the Nation Multimedia Group.The Nation is a member of the Asia News Network...
. He eventually worked his way up the position of editor, a position he still held during the 1992 "Black May" democratic uprising against the military government of General Suchinda Kraprayoon
Suchinda Kraprayoon
Suchinda Kraprayoon was Prime Minister of Thailand from 7 April 1992 until 24 May 1992.Suchinda, son of Juang and Sompong Kraprayoon, was born 6 August 1933 in the province of Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, and is of Chinese and Mon descent...
. Despite military pressure, Thepchai Yong refused the Suchinda government's demands for The Nation to downplay its coverage of the protests and resulting military reprisals. His actions won him the International Press Freedom Award
CPJ International Press Freedom Awards
The CPJ International Press Freedom Awards honour journalists around the world who show courage in defending press freedom in the face of attacks, threats or imprisonment. Created in 1991, the awards are administered by the Committee to Protect Journalists....
of the Committee to Protect Journalists later that year.
From 1996 to 2000, Thepchai Yong served as News Director of iTV
ITV (Thailand)
iTV was a television station in Thailand, owned by ITV Public Company Limited , a unit of Shin Corporation. Thailand's first UHF channel, the station was started in 1995 when the company was granted a 30-year concession by the Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office to...
, the nation's first independent television network. During this time, he became known for his investigations into political scandals and corruption. He also acted as anchor for the station's primary news broadcast. Following election of Thaksin Shinawatra, however, he found himself sacked for his unflattering coverage of the prime minister's telecommunications conglomerate, the Shin Corporation
Shin Corporation
Shin Corporation is one of the largest conglomerates in Thailand.- History :It was founded in 1983 as Shinawatra Computer by Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand, and took on its current name in 1999, by using the first four letters of his last name...
.
After leaving iTV, Thepchai Yong helped found the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association in 2001, serving as its president from 2002-2004. During this time, The Nation, with which Thepchai Yong was still active, reportedly found itself under increasing pressure from the government of Thaksin Shinawatra. In 2003, the group's Thai-language paper Kom Chad Luek
Kom Chad Luek
Kom Chad Luek is a mass-circulation Thai-language daily newspaper launched in 2001 and published in Bangkok, Thailand by the Nation Multimedia Group...
came under pressure not to run a story that Panthongtae Shinawatra
Panthongtae Shinawatra
Panthongtae Shinawatra , nickname Oak, is the only son of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.He became a billionaire after having been given a large portion of his father's stock in Shin Corporation which transferred to him shortly before Thaksin ascended to the position of prime...
, the prime minister's son, had been caught cheating on a college exam; Thepchai Yong ran the story on the paper's front page, and was subsequently forced to resign from the Nation Multimedia Group.
Thepchai Yong became Managing Director of the Thai Public Broadcasting Service
Thai Public Broadcasting Service
The Thai Public Broadcasting Service , or, in brief, TPBS , is a public broadcasting service in Thailand. It is established by the Thai Public Broadcasting Service Act, BE 2551 , which came into force as from January 15, 2008...
—a government entity which replaced iTV—in 2008.
Awards
In 2005, Thepchai Yong won a Nieman FellowshipNieman Fellowship
The Nieman Fellowship is an award given to mid-career journalists by The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. This award allows winners time to reflect on their careers and focus on honing their skills....
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Nieman Foundation for Journalism
Nieman Foundation for Journalism
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University is the primary journalism institution at Harvard. It was founded in 1938 as the result of a $1 million bequest by Agnes Wahl Nieman, the widow of Lucius W. Nieman, founder of The Milwaukee Journal...
. He has also won the Human Rights Press Award of Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
.
In 2010, he traveled to Washington, DC to receive an Internews
Internews
Internews Network is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to empower local media worldwide to give people the news and information they need, the ability to connect, and the means to make their voices heard...
Media Leadership Award.