The Bulletin

Stephff's world

FCCT Executive Committee 2025

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People’s Amnesty -- the rights way forward for Thailand

Panel disucssion,
Monday, 28 April, 7pm

Thailand faces a critical crossroads for human rights, where the path taken could either advance reform or entrench human rights violations. Since the 2006 coup, over 5,000 individuals have been politically prosecuted. A large portion of these prosecutions occurred since the 2020 pro- democracy movement, during which nearly 2,000 people -- including 280 children -- were charged under repressive laws for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Despite the formation of a civilian-led government in September 2023, led by the Pheu Thai Party, political prosecutions persist, with 688 cases involving 1,238 individuals still ongoing. Thailand cannot achieve political reconciliation if it continues to prosecute and imprison people for peacefully expressing dissent.The People’s Amnesty Bill, proposed by over 20 civil society organizations last year, seeks to address the political repression since the 2006 coup and ease the growing political divide in Thailand. After collecting over 35,905 signatures, the Bill was submitted into Parliament on 14 February 2024. Since then, it remained in the legislative pipeline until it was scheduled for deliberation in Parliament on 9 April 2025 -- one day before the parliamentary session came to an end. However, it was delayed yet again. If the Bill were to be included in the next parliamentary session, scheduled to open in July 2025, it will have to pass three voting sessions.While there is broad political consensus on granting some form of amnesty, disagreement remains over the inclusion of the lèse-majesté law (Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code). In October 2020, General Prayut Chan-ocha resorted once more to the law in response to the pro-democracy movement. That has led to no fewer than 279 individuals charged and a conviction rate near 90%. Over 60% of political prisoners (30 out of 47) are also detained under Section 112. Despite these concerns, the People’s Amnesty Bill is the only amnesty bill in Parliament that guarantees amnesty for victims charged and/or prosecuted under the lèse-majesté law.Moreover, the international community has repeatedly voiced concerns on these issues. UN experts have called on Thailand to repeal the lèse-majesté law, drop charges against those facing prosecution, and release those sentenced. Meanwhile, the European Parliament adopted an Urgency Resolution in March 2025, calling on Thailand to amend or repeal the law, and demanding that amnesty be granted to victims of political prosecution. As a current member of the UN Human Rights Council and an important partner to the European Union, Thailand must be held to a higher standard of human rights.This seminar aims to raise awareness about the importance of amnesty as a necessary first step toward political reconciliation and the protection of fundamental rights in Thailand. It is also aimed to highlight the foster constructive engagement between Thai civil society and the international diplomatic community on ways to support a rights-based path forward.Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate, advocacy lead, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).Sasinan Thamnithinan, member of parliament from the People’s Party.Prajak Kongkirati, associate professor, Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University.Melinn Supitcha, activist and political Refugee.Free and open to all.Bar and restaurant open.

The fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge 50 years ago: An evening with Roland Neveu and Jon Swain,  eyewitnesses to history

Wednesday, 30 April, 7pm

Khmer Rouge forces enter Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, on 17 April 1975 without resistance. That was the start of over three years of genocidal misrule by Pol Pot's Democratic Kampuchea regime that would leave over 1.8 million people dead.Accredited to Gamma, one of France’s legendary photo agencies, Roland Neveu was just 25 and one of 22 foreign journalists listed by the French embassy in Phnom Penh on 17 April 1975. Another was Jon Swain, a British journalist working for the Sunday Times in London. Swain was one of the four journalists featured in the Oscar-winning blockbuster 'The killing fields'.That day, the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge finally entered the riverside Cambodian capital after weeks of shelling and heavy fighting that just days before had cost future Prime Minister Hun Sen an eye. The city was bloated with people in search of food and security who hoped the Vietnam War would finally end and give Cambodians a chance to recover their normal lives and common humanity.

Within days, the entire city was emptied on the spurious pretext that U.S. bombing, which had already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, would resume. The sick, elderly, pregnant women and infants were marched off into the war-ravaged countryside.US Ambassador John Gunther Dean and other Americans had mostly been evacuated five days earlier by marine helicopters in Operation Eagle Pull -- an abandonment that haunted the veteran diplomat to his dying day.

Prince Sirik Matak, who would die a slow, painful death on 21 April, famously declined a ticket out. “I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly manner,” he wrote to Ambassador Dean. “As for you, and in particular for your great country, I never believed for a moment that you would have this sentiment of abandoning a people, which has chosen liberty.”The harrowing scenes at the French embassy, where many were turned away to hopeless futures or death, have been recorded in the books of French anthropologist Francois Bizot (‘The gate’) and Jon Swain (‘River of time: A memoir of Vietnam’), as well as the Oscar-winning film ‘The killing fields’.

Prince Sirik Matak, left, Cambodia's acting prime minister, sits in the Oval Office with President Richard Nixon in 1971. The prince was brutally murdered by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 after rebuking the U.S. for its perfidy in abandoning Cambodia. (Photo credit: Library of Congress)It was Year Zero, Cambodia was about to endure a three-and-half-year holocaust under the Democratic Kampuchea regime of Pol Pot, and over 1.8 million Cambodians would die by execution, overwork, starvation or medical neglect. One of the darkest experiments in political history anywhere was about to begin.Moderator: Dominic Faulder, FCCT vice president and Nikkei Asia associate editor.Members who wish to book in advance should email info@fccthai.com or call the FCCT office on 02-652-0580.Non-members can use this link.

A exhibition of Roland Neveu's historic photographs from 1975 will be on display in the club from April 28.

Members free, non-members 450 baht; students with ID, 150 baht.
Bar and restaurant open.

Coworking at the FCCT

Tuesday, 29 April, 10am

Need a change of scenery from your home office? Join us for a coworking day at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) -- a perfect space for working professionals, digital nomads and anyone looking to break free from the home-office routine.

Enjoy a spacious, comfortable workspace with dedicated tables, a full restaurant, café and bar and exclusive lunch specials just for this event.

Whether you're tackling deadlines or networking with like-minded professionals, this is an opportunity to be productive in a collaborative, social environment. Come work, connect, and enjoy great food because working remotely doesn’t have to mean working alone.

Hosted by Nick Bernhardt, FCCT treasurer and managing director of Khayan Consultants.

Free and open to all.

Board games night

Tuesday, 29 April, 7pm

Join us for a chilled night of board games with The Boring Club. Try your luck with classics like chess and backgammon or modern games including Catan and Pandemic.The bar and restaurant will be open. Try our pizzas from the new pizza oven. The Boring Club meets at the FCCT clubhouse for games every Tuesday at 7pm.

Free and open to all.

Artificial intelligence, press freedom and the media: Will AI help or hinder South-East Asia’s newsrooms?

Friday, 2 May, 7pm

Across the region, economic pressure, surveillance threats to journalists and disinformation are placing growing strain on the media. For many small and independent newsrooms, survival is a daily struggle. In this atmosphere, AI tools present both promise and peril. Can they help small outlets stay afloat by cutting costs, boosting efficiency and amplifying underrepresented voices? Or will they deepen existing divides, reinforcing bias and displacing journalists?To mark World Press Freedom Day, UNESCO Bangkok and the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand will host a panel that brings together journalists, media experts and technologists to examine AI’s growing role in the newsroom. Drawing on experiences from Thailand, Myanmar, and beyond, we ask:How are newsrooms using AI today -- and what’s holding them back?Can AI support independent journalism and minority media?What are the ethical and editorial risks of automated contentAnd how can we ensure AI strengthens press freedom?Speakers will include the following:Charlie Beckett, founding director of polis, and director of the JournalismAI Project, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).Pijitra Suppasawatgul, vice dean for social engagement, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.Mike Raomanachai, lead trainer, Cofact Thailand, and vice-president for Southeast Asia, Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)-Asia.Nattha Komolvadhin, news director, The STANDARD.Moderator: Francesca Regalado, journalist.Free and open to the public.

Dateline -- Saigon

Documentary screening with producer and director Thomas D. Herman
Thursday, 8 May, 7pm

“If the government is telling the truth, reporters become a minor, relatively unimportant conduit to what is happening. But when the government doesn’t tell the truth, begins to twist the truth, hide the truth, then the journalist becomes involuntarily infinitely more important.” -- David Halberstam, The New York Times, in Dateline-SaigonSoutheast Asia. 1960's. Flash point of the Cold War. The award-winning documentary Dateline-Saigon tells the inspiring story of a small group of young journalists -- David Halberstam, Neil Sheehan, Malcolm Browne, Peter Arnett and the great photojournalist Horst Faas.During the early years of the Vietnam War -- even as their own governments sought to discredit them – these journalists reported truth on the ground vastly different from the rosy White House version, and all won Pulitzers.Dateline-Saigon is a distant mirror to a present-day drama: the determination of courageous citizens to speak truth to power and hold government to account. Narrated by Sam Waterston and produced and directed by Thomas D. Herman, the film combines the drama and high stakes of All the President's Men with the romance and danger of The Year of Living Dangerously.This documentary is the third of three FCCT programmes marking the 50^th anniversary of the fall of Indochina to communism in April 1975.  Director Thomas D. Herman will be joining remotely from Boston.Members who wish to book in advance should email info@fccthai.com or call the FCCT office on 02-652-0580.Non-members can use this link.Members free, non-members 300 baht; students with ID, 150 baht.Bar and restaurant open.

Progress on the charge of genocide against Israel

Panel discussion with Facebook livestream,
Thursday, 15 May, 7pm

Gaza’s devastated landscape. (Photo by Jaber Jehad Badwan)After Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, the subsequent devastation of Gaza and tremendous loss of Palestinian lives stunned the world.In December 2023, the Republic of South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice, and in January 2024 the court passed an interim ruling that there was a plausible case to answer for genocide. Fifteen months later, Israel continues to exact terrible retribution with major materiel support from the U.S.In pursuit of justice, a group of like-minded states came together to defend the Palestinians. The Hague Group -- Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa -- has expressed its intent to hold Israel to account through the court. The South African ambassador to Thailand and other diplomatic representatives from the Hague Group will provide an update on the progress of the charge of genocide against Israel at the ICJ.     Speakers:HE Darkey Ephraim Africa, ambassador to Thailand of the Republic of South Africa.Representatives from the embassies of other members of the Hague Group.Moderator: Assistant Professor Nick Ferriman, Mahidol University International College.This is not an FCCT event and is being organized by Palestine Solidarity Campaign Thailand.Bar and restaurant open. Free and open to all.

Policies and patterns: State-abetted transnational crime in Cambodia as a global security threat

Research launch and panel discussion,
Thursday, 16 May, 12.30pm

Southeast Asia’s transnational cybercriminal industry is perhaps the most significant economic force in the entire Mekong sub-region -- equivalent to 40% or more of the GDP in the primary host countries, according to recent information from the US Institute for Peace. At the same time, the syndicates and their opaque transnational linkages are amassing even more dangerous political power. Local elites across the region are implicated neck deep and in certain contexts the industry appears “too big to fail”. Such dominance and global reach by a single criminal economy is virtually unprecedented -- generating a vast array of stability and security risks and earning its label as “the most powerful criminal network of the modern era”.

This event profiles a new US government-funded study (Policies and Patterns: State-abetted Transnational Crime in Cambodia) that exposes this new global security threat which is centered in Cambodia. Drawing on scholarly/policy literature, open-source data, and over 50 interviews with experts, journalists, diplomats and survivors, the report explores how Cambodia’s state-crime nexus has incubated the perfect conditions for scam syndicates to emerge and thrive -- and why conventional diplomatic and reform-seeking interventions are failing to stop them.

Following a presentation by study author Jacob Sims, a panel of other leading regional experts will reflect on the implications of this new data on Cambodia, recent regional trends, and the stark implications for concerned governments, multilateral bodies and the private sector.

Panel:

Jacob Sims, visiting fellow, Asia center, Harvard University.

Lindsey Kennedy, research director, Eyewitness Project.

Mark Taylor, former chief of party, counter-trafficking project (Cambodia), Winrock International.

Jason Tower, regional transnational crime expert.

Moderator: Phil Robertson, director, Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, and FCCT board member.

Members who wish to book in advance should email info@fccthai.com or call the FCCT office on 02-652-0580.

Non-members can use this link.

Members free, non-members 200 baht.Bar and restaurant open.

FCCT pub trivia

Friday, 16 May, 7pm

Gather your friends and colleagues for a night of pub trivia at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.

Come for a bite and a beverage and test your knowledge. 1,000 baht bar tab up for grabs for the winning team, to be redeemed on the night.

Advanced table bookings encouraged here.

Free and open to all.

Democrats Abroad Thailand (DAT) annual general meeting

Thursday, 22 May, 6.30pm

Democrats Abroad Thailand Annual General Meeting will begin with a discussion of President Trump's first 100 days. This will be followed by DAT officer elections and other business matters.This event is a private meeting open to all members and prospective members of DAT; membership requires American citizenship. Free pizza will be provided to all attendees.

This is not an FCCT-organized event.

Democratic jungle: The invisible struggles of the workers who power our world

Photo exhibition and panel discussion,
Friday, 23 May, 6.30pm

We live in a world where everything we need -- products, services and workspaces -- is readily available. Yet, it has become all too easy to overlook the hidden struggles of those who make it all possible. As technology connects us across vast distances, it has also distanced us from the individuals who power our daily lives.Their reality, often marked by exploitation, inequality and suffering, is overshadowed by the corporate language of "ethical sourcing," "fair trade," "social impact," and "sustainability."These words fill boardrooms and marketing campaigns, crafting a vision of progress. But what about the workers behind the scenes -- those whose well-being is rarely considered in the definitions of "wellness" or "eco-friendly" labor conditions?Too often, we hear: "At least they have a job" or “It is cultural.” But would that answer be enough if it were your daughter, your mother or your grandfather working under these conditions?This exhibition challenges us to rethink the systems we participate in, to confront the human cost of convenience and to ask: How can we create a more just and equitable world for those who remain unseen?Nathalie Jamois is a French photojournalist based in Bangkok since 2008, documenting the social, cultural and political landscapes of Southeast Asia. With a sharp documentary approach, her work captures the complexities of human stories -- focusing on resilience, identity and the forces shaping contemporary society. Whether immersed in the energy of city streets or sharing quiet moments with her subjects, her images reveal both the visible and the unseen, inviting viewers to engage with the deeper narratives behind each frame. Covering everything from social movements to corporate and cultural events, she strives to create visual stories that inform, challenge perceptions and spark dialogue. Her work has been featured in Forbes, The Guardian, Le Figaro, Rolling Stone and by groups like Amnesty International, and more, bringing attention to the intricate realities of the region through a lens of authenticity and depth.Panel will include Nathalie Jamois, and additional persons to be announced.Moderator: Phil Robertson, FCCT board member.Members who wish to book in advance should email info@fccthai.com or call the FCCT office on 02-652-0580.Exhibition duration -- May 24 to June 20, 2025 (free and open to all).

Free and open to all.
Bar and restaurant open.

A stitch in time: Bangkok Refugees embroider their life stories

Exhibition launch, art exhibit and panel discussion,
Friday, 20 June 20, 7pm

There are at least 6000 refugees who live in Bangkok who are registered with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and thousands more are in the process of seeking asylum.Where do they all come from? How are they surviving day to day? What challenges do they face in finding food, shelter, safety and income? What do they fear? And what is their plan for the future and path to a better life?On World Refugee Day, advocates and experts will answer those and other questions and celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of several groups of highland refugees from Vietnam who are using a unique way to tell their stories and earn income through embroidery about their lived experiences.On display will be an exhibition of amazing, embroidered triptychs, telling the stories of highland refugees from Vietnam. The exhibition has been collected by refugee advocate Gerda Liebmann, who uses art as a catalyst to encourage healing from trauma.Liebmann work focuses on fostering the emotional relief for refugees that arises when participants tell their stories using paper and paint and, in this case, needle and thread. The triptychs help explain why these refugees fled Vietnam, what they are facing in Thailand and the futures that they dream about.A panel of experts will speak about the triptychs, the refugee community making them and the wider issues facing urban refugees in Bangkok.Gerda Liebmann, art therapist, Visual Arts Mission Asia.Rachel Djamaludin, community relations and education support, Life Raft International. Other panelists to be announced.Moderator: Phil Robertson, director, Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, and FCCT board member.Free and open to all.Bar and restaurant open.

The FCCT is grateful for the support of corporate sponsor Bitkub. For more information about the club's corporate sponsorship program contact: info@fccthai.com.

The FCCT expresses appreciation for the support provided by corporate sponsor Bumrungrad International Hospital. For more information about the club's corporate sponsorship program contact: info@fccthai.com.

Heart valve disease: A possible hidden danger!

The heart consists of 4 chambers with the valves opening and closing to let blood pass through between the upper and the lower chambers in one direction, and not backward.

Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart valves do not open or close properly. This causes the heart muscles to work harder to pump blood for the body’s requirements. This can result in heart failure and death.

What are the symptoms of heart valve diseases?

• Fatigue, tired when doing daily activities.
• Difficulty breathing while doing activities or lying down.
• Rapid weight gain.
• Swelling in various organs such as the abdomen, legs, ankles and feet.
• Cardiac arrhythmia such as fast or irregular heartbeat.
• Fever and body aches, if due to infection.
• In severe cases, too much fluid in the lungs, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.

What is the treatment for heart valve disease?

There are many ways to treat heart valve disease. Currently, Bumrungrad Hospital has the technology for heart valve replacement without surgery, offering good results and highly safe.

Learn more about heart valve disease and treatment option here.

Send us an enquiry today by clicking here.

Additional special offer for FCCT members around N3Con 2025

Additional offer extend to FCCT members before and in parallel with N3Con 2025, and the 5th edition of the executive leadership program Asia, a flagship AAJA training program that has groomed several generations of newsroom leaders in the US in the past 25 years.Registration has been extended until 9 May with Bangkok based participants in mind (overseas participants are already mostly confirmed). 30% discount on this training is offered to FCCT members.Apply here.

N3Con 2025's program & first speakers announced

AAJA-Asia is proud to announce the 15th edition of the New.Now.Next Media Conference (N3Con), set to take place May 29-31 at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.This year’s conference offers Asia’s news professionals a dynamic platform to network, enhance their skills, engage in crucial discussions and collaboratively address the challenges facing today’s media landscape. The program is designed to equip participants with cutting-edge tools and best practices to enhance their reporting, foster collaboration, and better serve the diverse communities they are covering across the Asia-Pacific region.With N3Con 2025’s keynote speaker, Julie Pace, executive editor of the Associated Press, along with prominent reporters and editors from leading international and Asian news outlets, N3Con 2025 will explore the transformative effect of Generative AI on news content production and distribution, and assess the new Trump administration’s impact on the global news ecosystem and US-Asia relations.Join us for thought-provoking discussions on how to produce impact-driven journalism, improve the coverage of underrepresented communities and harness the power of GenAI, data journalism and documentaries. Explore new beats and learn about gender-sensitive storytelling, solutions journalism and cross-border investigative projects. Participants will also have the opportunity to receive career guidance, engage in one-on-one coaching, meet journalism talent recruiters and debate how journalists can learn from social media influencers. Check the full agenda and first confirmed speakers here.Find out more here.Register here.

Frontier Myanmar is seeking a managing editor to help lead our newsroom

The successful candidate will work with a team of award-winning journalists and together with other senior editors oversee the production of accurate, in-depth reports on a fast-developing situation in Myanmar.

Duties will include commissioning and editing stories, managing reporters and liaising with freelancers while contributing to Frontier’s membership programme, which includes panel discussions and newsletters. There will also be opportunities to do original reporting, write editorials and commentaries, and speak on Frontier’s weekly discussion podcast.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced journalist or editor with excellent written English who knows how to craft magazine-type features. If they are not from Myanmar, they will have worked in the country or elsewhere in Southeast Asia and possess a deep knowledge of Myanmar’s politics, culture and business environment.

The position is based in Chiang Mai, Thailand and is full time. More information is available via this link: https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/work-with-us/

To apply, please email a cover letter, CV/resume, work samples and at least two reference contacts to bendunant@frontiermyanmar.net and nang@frontiermyanmar.net by May 11.

FCCT’s new podcast: Dateline Bangkok

For part 2 of this episode of the Dateline Bangkok podcast, Tommy Walker speaks with Michael Sheridan.Michael Sheridan is a veteran foreign correspondent spending decades working in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He is formerly of The Sunday Times, spending over 20 years as the newspaper’s Far East Correspondent.In part 2, Sheridan discusses Xi Jinping in his early days, entering government and his worldview. He also discusses both optimism and vulnerabilities for China, Trump, Taiwan, Hong Kong and what China’s leadership may look like after Xi.Watch the full episode on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

New to Bangkok? Under 35?

Are you under 35? Check out our special offer below! For further details, please contact info@fccthai.com.

New FCCT merchandise

Advertise in the FCCT's Bulletin at special discount rates

Individuals and organisations are welcome to take out advertising in the weekly FCCT Bulletin which reaches nearly 4,000 people in the club’s network. Guidelines

• Write a catchy headline, followed by a maximum of three sentences + contact email/phone number/ link to a website for further details if applicable.

To book an ad please email: info@fccthai.com