The Bulletin

Stephff's world

Beyond the badge: Crime, justice, and the FBI in Thailand

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^{Book discussion and Q&A,
Wednesday, 21 January, 7pm}

Retired FBI Agent John Schachnovsky says the 10 years of his 25-year law enforcement career that he spent as the FBI representative to Thailand was the highlight of his career.  When he retired in 2019, he recognized there was so much he could write about his unique career and his time in Thailand. Beyond the Badge explores how the trust, goodwill, and long-term relationships he built with his Thai counterparts lead to the capture of numerous dangerous criminals in cases that transcended borders. Providing a behind the scenes view of high-profile incidents like the shocking death of famous Hollywood actor David Carradine at a high end hotel in Bangkok, the apprehension of a notorious kidnapper subject to an Interpol Red Notice, the extradition of a suspect in the murder of a United States Marine, and responding to overseas terrorism, Beyond the Badge takes you to the frontlines international crime in Thailand and the region.John will share the highlights of his journey in Thailand with the FBI and explain how he did his work as the FBI’s “man in Bangkok”. His presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the author, and there will be opportunities to purchase the book at the event.

Speaker: John Schachnovsky, author of Beyond the Badge-Crime, Justice, and the FBI in Thailand.

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 and Thai press with ID 150 baht.Bar and restaurant open.

Special Christmas menu

David Wigg 14 February 1939 – 2 September 2025, RIP

Third row up, correspondents Barbara Crossette, David Wigg and Rick Fredericksen of CBS News blend in with the locals at a cultural event in Isan in 1986. (Photo by Dominic Faulder)The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of David Wigg, the veteran journalist based in Bangkok in the 1980s, and husband of Barbara Crossette of The New York TimesWigg died peacefully in his sleep in Pennsylvania in early September at the age of 86. The couple married in 1978, and returned for month-long visits to Southeast Asia for many years after their 1984 to 1988 posting in Thailand."David was a well-liked and respected journalist and a member of the FCCT when he and Barbara were based in Bangkok,” said Denis Gray, The Associated Press bureau chief in the Thai capital for many decades.“Stories from both of them about our region were superb -- not only the news coverage but also many well crafted and meaningful features,” Gray recalled.Wigg was born in Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, East England, and gained his masters degree from the University of Hull. As a journalist, he reported from Latin and North America, Southeast Asia and India for many British and American newspapers, including The Times of London. He also wrote reports on development for the World Bank.Known for his wit and good humour, Wigg enjoyed classical and jazz music, and played the piano. An avid reader, he had an encyclopedic knowledge of 20th century history, and was always a perceptive observer of current events.Crossette’s award-winning book ‘The Great Hill Stations of Asia’ was published in 1998. “I took three months off to do this book, and I went by myself because it was a lot of sort of hard-slog travel,” Crossette recalled in a radio interview.“My husband's not totally happy always in South Asia – he would have probably come along to Southeast Asia,” she said, crediting his other contributions.“Through him, I learned a lot about the British empire,” she recalled. “The sort of folklore that's carried around in the heads of a lot of Britons who have either family or a personal or a neighborhood or whatever connection with empire.”Wigg is survived by his wife of 46 years, son Jonathan Wigg, sister Mary Hunt and brother Michael Wigg, stepson Jonathan Crossette and his wife Linda, grandchildren Nathan and Emily Crossette, and great granddaughter Barbara Yonts.

Gofundme appeal for Al Rockoff

Al Rockoff, left, strolling with John Gunther Dean, the US Ambassador to Cambodia when it fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975. The ambassador was shown in The Killing Fields fleeing Phnom Penh on a Marine helicopter with the Stars and Stripes folded under his arm. The pair had a cordial reunion in 1991 at Angkor Wat, when it was finally declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after their more fractious relationship during the war years. (Photo by Dominic Faulder)After American military veteran and war photographer Al Rockoff appeared to have lost control of the archive he risked his life so often to create, friends in the US set up a Gofundme appeal to help with his rent, moving and legal assistance.Vicki Bornas, Rockoff’s longtime partner, is his unpaid caretaker. She has had to forego work in order to look after him, and is overseeing use of the funds.Graham Bowley recently spent four days in Florida with Rockoff preparing a detailed report on his plight for The New York Times entitled ‘Al Rockoff’s war is still being fought’.Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rockoff was a regular visitor to the FCCT, and there has been much concern among his many friends here over his unexplained absence in recent years.Rockoff has never completed the book of his life’s work so often discussed. He was portrayed by John Malkovich in The Killing Fields, the 1984 Oscar-winning film about the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge in 1975. It was a complimentary depiction he never liked. Rockoff’s Gofundme has so far raised over $4,500 and can be found here:https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-al-rockoffs-housing-and-archive-battlePlease consider donating.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/arts/design/al-rockoff-war-photography-killing-fields.html?unlocked_article_code=1.208.1KYU.cMe4thRscKTz&smid=url-share

Co-working at the FCCT

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Tuesday, 23 December, 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 Tommy Walker, FCCT board member and digital nomad.

Free and open to all.

Board games night

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Tuesday, 23 December, 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.

FCCT pub trivia

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Friday, 26 December, 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.