The Bulletin

Stephff's world

Pressing on: Journalism and press freedom in Southeast Asia

‍
UNESCO-FCCT panel discussion, Monday, 4 May, 7pm

The conditions for journalism have rarely been harder. The latest UNESCO World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development report records a 10% decline in freedom of expression globally since 2012, driven by rising physical attacks, digital threats, and a 63% surge in self-censorship among journalists. Across South-East Asia, those pressures are acutely felt. Yet correspondents continue to file from exile. Investigators expose disinformation networks. Press freedom advocates hold the line. And media innovators find new ways to keep independent journalism financially viable. Across South-East Asia, a generation of journalists is finding ways to advance the cause of free expression under conditions that would silence others.

To mark World Press Freedom Day 2026, UNESCO Bangkok and the FCCT will bring together journalists and advocates in the region to discuss what it takes to keep reporting, why it matters, and what the future holds.

Opening speech by Joseph Hincks, Communication and Information Unit, UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok.

‍Thu Thu Aung, editor-in-chief, Frontier Myanmar; a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist;

Regine Cabato, investigative journalist covering culture, disinformation and politics in the Philippines;

Shawn Crispin, senior SE Asia representative, Committee to Protect Journalists.

Moderator: Jonathan Head, SE Asia Correspondent, BBC News, 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 300 baht; students and local media with ID 150 baht.Bar and restaurant open.

The Day Iceland Stood Still

‍
Film, Wednesday, 6 May, 7pm

When 90% of Iceland’s women walked off their jobs and out of their homes one morning in 1975, they brought the nation to a standstill and ignited a revolution that has catapulted Iceland to the forefront of today's global struggle for gender equality. This multiple award-winning film, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Women’s Day Off, tells the story for the first time through voices of the women who lived it. Unexpectedly funny and laced with evocative animation, The Day Iceland Stood Still revisits an unprecedented act of civil disobedience that still inspires people all over the world, especially at this dark time in global affairs. A fantastic documentary of a momentous struggle – not to be missed!

Directed by Emmy award-winning US filmmaker Pamela Hogan, in collaboration with acclaimed Icelandic producer Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, this is the true story of 24 hours that sparked a revolution. With a score by one of Iceland’s best-known rock singers, Margrét Rán (GusGus, Vök), and evocative animated sequences by artist Joel Orloff, The Day Iceland Stood Still unfolds through the vivid memories of the women who created and lived this moment. “We loved our male chauvinist pigs,” recalls one of the activists. “We just wanted to change them a little!” Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Guðrún Erlendsdóttir recalls being told she couldn’t go to law school because “you’ll be married before you’re 18” and farmer Ágústa Þorkelsdottir, incensed that women couldn’t join the Farmer’s Association unless they were widows, wondered “Do I have to kill my husband to be recognized as a farmer?”

The film features a rare interview with Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the world’s first democratically-elected female head of state, who took office just five years after the strike. And former President Guðni Th Jóhannesson’s story about his father’s tragic attempt to cook the family dinner that day sheds light on why some men came to call October 24, 1975 “the long Friday.”

Opening address by Svanhildur Steinarsdóttir, Consul of Iceland (in Tokyo).

Pamela Hogan, filmmaker, The Day Iceland Stood Still.

Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, filmmaker, The Day Iceland Stood Still.

Moderator: Sarah Newey, FCCT Board Member and journalist.

Co-sponsored by the FCCT and the Embassy of Iceland.

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 150 baht; students and local media with ID 150 baht.Bar and restaurant open.

Boiled pangolin for lunch? The conservation and spillover threats posed by Laos’ rampant wildlife trade

Panel discussion, Wednesday, 13 May, 7pm

Pangolins have long been a symbol of the world’s conservation crisis, having been trafficked to the brink of extinction. The meat, blood and scales of the animals are considered a luxury product with healing properties – from boosting lactation in breastfeeding women, to treating rheumatism and psoriasis – in China and parts of Southeast Asia.

But a rampant, unregulated marketplace is growing at “an alarming rate” in Laos. According to recent investigations, the county has become a key node in international wildlife trafficking routes, as well as a destination for people wanting to consume forbidden foods.

This panel will explore the drivers of the trade, including transnational crime syndicates and a boom in low-price Chinese tourist groups. It will also look at the consequences for both wildlife and people. Beyond the risk of extinction, experts warn that this trade is “ground zero for disease emergence” – a viral pressure cooker with the potential to spark the next pandemic.

Join us at the FCCT to discuss the survival of the pangolin and the health security risks of the regional wildlife trade.

Panelists:
Hongxiang Huang, founder of Agent C Wildlife Initiative.

Dr Filip Claes, head of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases, UN FAO.

Gerry Flynn, Southeast Asia investigative journalist, Mongabay.

Additional panelist TBA.

Moderator: Sarah Newey, global health security correspondent, The Telegraph.

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 350 baht; students and local media with ID 150 baht.Bar and restaurant open.

Tired of the chaos in the US government? How to stop reacting and start acting.

Democrats Abroad Thailand (DAT) annual general meeting

Wednesday, 20 May 2026, 6pm – 8:30pm

Are you an American citizen living in or around Bangkok who is alarmed by what’s happening to democracy in the United States? Are you ready to stop reacting and start acting? This is your moment!

Join us for the Democrats Abroad Thailand Annual General Meeting, our most important gathering of the year and a chance for the American community in Thailand to take stock of where we stand, connect with fellow Democrats, and mobilize together as we head into the 2026 mid-term elections. By attending, you can get energized and volunteer to help plan concrete actions to register voters, turn out the vote, and be an important part of the 2026 Blue Wave election. Together, we can make a difference from right here in Thailand.

Attendees will get a live demonstration of the voter registration process for Americans abroad, and practical information on how to volunteer and make a difference in 2026. The AGM is also an opportunity to review DAT’s activities and finances over the past year, and hear from DAT leaders about the work being done.

The meeting will be fired up by a keynote address from Phil Robertson, a two-time DAT Chair and member for over 25 years, and a respected voice on democracy and human rights in Asia. As former deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division and current director of Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates (AHRLA), Phil will speak to the urgent state of democracy at home and abroad, and why the American expat vote from Thailand has never mattered more.

The evening closes with networking—an opportunity to connect with a passionate community of American Democrats across Thailand.

The event is free and open to Democrats Abroad Thailand members, and FCCT members. US citizens who wish to join Democrats Abroad Thailand can do so at the event.

Asia American Journalists Association (AAKA - Asia)

Annual conference: Upholding journalism’s values & viability in the age of AI

‍
May 21-23, 2026

The Asian chapter of the Asia America Journalists’ Association (AAJA-Asia) will hold the 16th New-Now-Next Media Conference (N3Con 2026) at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, from May 21-23. The event’s exciting program and a list of confirmed speakers (to date) are available online at https://www.n3con.com/2026/. Over the years, N3Con has become one of the most dynamic and influential gatherings of journalists across the Asia-Pacific region.

FCCT members wishing to attend can enjoy a 30% discount on all tickets. To get the special code for FCCT members for use in the online registration below, please call Khun New at the FCCT office or contact her at info@fccthai.com

This year’s conference will feature panel discussions, roundtables, keynote presentations, coaching sessions, workshops, and one-on-one clinics. It will gather more than 200 journalists from both international media organizations and local newsrooms. The program will explore topics such as the responsible use of AI in news production and distribution, lessons from content creators, cross-border climate reporting, investigative journalism, reporting in exile, and journalists’ safety and mental health.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the very foundations of journalism - from how stories are produced to how audiences discover and engage with news. In this rapidly evolving landscape, the media industry faces a defining challenge: to reimagine what news and information products can and should look like, while remaining true to its core values and securing its financial future.

Journalists need to harness AI responsibly and cost-effectively to enhance their reporting, streamline workflows, and develop innovative storytelling formats. At the same time, they must sharpen their capacity to scrutinize the broader societal implications of AI systems, from automated decision-making and data governance to algorithmic bias.

Keynote speakers include:

Anjali Kapoor, director of AI, innovation and growth at the BBC;

Amy Mitchell, executive director of the Center for News, Technology and Innovation;

Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive officer of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The agenda for the event can be found here.

Register before April 17 to enjoy early-bird discounts.

This is not an FCCT event.

Co-working at the FCCT

‍
Tuesday, 5 May, 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.

Free and open to all.Bar and restaurant open.

Board games night

‍
Tuesday, 5 May, 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.Bar and restaurant open.

"Not much space for independent media in Myanmar"
Toe Zaw Latt

‍
Dateline Bangkok podcast

Watch the full video at this link.

‍