Stephff's world
From Voices on the Boat to Change on Shore: Improving the quality of life for labor in the fishery sector
Panel discussion, Monday, 21 Sept, 10am
Workers in the fishery sector face serious risks to their health, safety, mental well-being and limited access to rights and services. Health is not just about treatment when we are sick, but also about safety, quality of life and human dignity.
This event, held on National Fisheries Day, will present and discuss ways to build a healthy system for fishing workers.
The Labour Protection Network (LPN), in collaboration with the International Fund for Fishing Safety (IFFS), will present the results of a research project that will provide voices from the field and research evidence, plus policy recommendations that aim to achieve real change in this important sector.
Speakers include:
Sompong Sakaew, Labour Protection Network director;
Pornphan Kanjanathiwat, independent researcher;
Patima Tangprachyakul, Labour Protection Network manager.
This is not an FCCT event. Free and open to all.
Bar and restaurant open.
The Salamander’s Tail – a spy novel by Michael Vatikiotis
Book launch, Wednesday, 23 Sept, 7pm
Michael Vatikiotis, author of the best-selling Blood and Silk: Power and Conflict in Modern Southeast Asia, is coming to the FCCT to launch his compelling new book, The Salamander’s Tail, a spy novel set along the Thai-Burma border that traverses a fault line of strategic sparring between the United States and China on the cusp of a new Cold War.
Inspired and informed by four decades of experience as a journalist and private diplomat covering conflict in Asia, Vatikiotis brings to life one of the world’s most dangerous contemporary conflicts. The novel centres around Lance Friend, a rootless English do-gooder working for an environmental NGO in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. Friend finds himself caught up in a high-stakes geopolitical contest between the US and China, using the long civil war in neighbouring Burma as a proxy battlefield.
Arrayed on either side of the Thai-Burma border is a cast of colourful characters escaping past lives to chase ideals, adventure and profit in the bad lands of Southeast Asia.
Praise for the book is already rolling in. “If Year of Living Dangerously was the classic Southeast Asian novel, The Salamander's Tail takes its place. A spy novel for the ages” says Jane Perlez, a former New York Times correspondent in Asia.
“A thoughtful and unsettling portrait of a region where environmental crisis, insurgency, and great-power rivalry intersect,” said Thant Myint U, author of The River of Lost Footsteps and The Hidden History of Burma.
Michael Vatikiotis has been a writer, broadcaster, journalist and private diplomat in Asia for nearly 40 years. His previous books include Indonesian Politics Under Suharto and Political Change in Southeast Asia, Blood and Silk: Power and Conflict in Modern Southeast Asia and Lives Between the Lines: A Journey in Search of the Lost Levant. His novels include The Spice Garden and The Painter of Lost Souls. Vatikiotis also contributes regularly to podcasts, and to Nikkei Asia and other journals.
Vatikiotis is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), earned his doctorate, which was on Thailand, from Oxford University. He speaks both Thai and Indonesian. He will speak about the book and what inspired it, as well as real-world events that shaped the story.
The author will discuss his work with Keith Richburg, a member of the Washington Post’s editorial board since 2023, and a veteran observer of China and Southeast Asia. Richburg’s storied career as a foreign correspondent includes postings as the Post’s bureau chief in Beijing and Hong Kong. He was president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong from 2021 to 2023.
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 400 baht; students and local media with ID 150 baht.
Bar and restaurant open.
Understanding Aung San Suu Kyi: Power, politics and principle
Book launch, Thursday, 24 Sept, 7pm
For more than three decades, Aung San Suu Kyi has been a central figure in Myanmar’s political history. Her commitment to nonviolence, democracy and political change has made her one of the country’s most internationally recognized political figures.
In Aung San Suu Kyi: The Realities of Power in Burma’s Authoritarian Legacy, Mon Mon Myat examines Suu Kyi’s political thought and leadership through philosophy, political history and personal observation. Drawing on interviews and her study of Suu Kyi’s political journey between 2012 and 2020, the book explores the relationship between Western liberal ideas and Burmese Buddhist values, as well as questions of peacebuilding, moral courage and justice in Myanmar’s political landscape.
Join us for a conversation with Mon Mon Myat, an academic and journalist. She holds a PhD in Peace-building from Payap University in Chiang Mai, where her doctoral research focused on the philosophical foundations of Aung San Suu Kyi’s political thought. She has previously served as Bureau chief and senior management consultant for the Democratic Voice of Burma and is the producer of A Long Way Panlong, a documentary chronicling Aung San Suu Kyi’s political journey from 2012 to 2016.
Mon Mon Myat will come to Bangkok to discuss Suu Kyi’s political philosophy, the evolution of her public role and the broader questions of power, leadership, peace-building and democratic change raised by her legacy. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Moderator: Jeanne Hallacy, filmmaker with a long and deep interest in Myanmar, former 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 400 baht; students and local media with ID 150 baht.
Bar and restaurant open.
Wind of Change: Inside the defection wave & the future of Myanmar’s security sector
Report launch, panel discussion, Friday, 25 Sept, 10am
Join People’s Goal for the launch of a ground-breaking research report, which maps the ongoing structural rupture within Myanmar’s military apparatus. The report, Wind of Change, covers the emergence of the Civil Disobedience Movement and Myanmar military surrenders and defections from 2023 to 2026. It analyzes the unprecedented post-coup shift after ‘Operation 1027’, the major coordinated offensive launched by an alliance of ethnic armed groups in northern Myanmar that triggered a cascade of rank-and-file defections and mass surrenders, shifting the internal dynamic of the conflict.
In response to severe depletion of frontline personnel, the junta activated its mandatory Conscription Law—a policy that directly reflects its internal attrition, recruitment struggles and sagging morale. This report launch highlights People’s Goal’s core mission: mapping operational vulnerabilities to strategically mobilize soldiers inside the military to defect, align with the public, and choose the right side of history.
It highlights Operation 1027 and the military’s strategic rupture, how post-1027 defections and surrenders fractured military cohesion across multiple command levels; analyzes conscription as internal failure to show how the junta’s draft is evidence of severe manpower loss, forced recruitment, and institutional decay. It looks at frameworks to incentivize defections, support deserting personnel and weaken the war machine from within. And it reimagines blueprints for security sector reform, civilian oversight, integrating defectors alongside ethnic armed organizations to form a federal democratic armed forces.
Speakers:
Major Naung Yoe, Myanmar military defector;
Khun Kham Kaung, lead research consultant, Wind of Change report;
Nyi Thuta, research coordinator, Wind of Change report;
Thinzar Shunlei Yi, People’s Goal and civil society advocate.
Moderator: Phil Robertson, FCCT board, director, Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates.
Registration notice: Due to security protocols, prior RSVP is required for all non-FCCT members who attend or participate or watch via Zoom. Please contact People’s Goal at peoplesgoal.burma@proton.me to reserve your spot.
RSVP Form: https://forms.gle/Y7TPPYcMNBE3QQkM7
Free and open to all.
Bar and restaurant open.
Foreign Ground: Land, law and belonging in Thailand
Panel discussion, Monday, 28 Sept, 7pm
Anti-foreign sentiment and nationalist rhetoric appear to be gaining ground in Thailand. Anger over the conduct of some foreign tourists and expatriates, growing scrutiny of Chinese-linked businesses and transnational crime, and a renewed crackdown on nominee arrangements have fuelled a wider debate about foreign influence—and who is considered welcome in the country.
Yet the meaning of “foreigner” in Thailand has never been fixed or consistently applied. Across different periods, shifting laws, political priorities and economic interests have determined who was treated as an outsider—and what rights they were permitted to exercise.This discussion will explore how ideas of nationality, ownership and belonging have evolved, and why certain foreign communities have been viewed differently from others.
The panel will also consider the view from the business and investment community. While many long-term foreign residents support efforts to prevent abuse and exploitation, there are concerns that sweeping enforcement and increasingly hostile rhetoric could also undermine legitimate businesses, investor confidence and Thailand’s international standing. Where should Thailand draw the line between protecting its national interests and remaining open to foreign investment, visitors and long-term residents? And when does a justified clean-up risk becoming a broader backlash against foreigners?
Speakers:
Dr Jessica Vechbanyongratana, Associate Professor and adjunct researcher, Chulalongkorn University;
Pravit Rojanaphruk, columnist, Khao Sod English;
Olivier Dombey, founder and managing director, AlphOmega8.
Moderator: Panu Wongcha-um, president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of 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 400 baht; students and local media with ID 150 baht.
Bar and restaurant open.
Green Drinks, Thursday, 1 October, 6pm
Kanchanaburi wildlife talk
This is a monthly informal gathering to connect people interested or involved in the environmental sector. People usually start arriving around 5:30pm, but please come when you like and stay as long as you want.
This month, we will have Vijo Varghese, a co-founder of Our Land, as a speaker. Our Land is a conservation project in Kanchanaburi aiming to protect and develop an important wildlife corridor from the Salakphra Wildlife Sanctuary to the Khwae Yai river, by restoring and rewilding fragmented and degraded land, while also trying to develop practical models for people and wildlife to co-exist.
Vijo’s talk will draw on his decade of experience working in Kanchanaburi to explore the realities of human–wildlife co-existence and how this can be made safer and more practical through habitat restoration, wildlife corridors, community participation, education and emerging technologies. It discusses how Thailand might be able to build landscapes in which recovering wildlife populations and local communities can both thrive together.
Vijo’s talk will start around 6.30pm.
And, if you’d like to join the Green Drinks Line group for details of future events and for a place for discussion, then click the below link to get the QR code to join the conversation: https://line.me/R/ti/g/SCQN-DFXYc
This is not an FCCT event. Free and open to all.
Bar and restaurant open.
Made in Ethiopia
Documentary, Monday 5 October, 7pm
When a massive Chinese industrial park lands in rural Ethiopia, a dusty farming town finds itself at the new frontier of globalization. The sprawling factory complex’s formidable Chinese director Motto now needs every bit of mettle and charm she can muster to push through a high-stakes expansion that promises 30,000 new jobs. Ethiopian farmer Workinesh and factory worker Beti have staked their futures on the prosperity the park promises. But as initial hope meets painful realities, they find themselves, like their country, at a pivotal crossroads.
Filmed over four years with singular access, ‘Made in Ethiopia’ lifts the curtain on China’s historic but little-understood impact on Africa, and explores contemporary Ethiopia at a moment of profound crisis. The film throws audiences into two colliding worlds: an industrial juggernaut fuelled by profit and progress, and a vanishing countryside where life is still measured by the cycle of the seasons. And its nuance, complexity and multi-perspective approach go beyond black and white narratives of victims and villains. As the three women’s stories unfold, ‘Made in Ethiopia’ challenges us to rethink the relationship between tradition and modernity, growth and welfare, the development of a country and the well-being of its people.
The FCCT is delighted to be able to show this remarkable film, and to host the two people behind it, Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan. Xinyan Yu is an Emmy-winning journalist and filmmaker whose work centres on people often overlooked in the sweep of history and progress. She has directed and produced films for BBC News, PBS Frontline, PBS Nova, NHK, and Channel News Asia. Max Duncan is an award-winning filmmaker, cinematographer and journalist whose work has appeared on platforms including the BBC, PBS, The Guardian, The New York Times and Al Jazeera, and at dozens of international film festivals.
The programme will be moderated by BBC South East Asia Correspondent Jonathan Head.
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; students and local media with ID 150 baht.
Bar and restaurant open.
Geoeconomics in an age of fragmentation: Lunch talk with the EU Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis
Tuesday, 13 October, 12 noon – 1.30pm
Geopolitical tensions and structural economic shifts are reshaping the global economy. Persistent global imbalances, high public debt, financial vulnerabilities, demographic pressures, and slower growth are creating new challenges for policymakers. European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis joins the FCCT to discuss how the European Union is navigating this challenging global economic landscape, including the implications of protectionism, economic security, and growing tensions between the world’s major powers. He will explore the outlook for the global economy, EU’s relations with Asia and the European Union’s competitiveness agenda, including efforts to simplify regulation and deepen the single market and capital markets in Europe. The discussion will also address the future of the international economic and financial system, as well as EU’s continued support for Ukraine.
One of Europe’s most experienced economic policymakers, Valdis Dombrovskis has been the European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, as well as Implementation and Simplification since December 2024. His portfolio includes the coordination and implementation of the EU’s economic policies, as well as overseeing the reduction of administrative burden and ensuring better implementation of EU rules. From 2019 to 2024, he served as the executive vice-president of the European Commission responsible for An Economy that Works for People and was also in charge of Trade. He previously served as vice-president of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019, overseeing the Euro and Social Dialogue, as well as financial stability, financial services, and the Capital Markets Union.
He is Latvia’s longest-serving head of government with three terms as Prime Minister (2009–2014). He has also been finance minister, a member of the Latvian Parliament and European Parliament. Before politics, he was the chief economist at the Bank of Latvia, as well as a research assistant at Mainz University, the Institute of Solid-State Physics in Latvia and University of Maryland. Valdis Dombrovskis was born on August 5, 1971.
Interviewer: Dr Fuadi Pitsuwan, from Thammasat University.
Moderator: Panu Wongcha-um, president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand.
Free and open to all.
Bar and restaurant open.
Britain, Thailand and a changing Southeast Asia – a conversation with the new British Ambassador to Thailand
Evening talk, Monday, 19 October, 7pm
Thailand and the United Kingdom share a long-standing relationship spanning trade, investment, education, tourism, security and close people-to-people ties.As both countries navigate a more fragmented and uncertain international landscape, the relationship is expanding into areas such as clean energy, technology, climate action and regional security.
Britain is also seeking a deeper role in Southeast Asia, a region increasingly central to global economic growth and geopolitical competition. How does the UK view its evolving partnership with Thailand? And where does the country fit within Britain’s wider engagement with ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific?
In her first appearance at the FCCT, British Ambassador Nicola Pollitt will discuss the opportunities, challenges and priorities shaping this next chapter.
Moderator: Jonathan Head, BBC Southeast Asia correspondent.
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 400 baht; students and local media with ID 150 baht.
Bar and restaurant open.
Don’t forget our photo show
The FCCT currently has an exhibition of photos taken by former AFP correspondent Ian Timberlake of people and events in East Timor (Timor Leste) in the weeks leading up to the country’s vote on whether to be an independent nation in 1999, or remain as part of Indonesia.
This was a turbulent and traumatic time for citizens in the former Portuguese colony, when ruthless militia leaders were pressuring them not to break away from the giant archipelago. Remarkably, they stood strong and voted to become a separate state – indeed, a tiny nation that is now the 11th member of ASEAN. So, please come and have a coffee, a muffin or a meal, and have a look at the latest photos on display.
And if you missed the event, you can watch the panel discussion held on August 27 on FCCT videos posted on YouTube.
Co-working at the FCCT
Tuesday, 22 Sept, 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 foreign correspondent Tommy Walker.
Free and open to all.
Bar and restaurant open.
Board games night
Tuesday, 22 Sept, 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.
FCCT pub trivia
Friday, 25 Sept, 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.
Bar and restaurant open.