VOICE OF TAKSIN MAGAZINE: FIRST LOOK
In media reports earlier this week it was suggested the new Voice of Taksin magazine would make its debut on Sunday, however copies have already started to appear across Bangkok.
At first glance the front page of the 40 baht, 72-page publication looks a little like Time, however that's where the similarities end. Production wise it looks like a magazine that's been put together in a rush, and I think one could easily provide the same content in about 20 less pages with a better, more regimented design. There is no advertising whatsoever in the debut issue however you can buy a full page ad for 50,000 baht if you want.
Content wise there are more than 25 pictures of the former Thai prime minister, as well as columns on Michael Jackson and food. It's also obvious a lot of the pictures that have been used are low-res screen grabs.
I also have to question the use of 'Taksin" and not the more commonly used "Thaksin" for the name of this magazine? If you Google the former you are asked if you actually mean the latter. King Taksin reigned in Thailand in the late 1700s whereas Thaksin Shinawatra was Prime Minister of Thailand from February 2001 until the coup of September 19 2006. (The Royal Thai Police must issue a license for all new publications and would likely have seen a copy of the intended masthead prior to publication).
Voice of Taksin is published by Somyod Prueksakasemsuk, one of the leaders of the anti-Government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, and is set to appear every two weeks.
2 comments:
I was surprised by the spelling, too, especially given the so-called 'Taksin plan'. Or it could just be another case of not bothering to check English versions properly.
I the term of design, it looks more like TIME with TAKSIN than THAKSIN. On the other hand, this can be confused with King Taksin the Great who united Siam after the fall of Ayudhaya.
My partner asked me when he saw Taksin BTS station in Bangkok. I explained to him that the Station was named after the bridge which was after one of Thai Kings and those names were not linguistically related apart from their romanisation.
I'm not sure that this misleading is a deliberate strategy or either a good political move.
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