CLEVER MARKETING, OR JUST PLAIN LIES?

There are many Thailand-based magazines that claim to be distributed in other parts of the region. It looks good in the media kit and undoubtedly helps to sell advertising. But the truth is that, without independent circulation auditing, media buyers have no way of knowing the real facts, except of course by checking the bookshelves themselves.
On my trip to Singapore last week it was apparent that the number of Thailand titles on sale in the city state has fallen dramatically. In fact I only saw three compared to half a dozen or more on previous trips.
It's unlikely that publishers will make anything from the copies they sell overseas, and in many cases it's probably a loss-making exercise. But it's not only Thai publishers that are making what basically amounts to false claims. On this trip I became aware of more Singapore magazines with Thai baht prices on their cover; titles that have never graced the shelves in Bangkok or elsewhere in the kingdom. Believe me, I would know as they're magazines I like and always buy when I'm in Singapore.
There's no easy answer to this issue - other than the levels of complete transparency that can only be provided by an independent circulation audit. It's got to happen. The strong magazines with strong sales and strong brands will survive, while those with weak sales and inflated circulation claims with likely wither and die.