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Christian
missionaries introduced Thailand's first printing press in 1835.
Nineteenth-century interest in publishing was confined mostly to
the royal court and foreign groups of missionaries and
businessmen. No fewer than seven English-language newspapers
began and ceased publication between 1844 and 1877.
One
royal publication, the Royal Gazette, founded in 1858 by , exists to the present day as the official
medium for acts, decrees, ministerial proclamations, and public
announcements of newly-promulgated laws.
Daily
newspapers came into their own during 's reign when 20 dailies, including one
Chinese and two English-language publications, were being
printed. The King, himself a skilled writer, used several pen
names to write newspaper articles commenting on issues of the
day.
Thai
publishing at present is a lively business. A glance at any
ordinary news-stand reveals hundreds of different local
newspapers, magazines, and paperback books on every conceivable
subject. Many foreign best-sellers are translated into Thai soon
after their appearance abroad.
Publications
often change constantly through time. Magazines and newspapers
will adhere to certain current topics of popular interest to the
public. By that nature, they may continue or cease operation as
they deem fit. Among the well established Thai language
newspapers, Thai Rath has the largest circulation and, like most
other newspapers elsewhere, is inclined towards sensational news.
Its chief competitors, Daily News and Matichon have also won a
fair degree of popularity among the Thai readers who often
demonstrate the distinctive taste for both entertainment and
information.
Sin
Sian Yit Pao is the leading Chinese-language newspaper, while
the Nation Review and the Bangkok Post are the major English-language
papers. |
