'The Nation' set to get first female editor
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Former business editor of The Nation, Achara Deboonme will become the newspaper's first female editor, effective January 1, 2013, replacing Tulsathit Taptim, who will go on a sabbatical leave for health reasons.
Newsroom restructuring also sees Jintana Panyaarvudh, deputy managing editor, rising to the position of managing editor.
Nation Multimedia Group chairman Suthichai Yoon is confident the combined strengths of Achara and Jintana, who have extraordinary expertise in economic and national affairs respectively, will mean The Nation is well equipped for upcoming challenges facing the Thai media, especially when Thailand and other Asean countries move ever closer to becoming a common trade zone.
“Regional economic and political developments are increasingly important and The Nation’s focus as the region moves toward the Asean Economic Community is clear,” Suthichai said. “We have strong confidence in Achara and Jintana, who will lead the paper into the exciting new era.”
Suthichai was The Nation’s first editor when the paper was launched more than 40 years ago. He was succeeded by Thepchai Yong. Pana Janviroj was The Nation’s third editor,
succeeded by Tulsathit. Suthichai said changes at the top always take into account continuity and talent of the groomed new generation.
With Thepchai and Pana now heading NMG’s regional expansion efforts, Suthichai believes the group’s English content, upon which the organisation's foundation was laid, is in good hands.
“I welcome the challenges and I have strong trust in my colleagues,” said Achara in a statement echoed by Jintana. “Teamwork is the most important and it has been the key spirit in the newsroom,” Jintana said.
Both new newsroom leaders are tasked with making The Nation “more regional” by utilising the paper’s strong regional network. The head office of Asia News Network, a web-based channel through which top Asian newspapers publicise and share their English-language content, is at The Nation headquarters.
Achara and Jintana will also carry on plans to push The Nation content into new, digital platforms, as well as to implement an English-language newspaper joint venture with Myanmar's Eleven Media Group.
Tulsathit, who will take six months of sabbatical leave, will continue to contribute to The Nation in the form of editorial and column writing. He said he had strong trust in the capabilities of Achara and Jintana.
“With the two of them taking newsroom management responsibilities, my contribution will be focused. The changes will be good for the paper’s overall content,” he said.
