Noppatjak shows how to |pluck order out of chaos

YOU HAVE TO give credit (even if we do say so ourselves) to Nation TV

reporter Noppatjak Attanon for making those news-less news reports from Kuala

Lumpur about the missing Malaysia Air passenger jet at least a little more

interesting. The sheer dreariness of the Malaysian authorities’ press conferences

at the KL airport does nothing to ease the tension.
Noppatjak, who’s been there since Day 1 with his cameraman, has offered a

glimpse behind the scenes, though. Amid the confusion and chaos he has

demonstrated his admiration for the way the officials have been handling the

crisis and especially the mob of foreign press. He took viewers on an interesting

tour “backstage” the other day.
“They’ve managed the press conferences nicely. The times for the conferences

are written clearly on the central board.” If a session is postponed, the reporters

are alerted via SMS. The names and positions of everyone who speaks at the

podium are spelled out on the info board as well.
“During the past three days the press conferences have been very punctual –

they are hardly ever late,” Noppatjak said. The still photographers are seated up

front, reporters in the middle and video cameramen stand at the back. “The

spokesman always reminds us to switch off our mobile phones before the press

conference so that everyone can hear the speakers clearly. I think that’s very

important. Despite having more than 300 journalists here, there is hardly any

noise to interfere with the communication.”
Every press session ends with a Q&A, also conducted in orderly fashion. The

Malaysian press gets to ask questions first. Everyone has to introduce himself

and his organisation before posing a question and it’s one question per person so

that everyone gets a chance.
Such efficiency helped reduce the initial frenzy over the big breaking story to a

manageable calm, Noppatjak said. “This is a sensitive issue, but it’s been

handled very nicely.” The Nation TV reporter didn’t actually say as much, but

Soopsip figures the message behind his report was that Thai authorities could

learn a few things when it comes to coping with international crises.

Suthep’s got Lips
Lips magazine looks set to shatter any previous circulation record with its March

issue due this weekend. You won’t find editor Sakchai Guy boasting about it, but

Anchalee Paireerat, one of the leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform

Council, says the magazine has received 200,000 advance orders.
And that’s without a babe or a superstar on the cover, unless of course you

thing Suthep Thaugsuban is one of those, in which case we apologise for

assuming otherwise. The unusual choice of cover personality is unprecedented

for the women’s magazine, and inside there’s a lengthy story about Suthep as

well.
Sakchai is obviously killing two birds with one stone. He’s further supporting the

anti-Shinawatra cause, which he’s already helped finance through T-shirt sales,

and he’s giving his magazine’s advertisers one of the biggest draws in publishing

today. Tens of thousands more copies than usual will be sold – and yet the ad

rate is unchanged.