TV announcer reveals ‘most difficult moment’
IT FELL to Weerasak Khobkhet on Thursday to read the one news report Thais had been dreading to hear. For the 44-year-old NBT news announcer it was his toughest moment, as he struggled to overcome pain and grief to perform his duty of informing the people
“Assigned to announce the worst news to all Thai people, I asked myself if I could do it. I wondered if I was capable of handling it successfully, because within seconds of hearing the sad news from the Royal Household Bureau, I had burst into tears. I must admit it was the most difficult moment in my life: to give Thai people the saddest news,” he told Thai Rath Online.
“It was obviously very painful for me to do this duty. When I myself had broken into tears after learning the news, other Thais must have had the same experience. More energy was badly needed to accomplish this assignment,” said Weerasak, who began his career in 1994.
“Just before the crucial moment, I lowered my head, gathered my concentration and sought a morale boost from colleagues. I asked them if I could handle it, because I was still uncertain if I would be able to go through with it. After that, my colleagues and I got our act together and focused hard to seek peace of mind. I found each move I made very difficult. I found carrying this piece of paper and reading the news to all Thais one of the toughest challenges, even though I have been working on this duty for years.
“I raised my hands and prayed for His Majesty just to let him know that I need to work for him. This was my last chance to do so and I just wanted to do my best. Although it was terribly painful, I just needed to do it for the beloved King. While announcing the news, I tried to carefully handle every second of the moment.
“Shortly after I finished reading the sad news, I broke down again. It’s the saddest moment of my life. It was also the most difficult assignment of my life. Although we knew it was a reality we would have to face one day, it is still painful.”
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