THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Nation cartoonist Stephff is a national treasure – keep him! 

Nation cartoonist Stephff is a national treasure – keep him! 

I heard a whisper that, after a couple of decades Stephff’s iconic cartoons are to be cut from The Nation. Is the paper doing so badly that it must abandon one of the very few things which define it and give it character? The things which generate and nurture its reader base?

I hope it’s not too late to reconsider, because losing this is not only diminishing your unique content, it’s tearing at the fabric of the city itself.
John Twigg
Having been a regular reader of The Nation for over 30 years, after arriving in Thailand in 1988, I was sad to learn the print edition is being terminated. But even worse are the rumours that foreign staff may no longer be working on the Web edition. Does this mean no more cartoons from Stephff, for example? I have been enjoying these cartoons for a long time and will certainly miss them. I do believe that a plurality of views, including those from foreigners with an “external” view of Thailand, contributes a lot to the richness of any newspaper’s content. Stephff’s acidic sense of humour is a valuable part of The Nation. Why let it go?
Eric Hermouet
I’m writing in support of your cartoonist Stephff, who has not only entertained us for so many years but also contributed immensely to freedom of speech in Thailand. His political cartoons are spot on and are a major reason why I read your newspaper at all. Getting rid of Stephff would be a huge loss for the reputation and journalistic quality of your newspaper.
Florian Booneiam
Thammasat University
Along with thousands of others, I have been following Stephane Peray’s witty cartoons for nearly 10 years now. These well-drawn and well-thought-out cartoons offer funny, witty and entertaining insights into current affairs, politics, social and environmental issues. Stephff’s caricatures and cartoons have been part of The Nation’s DNA for so long, helping the Opinion pages provide high-quality content. Please keep Stephff’s cartoons in your online version.
Frédéric Loyat
Bangkok
Please retain the caricatures of Stéphane Peray in the online version of the newspaper.
His cartoons give me a faster and better understanding of Thai news than could any 1,000-word article.
Jacques Torregrossa
As a former foreign correspondent in Thailand and a reader of The Nation for more than a quarter of a century, I have long admired how you have maintained a balanced editorial line, especially during troubled times.
I learned recently that you might let go Stephff, a cartoonist who has depicted Thailand’s daily political and social life in sensitive and a humorous way, while illustrating The Nation’s stand on freedom of the press. Stephff is part of this newspaper’s spirit and history. I urge you to keep his daily window on Thailand in the website edition.
Philippe Latour
Sorry, Nation leadership folks, you’ve got this horribly wrong. Stephff makes an incalculable contribution to establishing your newspaper's uniqueness, and his absence from your online-only edition is going to have a dramatically negative effect. 
Like Steve Bell in the UK and Doonsbury in the US, the political cartoonist brings an analytical precision that is wholly absent from the general verbiage of news reporting. Lose that pithy brilliance and you lose a cutting edge that will only make the competition smile.
Iceberg ahead, Captain! Reverse thrust, Scotty!
Graham Sullivan
Bangkok 

Editor’s note: While foreign editorial staff do feature in current plans for the new digital edition, Stephff’s future at The Nation remains unclear. Watch this space.   

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