The International Relations and Global Affairs (IRGA) Program of Mahidol University International College (MUIC) hosted a panel discussion on “Journalism in Thailand: Career Opportunities and Challenges” on May 16, 2024.

Held at Charinyarasami Hall, Aditayathorn Building, the panel of guest speakers was composed of Mr. Panu Wongcha-um, Senior Correspondent for Thomson Reuters in Thailand; Mr. Kittiphum Sringammuang, Producer for Al Jazeera English; and Ms. Anna Lawattanatrakul, Editor and Reporter at Prachatai English.

The guest speakers started by outlining their duties in their respective positions before sharing how and why they chose journalism as their profession. Their advice to MUIC students interested in a career in journalism was to undergo internships with different news agencies in order to get a sense of what areas of the profession they are most interested in.

The guest speakers then highlighted some of the difficulties they face in performing their jobs, such as government censorship and the use of lawsuits by corporations to silence the press or the threat of physical violence when covering conflicts and protests.

The panel discussion concluded with a fruitful Q&A session, during which MUIC students asked the speakers about a number of issues such as how their jobs have been affected by the advent of generative AI and by the growth of misinformation and disinformation online.