Oatsawin is one of the very few remaining older writers who have worked at Sing Sian Yer Pao for more than three decades. Approximately half of the employees are Thai and write in Thai, which is then translated, and the other half are Chinese. Most of them are much younger than Oatsawin, who is 62.
Managing director and executive editor Tommy Tan reading Sing Sian Yer Pao.
"After the whole fiasco, there was a new set of rules imposed. Writers who had travelled to China had to leave the newspapers. We lost many great writers, who had to pursue other paths," he laments.
"Since the time of the communists, we've been afraid. I have to look the articles over and over to make sure there is no mistake," he adds, pointing out that they are not really affected by the recent censorship issue since the coup because Chinese newspapers have always had to be extremely careful.
"Our readership is getting much smaller. If Chinese language papers were to actually call for a protest, we won't create an impact. It's not like 30 years ago," he says.
In 2010, when Sadawut Taechaubol took over after Aw's son-in-law Lee Santipongchai, Sing Sian Yer Pao dropped its use of traditional Chinese characters for simplified characters as the paper turned towards a Chinese market. The change does come with a price, as older readers of the paper who use the traditional characters, and are not fluent with the simplified version, are left behind.
"As it is, we are losing readers and writers. We no longer make enough sales from subscriptions," says Oatsawin. "Young people read news on their phones. They don't flip open a newspaper."
Oatsawin is sitting at his desk translating an article about Phra Buddha Issara into Chinese, writing each character onto a grid sheet of paper. "I'm learning how to type using Pin Yin," he says. Someone else types out the article for him. Translation isn't easy; there isn't a standardised format for translating names of people and places across the six newspapers. The name "Yingluck", for instance, can be translated in three different ways.
Sing Sian Yer Pao is doing well in other areas outside of print media. The newspaper is available online through its website as well as on Weibo (the Chinese equivalent of Twitter) and Weixin (WeChat).
"We have exceeded more than 200,000 followers on Weixin and a recent article on travels in Thailand received more than 400,000 clicks," says Tan. To cater to a wider contemporary audience, Sing Sian Yer Pao, as with any other newspaper, has also adapted its content to become more customer focused. The newspaper now features more articles to engage Chinese tourists and investors. With 4.7 million Chinese visitors last year, and close to 4 million Chinese tourists forecasted to visit Thailand this year, Sing Sian Yer Pao is betting on the right horse.
Sing Sian Yer Pao office located at SAB intersection.
However, shifting content to satisfy readers has also compromised the newspaper to a certain degree. "We ran a story about a Chinese undergrad who was photographed up her skirt by someone on the BTS. We're adjusting to publish what the readers want. To me, this news is not of essential value," says Oatsawin.
For the seasoned writer, there is no future for printed Chinese publications. "I pity Chinese newspapers in Thailand — six different publications and sales of probably less than 10,000 copies a day," he says. "I keep doing what I am doing only because I love it."
For Tan, on the other hand, the future is full of possibilities. The rise of China as a superpower means more and more Thais are learning Chinese as a business strategy, which was not the case in the past when the language was looked down on as more provincial than international English. At the same time, more and more Chinese are travelling to Thailand, both for business and for pleasure. "We've been here for 64 years," says the editor, "and we've just renewed a lease for 30 more."
