Thai journalists visit school, focus on environment
Thai journalists join Prof. Carol Schwalbe (top, second from left) and 2022 M.A. grad Katya Mendoza (bottom, far left) in front of the J-school.
Photo by Dr. Susan E. Swanberg
Six journalists from Thailand interested in environmental and water management issues visited the University of Arizona School of Journalism on June 28.
Associate Professor Susan E. Swanberg, Professor Carol Schwalbe and recent M.A. grad Katya Mendoza hosted the group and three interpreters for two hours.
Thai journalists discuss environmental issues in Marshall 340.
Photo by Dr. Susan E. Swanberg
Prof. Swanberg shared the historical myth called “rain follows the plow,” which encouraged settlement of arid lands of the western U.S., in addition to recent M.A. grad Madison Beal’s project about pollution of the Santa Cruz River. One of the Thai journalists shared that there are similar problems along the Mekong River.
The group discussed the state of science journalism around the world, and the fact that science news desks are shrinking. And Mendoza shared her views on the future of journalism from the perspective of a young Latinx woman.
The visit was arranged by the school's Center for Border & Global Journalism, the State Department and Citizen Diplomacy Alliance.
The Thai journalists were:
- Mrs. Piyanan Jitjang, local correspondent, Thai Rath Newspaper
- Ms. Chiraprapa Koonlachoti, editor for Foreign News, ASEAN +3, Thai Public Co. Ltd.
- Mr. Thitipan Pattanamongkol, Editorial Staff, Sarakadee Magazine, President of Thai Society of Environmental Journalists
- Ms. Nuntida Puangthong, senior news reporter, Krungthep Turakij Newspaper
- Mr. Pratch Rujivanarom, journalist, Green News Agency, Co-Producer of Unlock Science Program, Chulalongkorn University Radio
- Mr. Kitti Singhapat, Channel 3 News Anchor and Executive Producer, BEC Multimedia