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Published on July 20, 2007

"I would like to brand 2 as a regional publication, created by Thai talents," Kuan Teo editor-in-chief of Fierce Publishing, said yesterday.

"2 is a 160-page English publication for men, locally produced by a very talented pool of Thais and of international standard for the new young generation of men who appreciate the finer things in life. The magazine has been created to express another side of 'modern Thailand'," 2 editor Ellen Boonstra said.

Teo, a Singaporean who founded the company with local partners Sorapoj Techakraisri and Theera Vayakornvichitre, said that after almost one-and-a-half years of publication, the magazine was ready to explore opportunities in the region.

"Our view is to create something for Thailand, because Thais are creative and interesting. They have unique lifestyles, which other people love to know about. Thailand is also the only country in Southeast Asia that has not been colonised by a Western power," he said.

The country is a hot spot, enjoying rich culture and other attractions, including world-class tourism and cuisine.

"We print 60,000 copies, of which 10,000-15,000 have been sent to Singapore, South Korea and the US," he said, adding that exports were expected to reach 100,000 copies in three years.

"We plan to broaden our 2 magazine to Malaysia, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Australia through rep offices and local distributors in all key markets," he said.

Offices were recently set up in Shanghai and South Korea to sell advertising and investigate market response.

The editorial team now has 12 staffers, of whom three, including Teo, are foreigners. Full-time editorial staff will reach 16-18 by the end of the year.

"We are recruiting more staff from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea to run the publication and support its regional expansion," he said.

Boonstra said the magazine would focus on foreign-educated Thais and foreign expats. The company has 8,000 members here.

"The uniqueness of 2 is its strong art direction and great layout, the kinds of topics that we choose, the people we have interviewed. We try to present topics that interest men, as well as more business-oriented content, such as CEO profiles, personal finance and investment tips for men," she said.

"For the lifestyle side, we will offer in-depth interviews with personalities, Thai and international as well as regional."

The company this month will launch 2 in Phuket, in alliance with local distribution partner Phuket Bulletin magazine. It will also join with local English-language radio station Gold FM 90.5 on any campaign to promote the publication on the island.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation