Though the light faded on Athikom Kunavut's a day weekly last year, the editor still thinks there's room on the newsstands for a magazine with a social conscience

Launching a new magazine in Bangkok is, they say, like jumping off the roof of a building. With the racks at news stands already overflowing, it’s corporate suicide.
And yet it seems that readers are mopping up the flood of glitz, glamour and fashion, with foreign magazines – in Thai editions – the latest favourites for locals. Even so, keeping a magazine with translated foreign content afloat is as hard as predicting tomorrow’s weather.
Athikom Kunavut, however, reckons that the storm has abated since his last vessel, a day weekly, sank without trace a year ago. Conceived six months ago, Athikom’s new venture into publishing, Way, is a current events and lifestyle magazine that explores social, cultural and urban issues; its motto is “better life, better world”.
“We’re trying to offer ideas on how to make life and the world better in our own way,” says Athikom. “Way has an inquisitive spirit, looking at aspects of society from different angles, from the urbanite’s lifestyle to political issues. We try to touch on social issues that haven’t yet been adequately discussed.”
He says that the title was chosen for its suggestive power: “This is my, and my staff’s, way. It’s for those who’re interested in our way and want to walk with us on this way.”
Despite his youthful looks, Athikom, in his mid-30s, is no stranger to the rough and tumble of Thailand’s publishing world. Growing up in a modest family in the northeastern province of Nong Khai during the mid- ’70s, he was surrounded by popular reading material. His favourite magazine was Chaiyaphruek, while women’s mag Khwan Ruen was his mother’s regular read and his father was a fan of the Siam Rath weekly news.
Moving to Bangkok, Athikom took a place at Thammasat University in 1989 to study economics, political science, sociology and anthropology, supporting himself by joining the editorial team of Trendy magazine published by Amarin Printing.
“I can still recall taking the ferries across the Chao Phya River while travelling to Amarin from Thammasat.”
Over four years, Athikom learned the basics of magazine journalism from Amarin. After graduating in 1996, he joined Krungthep Thurakij’s “Judprakai” feature section, and specialised in social issues. In 2000, he was promoted to the editorship of the “Sao Sawasdee”, a pull-out Saturday features section.  
Eventually, he left Krungthep Thurakij to head a day weekly, a fairly serious mag with a mix of news analysis and lifestyle. For the first time, he felt the heat of being in the spotlight.
“With a day weekly you were on a bigger playing field. That meant you had to find your feet under the spotlight. I had to learn how to contend with people’s expectations – and frustrations.”
And so to Way, whose first issue, out last month, opens with a commentary piece on the coup headlined “Returning power to the grassroots”. In another article, a prominent lawyer, Dr Jase Thonawanik reflects on civil rights and liberties under the junta. Its main interviews with singer Krisada “Noi” Sukosol and Manote Puttan, a noted music critic and musician, add to the issue’s liveliness, along with human-interest stories on meditation, the art world and Bangkok’s need for safe bicycle lanes. An article by Tomorn Sukhapreecha raises awareness of the problem of school children growing up in a world of tea money and kickbacks.
Athikom says there are teething problems. “The first issue lacks the kind of balance I wanted. The real challenge is how to package all the serious stories in a less serious tone. I want to present serious issues and sugar coat them in a way that is appealing to our readers,” he says.
Way radiates with the same social consciousness that animates its editor. A polite, soft-spoken man with a keen sense of social observation, Athikom doesn’t have the ravenous ambition of many of his peers.
“I’m a rather quiet guy. My principle is not to sacrifice my character just to achieve position. I’ve seen people yearning to be editors and doing anything, anyway just to get what they want. I can’t do that.
“If I have the chance to run a magazine, it has to be my way,” he says.
He’s witnessed some journalists use foul and fair means to climb the career ladder.
“Journalism is a world of Jedis and Darth Vaders. I keep telling my staff they have to be Jedis.”
Athikom reckons that editors belong to one of three groups. The first is made up of efficient, business-savvy individuals. “This group knows how to edit magazines and speaks the language of business. They are real professional editors.”
In the second group are the children of wealthy businessmen who want to experiment with running their own magazine. “They are working women who find the life attractive and challenging.”
The last group is home to people like Athikom, and editors of magazines like Open and Khor Khon, who aren’t so interested in the mainstream, preferring instead to carve out their own paths with socially conscious periodicals.
“I feel quite humble when meeting editors in the first two groups. There’s no denying that those of us in the last group won’t get rich at doing what we do.”
Athikom’s self-effacing style and integrity are reflected in the character of Way. Unusually, he cares more about the content than the advertising revenue, though he’s aware that money is the bottom line. With Way, Athikom says investors Pen Thai Publishing Co Ltd have given him a free hand to run his magazine the way he wants. “That doesn’t often happen in the magazine world,” he says.
Through his years of experience, he’s discovered that a socially conscious publication needs to attract a sizeable readership to survive. Athikom is confident that the readers are out there.
Gratifying then that Way’s first issue enjoyed a warm reception – judging from the deluge of letters and postcards sent in by readers. Athikom says the majority of correspondents so far are in their teens.
Some of them have compared Way’s style with the music of teen heartthrobs Dan and Beam (much to Athikom’s delight), while others have said that Way speaks their language.  
“I’m quite impressed with the hundreds of letters we’ve received for the first issue. They’ve shown us that we’re not travelling this way alone,” he says.
Athikom’s short-term mission is to make the magazine financially secure.
“Way needs to survive on its own and that means I need to find ways to make our readers respect and buy it because they like our content, not out of charity.
“Most importantly, with Way I want to get together with readers to design a better world.”

Manote Tripathi
The Nation