PR NEWS is pleased to introduce the first of several reports on communication trends in Asia, courtesy of veteran PR counselor and roving reporter Ray Josephs, who recently returned from a trip to the East. This week's spotlight: Thailand.
Although Thai corporations in the industrial, manufacturing and service sectors suffered serious blows in the fallout of the Asian crisis, most of the country's PR agencies weathered the storm rather gracefully. Those in good standing have since leveraged their stamina to launch reconstructive efforts.
Consider, for example, a "capital rescue" campaign engineered by Michael deKretser Consultants (MDK) designed to revitalize the nation's press corps. Thai media relations took on a whole new dimension after July 1997, when more than 30 major publications folded, and roughly 3,500 reporters lost their jobs. Those who remained employed suffered pay cuts of 30 to 50 percent.
MDK - a homegrown agency headquartered in Singapore - partnered with the Reporters Association of Thailand to offer academic and vocational training to journalists affected by the economic slump. Program offerings included IT training from Microsoft, and English language workshops sponsored by CHIBA-SOM (both Microsoft and CHIBA-SOM are MDK clients).
"We tried to lead in this program without self-interest," says MDK managing director Danai Chachaochai. "It has certainly paid off in goodwill, not only to our own organization, but to the entire PR profession, which, perhaps in the past, had been considered a rival of journalists."
Rebuilding Public Health
Also on the front lines of Thai public service...a controversial safe sex campaign launched by Shandwick Asia on behalf of its client London Royal Consumer Products, manufacturer of Durex brand condoms.
Thailand today faces serious social and public health issues relating to the spread of AIDS. But social conservatism and government censorship have made it difficult to address the issue head on, according to Charles Lankester, chief executive of Shandwick Asia. The agency managed to circumvent some roadblocks by securing a respected doctor as spokesperson, thus gaining inroads not only with the public, but also with media and government agencies involved in sex education.
Campaign components to date have included a "sex education day" at major colleges and universities (which drew 1,500 students) and a high school writing contest which garnered an equal number of entries. The doctor spokesperson also appeared on a live TV talk show, although airtime was restricted to 11:00 p.m. by government regulators. Shandwick also placed a series of advertorials (written by doctors) in leading men's, teen and health magazines. The program is now being replicated in Malaysia and other neighboring countries.
Rebuilding the Economy
Meanwhile...the swanky soiree that kicked off the grand opening of Bangkok's upscale Capitol Peninsula Hotel - featuring Rolls Royce limousine service, river boat cruises and helicopter rides - can hardly be considered public service. But it certainly counts as a reconstructive measure, considering the role that the hospitality industry is playing in Thailand's economic rebound.
The hotel's debut, engineered by Total Quality PR Thailand Co., or TQPR (a member of the Worldcom Group) targeted local business influencers with hopes of gaining momentum through press coverage and word of mouth, according to TQPR spokesman Tom Van Blarcom. In the end, the event drew 3,000 guests who partied until dawn.
Final forecast: the sun is still rising in the East, and Thailand's economic outlook for the year 2000 is bright. The country is considered to be among those recovering the quickest from the crisis that hit two years ago.
Ray Josephs has been in PR since 1948, specializing in international communications. He was the founder and longtime chairman of International Public Relations Company, Ltd. in New York. In next week's issue, he'll report on PR in Japan. He can be reached at 212/758-1313.