BANGKOK – The Bangkok Post fired star reporter Boonsak Charoenrat yesterday after they discovered the groundbreaking journalist had once again worked through the night.
Editors labeled Boonsak’s action “the last straw” in a series of breaches of the Post’s strict policy of complacency. Editors say Boonsak had also taken to calling sources, fact-checking, writing clearly, and caring about the topics he wrote about. Each was a violation of Post Publishing editorial guidelines.
Colleagues were not backing Boonsak. While a few said they respected Boonsak’s groundbreaking work into government corruption, which had led to the arrest of 15 politicians over his 23-year career at the paper, most claimed he was, “way too serious”, “asked too many questions”, and “was always going around pissing off people in power.”
One colleague, who refused to be named, complained that, “No matter which government was in place, Boonsak was always giving us these corruption stories. He was just such a downer. The editors just decided enough was enough. ‘This guy is just creating too much work for us.’”
In a statement released to the press, the Post said: “Over the last few weeks, Boonsak had pulled multiple all-nighters in an attempt to complete his story on corruption inside the CNS. Editors had repeatedly warned him not to show up the rest of the staff by working too hard. At noon on January 2, Boonsak was found asleep at his desk. He had black bags under his eyes, had not shaved for days and smelled of coffee and cigarettes. Under questioning from Post Publishing lawyers, the employee admitted he had worked through the New Year’s holiday period. Boonsak’s relentless pursuit of stories in the public interest without regard to how it would affect advertising or friends of The Post, and his desire to put real, local news in the paper instead of puff pieces, wire stories and press releases, left Post Publishing no choice but to terminate Boonsak’s contract immediately.”
