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Murray Dickson the new General Manager and Managing Editor of the Chiangmai Mail
 Dr.
Iain Corness
Murray Dickson the new General Manager and Managing Editor of the Chiangmai
Mail, is a lifetime media man. He worked for the Tourism Authority of
Thailand for many years and has had an affinity for this country and, to be
able to work and settle here, represents something of fulfilling of an
ambition.
He was born in South Australia, “Where the crows fly backwards to keep the
dust out of their eyes,” said Murray. The son of an engine driver, he
dreamed of standing on the engine plate with Dad. That dream lasted until he
was five years old, when his father finally relented and took him on board.
“When the fire door opened and the heat and flames rushed out, I was
cringing at the back of the engine screaming to be let off.” Fortunately,
his mother guessed that something like that would happen and the young
Murray was stepped down at the first level crossing, where mother was
waiting.
It was becoming obvious that Murray’s talents were leading him towards
being a disc jockey, rather than a train jockey. He would practice in the
back yard with an old phonograph, while announcing the hits of the day, much
to the annoyance of the people next door, he found out later.
At school he showed he had a way with words. He was also showing an
inventive turn of mind, always good for a journalist. When asked to read out
his homework essay in front of the class, when he had not written a word, he
stood there, opened his essay book and spoke, pretending he was reading his
written manuscript. He got away with this subterfuge a few times, until the
teacher decided he would have a look too. The blank pages brought several
hours of detention. However, he had discovered the journalist’s creed —
never let the truth stand in the way of a good story!
After finishing school, he felt he wanted to be an announcer and made some
small demo tapes to be sent to radio stations in South Australia. These did
not bring him offers of work, only reject slips instead. Being resourceful,
he rang one of the radio stations to ask why his application had been
unsuccessful, to be told he didn’t have any experience. This was his first
understanding of the Catch 22 principle. No experience – no job, no job
– no experience! However, one station did tell him to go to Melbourne to
an announcing school. He heeded the advice and was soon finding experience
running a fire station radio, complete with a fireman’s uniform. However,
as with his experience on the train, he never actually went to a fire.
From there his career never looked back, even to the point of getting a
scoop for a Melbourne radio station when he was up in Queensland on
holidays. Murray was never without his tape recorder. A Queensland station
was impressed by the ability of the young man and took him to lunch. “I
never say no to lunch,” said Murray with a grin, and that particular lunch
brought him the offer of being News Director for the station. “I was the
youngest News Director in Australian radio,” said Murray, still obviously
proud of that achievement.
After a couple of years, he was invited back to South Australia where the
new medium of television was seeking talented young journalists. He was a
reporter for a show called “News Beat”, in which the young investigative
journalist would feature exposes of corruption and misdeeds in the
community. He also exposed the first naked white breasts on Australian TV
(up till then, colored breasts were considered cultural education). After
that first monumental hurdle, TV nudity has become somewhat commonplace,
though I doubt if we should blame Murray Dickson for it all!
By 1977, Murray had moved to Perth in Western Australia, with the advent of
the new FM stations that were springing up around the country. He was happy
there, in the forefront of the developing technology, in the news
department, but it was there that he met up with the Tourism Authority of
Thailand. The TAT were looking to start up an office in Western Australia
and made him an offer he could not refuse, so he became Thailand’s
promotions man in the west of the large sunburnt land Down Under.
He enjoyed this position too, involving four to five trips to Thailand each
year, but it was on his first trip to Chiang Mai that he remarked to one of
his fellow travelers, “You know, I reckon I could live here.” Prophetic
words.
However, the Asian economic crash affected many people, and TAT, as part of
their belt-tightening closed down their office in Perth. Murray was
unemployed – but not for long! He was invited to run a radio station for
the indigenous children in Western Australia. This was something new, and a
challenge for him to meet.
Remembering just how difficult it had been for him to break into journalism,
he knew it would be even harder for the indigenous peoples of Australia. He
set himself the goal of getting his trainees into positions both with the
government-run and commercial radio and TV stations. The breakthrough came
when the Australian Broadcasting Commission reluctantly agreed to take on
one of his trainees, but insisted that the young chap did an eight week
training course with them first. After two weeks they rang back to say the
man had the job, there was nothing more the ABC could teach him!
However, the pull to north Thailand was very strong, and when the position
came up with Chiangmai Mail he finished his contract in Australia and caught
the next plane out. He is now here, and in charge, and in Murray’s words,
“I want to make what is already an excellent publication into a great
publication, with information for the English speaking locals, and to
training Thais as journalists and broadcasters.”
Welcome to Chiang Mai, Murray Dickson!
Art Exhibition at JJ Good Taste: All my People
 One
of the works displayed in the exhibition.
Nopniwat Krailerg
JJ Good Taste Market invites art lovers to attend an Art Exhibition at JJ
Good Taste entitled “All My People”. The art works are the achievement
of Siripong Ruangsri from Phichit province who moved to Chiang Mai ten
years ago. This exhibition presents metal sculptures from recycled metal
pieces, including bamboo weaving art in various forms. JJ Good Taste Market
from May 27 to June 31, 2006 from 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Siripong Ruangsri is 49 years old and used to in New York, USA for 14
years. He his displayed works combine many feelings toward people in
society. These feelings are strength, love, kindness, innocence and phobia.
JJ Good Taste Market next to new road, near Kham Thieng Market or call 0
5323 1524.
Buy leading-brand digital cameras at Pantip Plaza Chiang Mai
Numerous
cameras provided at Pantip Plaza Chiang Mai to respond your purposes.
Preeyanoot Jittawong
If you are one of those who like photography and get charmed with high
technology of digital cameras, video cameras, binoculars, and
surveillance cameras. Pantip Plaza Chiang Mai can respond your need by
being the center of numerous leading-brand cameras; such as Sony, Canon,
Casio, Samsung, Fuji, Kodak, Olympus, Pentax, and more under good
quality including A-Class standard that will respond your need ranging
from 1st floor – 4th
floor.
On the 1st floor, you will
meet Sony by Chi Chang which provides world-class quality digitals
cameras and video cameras, Photo Bug and Photo Shop Digital Lab which
provide photography service and give advice for those who want to buy
cameras. Also, you will meet Big Camera who will assure you by being one
of 87 branches in Thailand and CAMERA.CO.TH which provides cheap cameras
for everyone.
On the 2nd floor, you will
meet I.T. City, the big superstore where you will meet numerous brands
of cameras to respond your purposes. Then, on the 3rd
floor, you will meet Niyom Phanich who responds your needs with
installment payment.
Finally, on the 4th floor,
you can meet with Sawasdee Group which provides cameras for those who
are professional in nature tourism, bird-watching cameras, Top-View
binoculars, and surveillance cameras including a set of professional
connecting appliances.
Now, you know that Pantip Plaza Chiang Mai provides numerous kinds and
numerous brands of cameras with equipments and accessories. Contact for
more information and ask for cameras’ information at Tel. 0-5328-8383
Ext. 101-104.
Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Center holds interesting exhibitions
But the double pricing is even more interesting!
Chiang
Mai City Arts and Cultural Center located near the Three Kings Statue.
Nopniwat Krailerg
Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Center, near the Three Kings Statue,
Muang district, Chiang Mai will hold an exhibition between May 30 to June
3, covering “Arts Award for Thai Youths”. It will exhibit award-winning
artworks from the contest held last year, covering six fields of arts;
printing, sculpture, literature, music, photographs, and movies.
Also, in June, there will be an exhibition to honor HM the King on the
occasion of his 60 years on the throne, which tells the story of the
King’s early travels including examples of his many good works and
graciousness.
At the Phum Pan-ya Room, the 2nd
floor, there will also be an exhibition entitled “Local herb, local
knowledge” by KhunChan Inta, from the Thai Massage Club, Hang Dong
district, who specializes in massage using local herbs and he will pass on
his extensive knowledge to those who are interested between June 1-30.
More information is available from Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural
Center, at the Public Relations Counter or call 0-5321-9833 at 8.30 a.m.
– 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday, except Monday. The entrance fee for Thai
adults will be 20 baht and 10 baht for children. Foreign adults will be
charged 90 baht, and 40 baht for children.
Building relationships between safe houses
HDN in Chiang Mai
How nice it would be if everyone in the world had a house to shelter
them. In an ideal world everyone would have a place that they could call
‘home’ where love, warmth and safety are waiting for them. In
reality, life is not that simple. Many people who face problems and
obstacles in their lives have nowhere to rest, physically or
emotionally.
The ‘Safe House’ concept was developed to provide both physical and
mental rest for the most vulnerable people in society, such as women and
children who experience domestic abuse, sex workers and people living
with HIV/AIDS. Safe houses are set up to provide people in need with
residence, food, health care, advice, life skills and psychological
healing to give them self-confidence and allow them to live normal
lives.
This month’s NGO Forum is organized by the Northern NGO Coalition on
AIDS (NNCA) on the theme ‘Building relationships between safe
houses’. The objectives are to encourage people who are working in
safe houses to build networks, explore their needs and collect basic
information for a database on safe houses in Chiang Mai and northern
Thailand. The forum is open to anyone who is interested.
NGO forum details
Topic: ‘Building relationships between safe houses’
Date: Tuesday, May 30 2006
Time: 4–6 p.m.
Venue: The HIV/AIDS Action Centre, HDN,
21-22/1, Soi 1, Ratchaphakhinai Rd.
Please call 053-418-438 # 110 to reserve a seat.
The Team would very much appreciate it if you could register in advance.
Hand-outs and materials can not guaranteed for late or unregistered
participants.
Email actioncentre@hdnet.org for more information.
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