Thai TV News Director Steps Down Over Economic Downturn
WorkPoint TV news director Somphop Rattanavalee is stepping down by month's end, saying he couldn't face staff as layoffs of 50-70 percent became necessary amid Thailand's economic downturn.
News anchor and WorkPoint TV news director Somphop Rattanavalee has announced his resignation, citing the economic downturn forcing media outlets nationwide to restructure and downsize. In an interview on the Jomqua program hosted by Jomkhwan, Somphop explained that staff departures including anchors Popiah Kalawela and Pornthip Mongyai had already occurred, prompting his own decision to step down by the end of August.
Somphop stated that managing layoffs was difficult and he could not bear to meet the eyes of his subordinates as their director. "When you have to cut 50 to 70 percent of staff, I couldn't face them," he said. He noted that the morning news program had achieved strong ratings of over 1.0 and attracted over a million viewers with full advertising, making it difficult to justify further cuts under his leadership.
He explained that his salary was substantial, and by resigning, those funds could be redirected to maintain news quality and ratings. After deliberating for about a month, he decided to take early retirement with a severance package rather than force more staff reductions. Somphop emphasized that his departure reflects economic realities affecting all broadcast stations, not political or social issues. He noted he could only speak publicly about his resignation after receiving official approval from the board.
