The Bangkok Post lost one of its most respected and loved former senior editors yesterday morning. Sonchai Nokeplub, with his family next to him, died at 1am at Bangkok Christian Hospital after years of battling cancer. He was 67.
Sonchai Nokeplub lost his life to cancer yesterday.
Sonchai was born and raised in Ang Thong province before moving to Bangkok where he went to university and graduated with a bachelor's degree from Kasetsart University in 1977. Like many who eventually became newspapermen, he joined the Bangkok Post immediately after graduation and started at the bottom of the newsroom -- as a proofreader.
He worked his way up through various roles in the editorial department -- trainee reporter to reporter, chief reporter, assistant news editor and finally deputy editor.
In 2002, he was asked if he wanted to have his name proposed to the board of directors as a candidate for the editorship of the Bangkok Post. Sonchai turned it down, saying he preferred to work behind the scenes.
The offer to be considered editor would not have surprised many staff who worked with him and got to know him. Sonchai was a newspaperman with integrity and honesty. He cared about the craft of journalism.
He earned the respect of his colleagues and staff for a being a fair but firm boss. He gained trust and became the right-hand man of three editors of the Post who appreciated his straight-forwardness.
If he did not agree on certain decisions, he would say so with no qualms whatsoever. It did not matter how senior a person was. If certain decisions went against his principles, he would say so. Yet his bottom line was always the rank and file staff whom he cared for and the readers of the newspaper whom he said the Bangkok Post, or any newspaper, ultimately served.
And while work was important, Sonchai always had time to share a laugh, a smile and expression of compassion. He retired from the Post at the end of 2014 after serving 37 years with the newspaper. At the time he was told that he did not have long to live because of the cancer.
But he fought the cancer for many years. And he fought a good fight with rare grace, internal strength and endurance. He will be missed by his friends and former colleagues. His funeral rites will be held at Wat Samian Nari (Sala 8) at 5pm until Saturday. His body will be cremated on Sunday at 1pm.