What It's Like to Be the Editor of Cosmo Thailand
Pim Jaiya, 29, started her career as a marketing coordinator for Cosmopolitan Thailand. She used to sneak pocket-size Cosmos around in her bag at school (in Thailand, the mag comes in two sizes!) and has always loved the brand. Jaiya spoke to Cosmopolitan.com about how she's grown the magazine's digital presence enormously in the past three years and the challenges of managing a women's publication in a country where abortion is considered an "immorality."
What's the best piece of career advice you've ever received?
Do not forget to put a smile on your face when you meet everyone, from the meanest people in the room to your team. You can make friends and connections from a hello followed by a smile. Also, work hard, stay humble, and create pages that scream of your character.
Tell me about a typical day in the Cosmo Thailand office.
We laugh a lot, literally. We have 12 people on the editorial team, three guys and the rest girls, and we all talk about everything during lunch - news, updates, celeb gossip. Everything! It is said that my office atmosphere is like a comedy and a naughty sitcom. That's how a Cosmo office should be, right?
What advice would you give young women who want to come work for Cosmo Thailand?
Open-minded and fearless attitudes are everything. In Thailand, young girls mostly are shy to be themselves and they try to fit in. Well, that may be normal, but to work in a magazine with very honest content, you should be expressive and outgoing.
Who are the women reading Cosmo Thailand each month?
Ten years ago, we aimed to reach women in their first jobs through women 35 years old. When I came in charge three years ago, I could see how we tried to avoid the truth that young girls in university were a pretty high percentage of [our readers]. They seek love advice their friends cannot give them - and there's no better place to get that than Cosmo! - they want to know how to rock a gorgeous look for a date, and they want weekend shopping ideas. I then decided to focus on the range of 18 to thirtysomething. I launched a new section in Cosmo in the beginning of this year called "Generation C" for Millennials, aiming to draw the young generation. Women who would double tap everything nice they see, screengrab what they want to buy later, and regram quotes that define their Monday morning blues.
Which celebrities do young women in Thailand love?
We tried covers with local celebrities back in the 2000s, but it did not work well if it was not for a special occasion. We only run a local cover once a year now, and that gives me a chance to pick one influential and powerful celebrity to be a cover girl. Apart from that, they love the smart and sexy celebrities. Last year, the Kim Kardashian cover was one of the most famous ones on stands. Surprisingly, Sarah Jessica Parker's fierce look also caught a lot of attention.
Abortion is illegal in many circumstances in Thailand - what advice do you give young Thai women who want an abortion but are not legally allowed?
Abortion is not only illegal, but it's also considered an immorality in Thailand. No matter what the reason is a girl decides to get an abortion, whether it be losing opportunities or freedoms or whatever, it would be a dead end for her. First things first, young women need to know how to have safe sex. It might sound incredible, but Thailand does not include safe sex in health education programs, which is so wrong. Because we are a very shy country, the idea of teaching young people about intimacy between men and women is still an awkward topic.
Even if it is a shy country, you cover sex. What kind of sex and relationships advice do your readers look for?
They still judge if we feature Thai people who talk about sex positions or scandalous experiences. I keep the sex parts of the U.S. [Cosmo], except the Inside Men's Mind section, where people love to read about Thai guys' opinions on relationships and sex.
What is your definition of feminism? Do your readers identify as feminists?
For me, it's not necessary to be independent or single to be feminist. You can have a relationship, be rational, make decisions, having me-time or whatever makes you feel good and well-balanced. Our readers are definitely feminists who really know how to make themselves be the best women they can be.
What kind of content has become more popular since you began at Cosmo?
The digital and generation-oriented content have become more relevant during my time here. We talk about stalking ex-girlfriends on Facebook, tricks to spot a scammer on dating apps, or even how to fit in your work environment with age gaps. Practical health and inspirational lifestyle content are also popular, like road trip with friends how-tos and Airbnb suggestions.
What social media platforms are Thai Millennials most obsessed with?
Facebook has had a comeback this year with video content! Most of our fans on Facebook join us in our live reports on red carpets, hot topic discussions, and sweepstakes. But Instagram is the way to keep them inspired and engaged.
What might surprise American readers about Thai twentysomethings?
The most popular appearance topic in Thailand is the trend of "being white." It is a topic of discussion on racism that has lasted for centuries in Thailand. Most Thai girls are not proud of being "honey-tanned," which is our original skin color and is [considered] the perfect skin color for almost the rest of the world. Their idea of beauty is to be as white and pale as Korean women. Lately, however, thanks to the Kardashians who own their very beautiful skin, many young girls see that it's easier to keep up their own original skin rather than buying unnecessary and temporary white-on products.
Cosmo Around the World is a weekly column featuring international Cosmo editors. These women explain how they got to be the editors-in-chief of their country's Cosmo, what issues they run into before publication, and what they are most proud of in each of their editions. Read previous Cosmo Around the World columns here.
Follow Tess on Twitter.
