At the risk of sounding cliché, I have good and bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?
With a somewhat heavy heart, I bring you the bad news that the issue you're reading right now is the last print edition of Guru magazine, the lifestyle section of the Bangkok Post. The good news is that Guru -- a play on the Thai phrase goo roo or "I know" in a smartassery tone if you don't know that already -- will continue online.
Personally, I take this "reboot", as kids these days would've put it, with both dismay and excitement.
Dismay because I had been a reader of Guru and other local English-language publications before I decided to become a writer and eventually Guru's current editor. I still remember the joy of taking home free magazines from Starbucks every Friday (I know, I sound like a fossil) and using a highlighter pen on new words that I, an eager ESL kid, picked up #truestory. Of course, Miss Rona is definitely the catalyst of this inevitability but, to my surprise, I got to be involved in several exciting projects for Guru in the past two years even though they have been the most challenging time for anyone running physical magazines.
Excitement because I do look forward to going online full-time and communicating with the readership in a more real-time and spontaneous manner through our online outlets. The privilege to inform, entertain, amuse and inspire readers never gets old.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank readers who have been with Guru for the past 17 years, as well as former editors and past and present writers of Guru for their contributions. A special mention has to be made to readers who took the time to send me emails or slide into my DMs with kind and encouraging words. You truly made my day. Thank you to PM Uncle Tu for giving me many materials to write about dear sir -- respectfully as always, of course -- on this page.
And I would like to bid a fond adieu to you who are reading this. You're literally holding an itsy-bitsy bit of the history of English print media in Thailand. Hold on to it so one day you can tell your grandkids how people used to read letters printed on actual flimsy papers or hand them this issue and film their puzzling reaction for a viral video in 2100.
Lastly, if you would like to continue your journey with Guru, please follow Guru magazine, the lifestyle section of the Bangkok Post via Facebook (fb.com/gurumagazinebangkok), Instagram (@gurumagazinebkk), TikTok (@GurubyBangkokPost) and Twitter (@gurumagbkk), and of course at bangkokpost.com.
Sawasdee krub. Bai-bye. (Dramatic lights out moment).
