Sep 21, 2006
- The Lost Boy
What is Matt?
Name: Matt Crook
Age: 28
Nationality: British
Hometown: Bath
Residence: Bangkok
Job: Web and Social Media Editor for Plan International in Bangkok.
Disclaimer: Anything posted on this blog is my own and doesn't necessarily represent positions, strategies or opinions of my employer.
I'm on Stumbleupon, Twitter, FlickR, Google+, Digg, Delicious, Youtube, Last FM, LinkedIn and I have a portfolio of stories. Check me out on Flavors.me.
This blog: I use this blog to write about current affairs, predominantly with a focus on Southeast Asia, in particular Thailand, Indonesia and Timor-Leste, but there have been occasional meanderings into UK politics and protests as a result of my year in London. I tend to write about politics, humanitarian issues and pop culture, but I don't consider any topic out of bounds.
The social media integration of this blog means you can view my photos and videos from around the world and also check out links I recommend or see what's happening on Twitter.
About me: I am the Web and Social Media Editor for Plan International in Bangkok.
My background is in journalism and I have extensive experience in Southeast Asia. I am a social media nut and am trying to push the boundaries of how digital media can be used in new and creative ways. If you want to know more about me in a professional sense, my LinkedIn profile is a good place to start.
Background: I read my BA (Hons) in Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield and graduated in 2004. I wrote articles for the student newspaper and magazine. I worked in admin for the Home Office for six months after graduation and saved some money by DJing and organizing parties in Sheffield.
I have done work experience placements with The Wiltshire Times, The Bath Chronicle, and Exposed magazine.
For more than two years I called Bangkok my home. In Bangkok, for several months (until its closure) I worked as a sub editor and reporter for Business Day, a thrice-weekly business newspaper. More recently I worked as deputy content editor for an international company, Agoda. I lived in Phuket for one year and worked for the Phuket Gazette. I then moved to Dili, Timor-Leste, where I worked freelance, writing news and feature stories with a focus on development, politics and humanitarian issues. I have also reported from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia. Find more about my work here.
My work has been published by AFP, IRIN, Guardian, Observer, Reader's Digest, Monocle, Global Integrity and more and I have worked as a consultant for the United Nations, International Center for Journalists and International Labour Organisation. My accolades include building TimorToday.com and training Timorese journalists. If you want to see my work, it's all up on my portfolio of stories.
From 2010-2011 I studied my MA in Southeast Asian Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London before joining Plan International.
I'm also a fan of Bjork, drum n bass music and anime.
Here are some useful links: