Derek Williams, a longtime CBS News cameraman who spent four decades documenting some of Asia’s most consequential events, died on July 22, 2026. He was 79. His family said he had been living with Parkinson’s disease and had recently received a cancer diagnosis.
Williams began his broadcast career in New Zealand as a sound technician after training with the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation. In 1971 he went to Hong Kong for a three-month trial with CBS and remained based in Asia for the next 40 years, later moving to Bangkok and ultimately co-founding the Bangkok-based news service AsiaWorks in 1996 after retiring from CBS.
Over his long career Williams filmed a succession of major stories: the refugee exodus from Bangladesh, student unrest in Tokyo, the final years of the Vietnam War and the frantic days before Saigon fell, the Thammasat University massacre in Bangkok (1976), the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979), sectarian violence and sieges in Beirut, the Iran–Iraq war, the People Power uprising in the Philippines (1986), the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing (1989), and Operation Desert Storm in 1991, among others. He also covered the first Gulf War and numerous other conflicts across South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
His reporting often placed him in danger. He was among foreign journalists detained during the Soviet entry into Kabul and later held at gunpoint and interrogated in Beijing during the Tiananmen crackdown before being released the same day. Stories from colleagues recall resourceful moments in the field — including marrying his Vietnamese partner Hà on short notice as Saigon collapsed, using poker winnings to bribe a registry office to open on a Sunday and then securing a passport for his new wife through embassy contacts.
Colleagues and friends remembered Williams for his calm under pressure, dry humor, and steady mentorship. Susan Zirinsky, former president of CBS News, described him as intuitive and an ideal partner in hostile situations. Dan Rather praised his bravery and the way his images told the story of dangerous times. Former foreign correspondents and cameramen who worked with him — including Allen Pizzey, Keith Kay and Denis Gray — recalled his patience teaching newcomers, his contagious good humor during tense moments, and his modesty about the exploits he captured on film.
Williams earned industry recognition during his career, including Emmy and Peabody awards, and was frequently cited as a founding partner of AsiaWorks, a news organization he helped establish after leaving CBS.
Born in New Zealand shortly after World War II to the Rev. Philip Williams, Derek was the eldest among siblings Pip, Chrissie and Tim. He lived for many years in California with his wife Hà before returning to New Zealand in his final months to be near family as his health declined.
He is survived by his wife Hà, sons Vũ and Dzũng, his grandson Niko, and his siblings. A wake will be held at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand on Sunday, August 2 at 4 p.m.; those seeking Zoom access are asked to contact [email protected]. Hà and Tim will carry his ashes to Bangkok to be scattered into the Chao Phraya River after Buddhist rites.
Those who worked with him remember a cameraman who captured defining moments of the late 20th century with courage, decency and a reporter’s eye for the telling image — and a man whose humor, mentorship and generosity left a lasting mark on colleagues across generations.
