Comments on: Thai Authorities Upset with Documentary

By: Jordan

Jordan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:39:56 +0000

I agree Noi is a cutie lol

By: Talen

Talen — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:48:20 +0000

If they do prosecute him nothing will most likely come of it. The real big problem is going to be when it comes to any future filming in Thailand.

They need someone to point the finger at and try to sa=ve face…the problem is that only the Thai’s will see this as ok while the outside world condemns it.

Just another thing that the Thai’s have handled badly.

One thing I am still wandering about though is the missing raw footage of JJ the jet ski operator with the gun…it still hasn’t been released.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:06:36 +0000

I can only shake my head at Thailand’s response.

They’ve decided to prosecute the guy who made the video?

…the Big Trouble In Thailand series, which has been a big hit on YouTube, had violated Article 34 of the motion picture law by not having the contents examined by a Tourism and Sports Ministry film committee before they were broadcast abroad.

Seksan Nakawong, director-general of the Office of Tourism Development, said the film-makers also violated Article 23 of the same law for making a film tarnishing the reputation of Thailand.

So the Tourist Police chief is not tarnishing the reputation of Thailand?…

Tourist Police chief Adis Ngamjitsuksri has conceded the extortion of tourists was a problem which the police alone could not stamp out.

He said the extortion gangs, including those in tourist provinces, worked under highly influential people.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/24040/jet-ski-video-maker-faces-prosecution
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By: Talen

Talen — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:22:02 +0000

I agree that it will only do limited if any harm to the tourist industry Ben. Unfortunately with the tact that the Thai film board will probably take it will make it that much harder for a decent documentary to be made in Thailand.

By: Talen

Talen — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:20:13 +0000

Andy,
It would be nice if they would start cracking down on all these scams. They will never get rid of all of them and new ones will pop up but at least they will be trying to meet the challenge.

Hopefully they won’t just point fingers.

By: Ben Shingleton

Ben Shingleton — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:15:06 +0000

I used to watch all the Bravo docs when in the UK. I liked them, even though they are definitely ‘trash’ TV. I’m pretty defensive when it comes to Thailand, so I’m not keen on this kind of ‘documentary’ coming over and doing the same type of programme about Thailand. You can be certain that they will only want to focus largely on ‘negative’ things and will largely sensationalise scenes with editing…. I have no doubt that TV crews will also do whatever is necessary to propogate such situations to make such a programme.

In the end it can only do (limited) harm to the Thai tourist industry, by far the worse thing is this type of programme will attract the wrong type of people (ie drunken British idiots)
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By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:55:34 +0000

Seems like once again it has a Streisand effect brewing. With the authorities crying for foul play and even trying to persecute the film-makers they will only give this low-budget production way too much attention, and now more people will see it and talk about it than ever would if they just quietly do their homework – make sure that those issues where Thailand looks bad in this documentary are handled, like finally stopping these scams. The jet ski scam has been long known before this production but no-one bothered to do anything, maybe the scammers bribed the right persons to be able to continue their “business” unharmed. Or take the airport taxi scams – AFAIK still operating despite the crackdown announced. Or how come those scammers at Wat Phra Kaeo can annoy tourists with their “temple closed today, I bring you to big buddha temple” all the time, without anyone ever doing anything.
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