webfact Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Opinion: Reaction to US/Thai lovebirds David and Annie on Facebook shows news savvy Thais are growing up! Picture: Phenkhao Years ago a story like that of David and Annie featured on a TV reality show would have yielded entirely predictable results. Not so in a more realistic and cynical 2018 - could it be that the Thais are now growing up and social media has hardened them to the realities of the 21st century...at last? The couple featured on TLC's show "90 day Fiance" in October. David, 48, from Kentucky lost everything after a messy divorce and then had a stroke losing his job and most of his money. After losing some weight and getting a few things back on track he decided to head East in 2016. He came to Thailand and within ten days in Bangkok he had fallen in love with a Thai singer in a bar half his age - Annie loves him too even though she has now found out the truth. David is no Mr Moneybags! In fact the show billed him as having nothing left to woo his young and attractive girlfriend. All he had was his charm that made him feel like he was young again. Using what was said to be the last of his money he paid 50,000 baht to Annie's parents, added a couple of buffaloes for good measure and whisked his dream girl back to the States to get married. The story was rehashed on Facebook yesterday with popular news site Tnews sharing the story from Phenkhao. But the comments of posters were not what people used to the reaction of Thais from yesteryear might have expected. Few made comments about the relative wealth of Thais and foreigners. Few questioned the motives of the girl or the foreigner in getting together. In the first dozens of comments no one even mentioned that they met in a bar. Most looked at the practical side questioning the relevance of the news. Many belittled the news media for their coverage. Still others asked what happened next with a feeling they had been left hanging. While there were comments straight out of the innocent 1970s or 1980s when farang/Thai relationships were still a novelty, most accepted that nowadays this was nothing unusual. In fact the overriding reaction to the story was - so what?? Is this really news?? Perhaps it revealed a population now much more news savvy and news saturated. More cynical, and, dare one say it, more educated and more questioning of what they are fed in the media. They were the reactions of a people who are now much more connected and informed and far more discerning in what they read and perceive as news. Not just literate but less prepared to be fed nonsense - more world wise and demanding. Maybe perhaps a people who have grown up who are ready to question to a far greater degree what they are being fed by news organisations. A people demanding more quality and less sappy saturation. Here is a sample of some of the comments: Kitikorn Tokanitchart said scathingly of Tnews articles: "Do you have primary school kids writing for your news team?" Charus Baokhow chimed in: "This is news? It's rubbish". While Bunsong Khankaew could only be rude dismissing it as "knobhead news" (for the want of a better translation). Rungtip said reasonably: "Look to the love between the pair of them. He lost his job because of a stroke - he should be able to get another one now he is recovered". Monta Schmidt (writing in Thai) dismissed the story as trash observing pertinently: "It's rubbish - if he was really that poor how did he guarantee her for entry to the USA? It's not easy for Thais to get in there you know". While most Thais tore out the reality in "Reality TV" there were still some comments and reaction straight out of more traditional era of social mores regarding money and relationships: Nadej Kul said: "Not all farangs are rich. In reality many of them are poorer than us!" And Sukanya said sweetly, as any foreign Thai watcher would have expected years ago: "They must be "neua khoo" (soulmates) from a previous life - or they never would have met". But the demand for proper news prevailed with Nong Nimnual summing up the feeling of many disappointed at being left hanging: "So what happened next? While Yokyangmee had the last word saying what comes at the end of all Thai news bulletins - 'jop khao': "That's the end of the news". Rooster -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-01-04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaiwrath Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 I think Thais don't bother much with news nowadays, they all seem to follow the <deleted> that gets posted on social media every day instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odysseus123 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 2 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said: I think Thais don't bother much with news nowadays, they all seem to follow the <deleted> that gets posted on social media every day instead. Possibly... Though "knobhead news" sounds like quite an accurate description of the show and the realities of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhys Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 ...awh...jeepers that's swell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisandsu Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 I know many Thais who have far more money then the foreigners that either live here or holiday here ! That boat has sailed . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanemax Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 One of my annoyances, reading a news story on websites that contains numerous quotes from facebook and other websites . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebell Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 18 minutes ago, sanemax said: One of my annoyances, reading a news story on websites that contains numerous quotes from facebook and other websites . Don't knock it; without Twitter/Facebook many crimes would be ignored by Thai police who only function when there's something in it for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy50 Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 What on earth do they find to talk about? Maybe they just eat, and watch TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petedk Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 55 minutes ago, sanemax said: One of my annoyances, reading a news story on websites that contains numerous quotes from facebook and other websites . I agree with you. I also hate the term "posted by Facebook User" as if it is a profession. Why not just write "posted by XXX"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanemax Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 35 minutes ago, mikebell said: Don't knock it; without Twitter/Facebook many crimes would be ignored by Thai police who only function when there's something in it for them. I wasnt knocking social media in general . Its just lazy journalism when the majority of the report contains what people are saying on facebook and twitter . *Lek said , blah blah blah* and Watchpornalot replied * Blah blah blah* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upena Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 The bar was half his age? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield2 Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Well, yeah...you would think the general feeling would be that she is the one that's actually worse off. If you know anything about the show or relationship, he's been sponging off his best friend for years, is an alcoholic, in overall bad health and relying on the charity of his friend for a place to stay (in a firehouse's living quarters)...plus, she's in the middle of the countryside with no connection to Thai culture in the USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanemax Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 4 hours ago, webfact said: The story was rehashed on Facebook yesterday with popular news site Tnews sharing the story from Phenkhao. The next update from this story will be how people on Thaivisa reacted to this story . I look forward to reading my own quotes again in a few days time on Phenkhao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 28 minutes ago, sanemax said: I wasnt knocking social media in general . Its just lazy journalism when the majority of the report contains what people are saying on facebook and twitter . *Lek said , blah blah blah* and Watchpornalot replied * Blah blah blah* We used to call it back fence politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 hour ago, Jeremy50 said: What on earth do they find to talk about? Maybe they just eat, and watch TV. but mainly dance the horizontal tango. He had a stroke before I will watch the upcoming news with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfarang Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Once the Thai girl obtains a permanent visa for the USA, she will be seeking pastures anew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesofa Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 hour ago, mikebell said: Don't knock it; without Twitter/Facebook many crimes would be ignored by Thai police who only function when there's something in it for them. From what I've noticed, that seems a fair comment. It often needs social media to stir the police into action - just to do they job they've being paid for anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said: I think Thais don't bother much with news nowadays, they all seem to follow the <deleted> that gets posted on social media every day instead. It was on Facebook! "The story was rehashed on Facebook yesterday with popular news site Tnews sharing the story from Phenkhao." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardColeman Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Up next 'Baldie taken for a ride in new divorce after residence approval' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvavin Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 I really could not understand what this particular news is pointing at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonray Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 He will soon be teaching English thru an agency after she threatens ton leave him if he does not build granny a house in Issan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Troll posts have been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borzandy Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 5 hours ago, webfact said: the Thais are now growing up and social media has hardened them to the realities I think exactly the opposite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tifino Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 lucky the lazy journo survey only looked to Facebook for comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soistalker Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 10" c@ck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juan B Tong Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Nieve pudgy new guy meets chubby upcountry bar girl in Bangers. He falls in love because usually when a 24 yo woman talks to him she says "do you want to upsize the fries?" Memo: Do not fall in love with any of the first 50 bar girls you bar fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soistalker Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 "Oh, yes darling...tell me all about how you lose everything in divorce...don't leave out any details." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 2 hours ago, chrisandsu said: I know many Thais who have far more money then the foreigners that either live here or holiday here ! That boat has sailed . Maybe. But I know a lot more of them that would give their eye teeth (and their other goodies) just for a shot at a Green Card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcatcher Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 16 minutes ago, Juan B Tong said: Nieve pudgy new guy meets chubby upcountry bar girl in Bangers. He falls in love because usually when a 24 yo woman talks to him she says "do you want to upsize the fries?" Memo: Do not fall in love with any of the first 50 bar girls you bar fine! Hopefully, you fell in love with #51. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LALes Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 What's the over/under on how long this latest fiasco is gonna last? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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