English Language Tv

[Surfing Spleen]

What English Language TV programs are available in CM? Are you satified with the variety? What's better, cable or satellite?

Aloha,

Spleen

[ProThaiExpat]

UBC sattelite has HBO, CINEMAX, HALLMARK, and Star Movies. as well as four sport channels and number of thai/u.s. soap channels, CNN, BBC and Discovey, History and National Geographic Channel, all in English.

There is another source of English language channels but others will have to provide info on them

[john b good]

Then if you want to go all the way get a big dish (2-3 metres) and apart from the initial equipment purchase and set up costs it is all free from there.

[Surfing Spleen]

Yeah, but I heard that with the dish, though the programs are free you get mostly Indian & Chinese shows... True?

[Ajarn]

Then if you want to go all the way get a big dish (2-3 metres) and apart from the initial equipment purchase and set up costs it is all free from there.

Unfortunately, my experience with the larger dish satelites tells me there is very little English programming, and very little interesting programming of any sort. But there are a few gems to be discovered, at times. I like watching CCTV 9, Airiang, IndoTV (PM)...There is BBC, but no CNN. They do have the fashion channel, too.

[Bob Chittie]

UBC sattelite has HBO, CINEMAX, HALLMARK, and Star Movies. as well as four sport channels and number of thai/u.s. soap channels, CNN, BBC and Discovey, History and National Geographic Channel, all in English.

There is another source of English language channels but others will have to provide info on them

It needs to be pointed out that these channels are all complete sh$t for the most part. They do not contain the same programming as you get in the US. HBO, for instance has no original comedy programming and no Curb your Enthusiasm. Six feet under is on, but it is one year behind the US and it is highly censored.

Discovery and National Geographic air shows from 6 or 7 years ago that have no relevance any more. ie. predictions on what will happen in the year 2000. Very little is current programming.

UBC is good for sports and news and that is all. Even then, you have to settle. They choose not to show the Eastern Conference finals in the NBA for example. And in the West, the commentators are not even at the game! They're in a studio watching it on TV. It does take away from the fun.

As soon as UBC has a competitor, they will lose many customers.

[Surfing Spleen]

No "Curb your Enthusiasm"? What a shame, funniest ever!

[Ajarn]

As soon as UBC has a competitor, they will lose many customers.

That might be true. In areas where cable from other operators (mostly illegal) is available, it seems they usually have no lack of customers...Mostly Thai anyway, many people would seem to prefer like 300 baht per month for all the Thai channels, plus a few others, rather than 1400+ per month for basically watching the same programs as on cable- The other channels being mostly wasted...

[sabaijai]

As soon as UBC has a competitor, they will lose many customers.

That might be true. In areas where cable from other operators (mostly illegal) is available, it seems they usually have no lack of customers...Mostly Thai anyway, many people would seem to prefer like 300 baht per month for all the Thai channels, plus a few others, rather than 1400+ per month for basically watching the same programs as on cable- The other channels being mostly wasted...

UBC really is outrageously priced, but it's the only game in town unfortunately. I'd be satisfied with Thai channels only but oddly enough my wife (Thai) likes the farang channels.

[Ajarn]

As soon as UBC has a competitor, they will lose many customers.

That might be true. In areas where cable from other operators (mostly illegal) is available, it seems they usually have no lack of customers...Mostly Thai anyway, many people would seem to prefer like 300 baht per month for all the Thai channels, plus a few others, rather than 1400+ per month for basically watching the same programs as on cable- The other channels being mostly wasted...

UBC really is outrageously priced, but it's the only game in town unfortunately. I'd be satisfied with Thai channels only but oddly enough my wife (Thai) likes the farang channels.

If you live in CM city, there is cable service available. A couple of farang friends use the service and like it, when compared to UBC prices...

[sabaijai]

Cable service? Who's the supplier? I'd be interested in learning more.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Cable service? Who's the supplier? I'd be interested in learning more.

WEtv. But its available in very select areas only. I live inside the moat very close to Chiang Mai Ram and we've been waiting for them to lay the cables for over a year. I think Huay Kaew is the main avenue.

Its not great either, but for 300 baht... A lot of Australian channels. Not much sports. But all you Foxs News fans will be in for a treat. Terror Threat: Yellow!

[Ajarn]

Cable service? Who's the supplier? I'd be interested in learning more.

WEtv. But its available in very select areas only. I live inside the moat very close to Chiang Mai Ram and we've been waiting for them to lay the cables for over a year. I think Huay Kaew is the main avenue.

I have 2 friends in Chang Puak and Santitam with cable.

[Georgie-Porgie]

WE TV has Fox News. Fair and Balanced and easy to watch 24 hours straight. It really gives you a lot to think about when whipping up a post for The Bear-Pit.

They also have their own English movie channel which is much like HBO, but more recent movies. The Adventure channel, some English music channels. A really good Thai music channel ( I usually don't appreciate Thai pop, but this one mostly plays good songs), and a bunch of other stuff.

Pretty good for 300 baht.

[Ajarn]

WE TV has Fox News. Fair and Balanced and easy to watch 24 hours straight. It really gives you a lot to think about when whipping up a post for The Bear-Pit.

They also have their own English movie channel which is much like HBO, but more recent movies. The Adventure channel, some English music channels. A really good Thai music channel ( I usually don't appreciate Thai pop, but this one mostly plays good songs), and a bunch of other stuff.

Pretty good for 300 baht.

Fox TV news Fair and Balanced? That's the first time I've ever heard that said about Fox News, except as a joke

Admittedly, I haven't ever seen it...

[Georgie-Porgie]

WE TV has Fox News. Fair and Balanced and easy to watch 24 hours straight. It really gives you a lot to think about when whipping up a post for The Bear-Pit.

They also have their own English movie channel which is much like HBO, but more recent movies. The Adventure channel, some English music channels. A really good Thai music channel ( I usually don't appreciate Thai pop, but this one mostly plays good songs), and a bunch of other stuff.

Pretty good for 300 baht.

Fox TV news Fair and Balanced? That's the first time I've ever heard that said about Fox News, except as a joke

Admittedly, I haven't ever seen it...

If you watch one show, you will notice that "Fair and Balanced" is their slogan, and they repeat it about every 3 minutes.

It is my personal opinion that most people who you hear raving about how terrible it is have never even seen it, but for middle-of the-road Americans of average intelligence it is a very entertaining way to keep up on news about the US, both domestic and international.

There is no doubt about a pro-American slant, but in most ways, it is the kind of news that you watched at 6 pm as a child. Interesting, attractive newscasters with American accents speaking American English to Americans about America.

No plain-Jane, PC, boring, Beeb-style newscasters with stories about places that you could care less about, putting one to sleep within a minute of tuning in.

If you think that you are some real whiz-kid, enjoy being phony and pretentious, and like to talk a lot about being better than the "herd", go for CNN or BBC, Bill O'Reilly won't be your cup of tea, but if you want to actually enjoy watching American news with some pretty girls and folksy anchors, Fox News can't be beat!

[chanchao]

I've seen Fox TV. Though I never manage too long without getting severe cramp in my toes. :-) It's on the cable in Pattaya, and I've watched it when in the USA.

> Interesting, attractive newscasters with American accents speaking

> American English to Americans about America.

Okay, I just about agree with that.. If I tried really hard then this would be the one positive thing I could come up with..

> No plain-Jane, PC, boring, Beeb-style newscasters with stories about

> places that you could care less about, putting one to sleep within a

> minute of tuning in.

Instead, they go on at length about un-news like the Lacey Peterson woman who went missing on Christmas eve while pregnant. Then they spent MOST of their prime time TV interviewing bozo's off the street giving their 'honest all American opinions' based on diddly squat.

Then it's amazing how much time they can fill with Michael Jackson Case stories without any actual 'news' to report.

But you're quite right, I suppose there are people who find this far more intreguing and entertaining than some political conflict in Sudan..

Anyway, let's do this one in the Bearpit. Last one there is a looooserrrrr.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Georgie-Porgie]

I don't usually watch BBC as a main news source if I have access to CNN or Fox TV, however, I don't hate it, I just think that it is boring and Politically Correct, and CNN is really just about the same; Kind of like watching someone on TV taping the BBC radio program.

I do like BBC documentaries though.

CNN has just as much focus on all the nutty stories that you refer to as Fox, but BBC has its own reports about Michael Jackson and other wackiness, plus has tons and tons of stuff that only someone from England, or perhaps "the colonies", would be interested in.

Who Prince Charle's butler is giving it to, and all.

I think that is the stuff that you guys convince yourselves is "better" than American news, when in reality it is just more interesting to you anglophiles.

Remember that Fox is on 24 hours, and, so, for all the intelligentsia hiding out here in Thailand there is plenty of coverage of the Sudan, and all that crap, thrown in amongst the good stuff.

All you budding Einsteins, don't get too discouraged!