I've got to believe that there will be one or two cultural faux-pas represented that will set off some of the more jingoistic defenders of national morality.

 

But if Hangover 2 passed with little kerfuffle - save the death of a stuntman - then the outrage may be offset by the positive representation of Thailand's natural beauty and charm.

 

I watched the first season; it was OK. Like Succession, which most friends and acquaintances also loved, WL didn't inspire me to watch S02.

2 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

Never heard of it. 

It’s an island off Surat Thani in the Gulf of Thailand….

In episode 3 the cast go on a trip to Koh Tao and only half of them make it back…. 

19 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

The numbers in your chart are for monthly arrivals, not yearly. There will indeed be around 35 million foreign tourist arrivals (as counted by TAT...) in 2024.

OH my giddy Aunt. Thanks for the correction. Now I know why sum Tam costs more and the roads in Chiang Mai are jammed 

43 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Are you a bot? they usually exaggerate reviews. I liked the first two series and will watch the third but "very funny comedy" definitely not

 

A more accurate description is a "Black Comedy".  Yes, it is very funny in a dark way.  I've seen both Season 1 and 2 and look forward to Season 3.

Note to all Cheap Charlies living on Samui...pack your bags and head for the hills or somewhere else...you will be priced out next year.  I hoped you enjoyed the Island when you lived there.  Those days are gone...Forever!

 

There will be a massive inflow of <deleted> money from America...and everything will be inflated.

 

Such is life.

 

STs will be 7 K min.

5 hours ago, Nemises said:

✅Koh Samui removed from future holiday destinations. 

Yes...it's over Johnny....555555555.

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

And who could forget the notorious aftermath of The Beach, where 8,000 daily pilgrims invaded Koh Phi Phi’s idyllic beauty post-Leonardo DiCaprio’s cinematic splash? The influx devastated marine life and coral reefs, prompting the government to shutter Maya Bay temporarily for rehabilitation, said Udom Matsayawanigul, director of the Thailand Film Office.

 

That's odd. I was there shortly after the film's release, and I was one of only a dozen people in Maya Bay. 🤔

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Are you a bot? they usually exaggerate reviews. I liked the first two series and will watch the third but "very funny comedy" definitely not

No, I’m not a bot - but that’s exactly what a bot that’s trying to pass the Turing test would say, isn’t it?

17 hours ago, kickstart said:

I would say I am like a lot of AN members ...............What is the White Lotus, if it is a Thai soap, not many people outside LOS will watch it, cannot see it helping Thai tourism.

My sister in the UK watched a Thai series on Netflix she said it was ok, but not again.

Perhaps a lot of AN members also don't read the articles nor watch the videos attached to them, but comment nonetheless?
The very first sentence let you know that it is not a Thai soap....  It is the "third series of the smash hit HBO drama". How many Thai soaps have ever been a "smash hit" on HBO? I've never seen a Thai soap in which nearly all the actors are white people. The video with the article had ZERO resemblance to a Thai soap. Do you think they wrote all that up in the article and that the Thai government is willing to give such massive rebates to a film production of a Thai soap? It doesn't even require critical reading skills to address your pondering whether it's a Thai soap or not, just simply reading the article and viewing a couple of minutes of the accompanying video would do the trick, giving you no need to wonder or comment about it.

16 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Set in the fictional haven of the White Lotus resort, this murder-mystery drama has won critical acclaim for its razor-sharp satire of affluent tourists and the locals who serve them.

 

Is this allowed?  Wasn't there an advert banned for making light of tourism in Thailand?

 

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

But its appeal stretches beyond the screen, sparking what’s now nicknamed the White Lotus Effect – an insatiable desire among fans to visit filming locations.

 

Why would you name something that has been going on for decades after a recent series?

Making light of tourism and anything negative about Thais related to tourism may be banned, but I'm guessing that the satire of the tourists is perfectly good and supported. Any satire of locals must be very light-hearted in a kind way or else what you mention would become a problem.

They didn't name the effect, they said that "it's now nicknamed" (by who knows who...) this. So, it was already a known phenomenon, as you mentioned, but now somebody ("they") have put a name to the preexisting, but unnamed phenomenon.

22 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

It has changed - LOTS.

Stay away from the tourist areas (Chaweng, Lamai, Fisherman's etc) and it is still a beautiful island.

Where’s best to stay ? Was thinking of a week end January.

14 hours ago, hotchilli said:

STD's, monkey pox, poisoned drinks, taxi mafia, pedestrian crossings, dual pricing, air quality [or lack of] marine trips

the list is endless

Add the polltutin and garbage that will also come with them.  most people do not care about teh place they are visiting it is the theme and to say they saw it.  

 

MAYA BAY STILL HAS TO RANK #1 on tourism foul ups.

On 12/7/2024 at 1:40 AM, it is what it is said:

 

samui in the early 90s, pretty much a paradise. went back 2015, big mistake, the place has been completely ruined. i guess many people think it's a great place, but if you don't know, you don't know. i'll never return.

Mass tourism has changed many beautiful destinations, I was in Koh Samui in 1989 and 1995, in Bali in 1988 and 2005, in Hanoi in 1982, 1990 and 2010....all changed because of one single reason : traffic jams you really want to avoid.  However many years ago a much older friend complained about the traffic jams of Jakarta in 1949...😄

The White Lotus explores privilege, power, and dysfunction through darkly comedic stories of guests and staff at luxury resorts.

 

Newsflash: Staying at a 5 star resort doesn't make you RICHER, it makes you POORER because you're overpaying for EVERYTHING 😂