Why Is Thaivisa So Popular?

[Old Man River]

Although ThaiVisa has been running for quite a few years, it is not the NO 1 forum facility in Thailand.

I have no real opinion here as I wouldn't know, but just curious about your comment. Based on what?

[PeaceBlondie]

I must say I'm dubious about this 70,000 member thing. If there are 70,000 members, why are there only around 150 regular posters, with a back-up of around 200 irregular posters. Where are all the other members and why are they signing up if they don't post - it's not like you need to be a member to read the dam_n thing?

I'd love to know precisely how many different posters have contributed to the site in the last 12 months. If it's more than 1500, I'm a banana.

bendix, you are probably not a banana. Here are some stats from the front page

Our members have made a total of 2,085,674 posts

We have 60,675 registered members

Most users ever online was 12,097 on 2008-02-06 19:07:21

A minute ago about 1,700 viewers were online, but I do not see how many of them posted in a day. Unless you visit every single sub-forum, you would miss hundreds of regular posters. E.g., you might post in five forums, but not motorcycles or Southern Thailand or the Ladies Forum. Surely, many of those 60,700 posters may have stopped posting after their tenth or 915th post. I do not think a few hundred posters can post two million times (not even Dr Pat Pong!).

Anyway, ThaiVisa is popular after several years because we keep informing, entertaining, joking, etc.

[Kerryd]

Although ThaiVisa has been running for quite a few years, it is not the NO 1 forum facility in Thailand.

I can't think of another one that would even come close.

Same same (but same) !

I've been on a few boards over the last couple of years, and the second biggest one I've seen has half the registered members that TV has, and a whopping total of 50k posts (compared to the 2 million+ here).

Perhaps sassienie was referring to a forum that is # 1 in terms of being better than TV in some way ?

Perhaps like some of those places where a small clique gets to flame the snot out of any newbie that doesn't kiss their *ss ? Or where they allow questionable pictures, so that favoured members will post more ? Or one of those places that has 10-12 regular members and a whopping 30-40 new posts a month ?

I too am anxious to here what is the Number 1 board in Thailand if it isn't TV.

[dantilley]

I'd love to know precisely how many different posters have contributed to the site in the last 12 months. If it's more than 1500, I'm a banana.

Well, looks like you're a banana then.

Click "Members" in the main menu, then click "Toggle More Options" in the Search and Filter options section. It is then possible to do a search which gives you all the members who's last post is on or after 18th July 2007. The resulting list has 14,380 members in it. So that makes you a banana nearly 10 times over!

[tomuk76]

Quote tomuk76 So therefore making my original question nonsense

Pretty much sums up most of your responses on TV that I've seen.

Maybe your right, but who cares? i dont.

Maybe the next topic i will start up will be, "do you think midasthailand looks like that ugly golfer called ian woosnam?"

[Tywais]

Some statistics regarding TV for those curious.

Forum software: Invision

Number of posts: 2084780

Number of members: 60657

Post per member ratio: 34

Posts last week: 12973

Alexa ranking: 7824

Source: big-boards

[PeaceBlondie]

I have an escape plan, a Plan B, for eastern, coastal Mexico. The only expat forum for the area has 180 members, of which only about 3 live in the big port city. The biggest expat forum in Mexico, MexConnect, lost most of its members when it required monthly dues, and had almost nobody living along the East Coast. Here on ThaiVisa, we have separate forums for each region, and for all kinds of special interests. The only other Thai forum I visit has a tiny fraction of ThaiVisa membership, and gives much worse visa advice than we give.

[dantilley]

Some statistics regarding TV for those curious.

Forum software: Invision

Number of posts: 2084780

Number of members: 60657

Post per member ratio: 34

Posts last week: 12973

Alexa ranking: 7824

Source: big-boards

Another interesting statistic - number of banned members, 3,780, so just over 6% of all members are banned.

According to that Big Boards site, ThaiVisa is 804th largest board on the web. It's got a long way to go to reach the top - the forum in the number 1 slot (an Anime role-playing game forum) has over 1 billion posts!

[Kerryd]

Another interesting statistic - number of banned members, 3,780, so just over 6% of all members are banned.

You have to take into account the number of banned members that have tried to come back, were caught and banned again. I know of a couple that have been banned 3 times each (and are probably back again in yet another disguise).

More than a few were also just scammers (joining and making a post to try and get members to go to their site or what ever).

Just did some checking. 1,021 of those banned members never even made a single post !

A further 1,126 made a grand total of 1 posts before getting the big "B". That's almost 57% of the total right there.

At the other end of the scale, there's only 82 banned members (just over 2%) with 500+ posts, and only 32 of those with 1,000+.

[t.s]

Farangs in Thailand are underworked & overpaid. Thus they have shitloads of time to spend on such a site.

No no, that cant be the reason. There most be another reason

our wives won't let us out of the house after sun down. so we sit at the computer alone drinking beer talking to each other looking for a purpose.

i fear for many here this is very close to the truth

[Mossfinn]

Although ThaiVisa has been running for quite a few years, it is not the NO 1 forum facility in Thailand.

Which website is No 1 in Thailand ?

Yup, I would like to know too.

I believe TV is using some forum management techniques that other don't use.

I use to work in this field very long time ago, actually before the internet exists (I'm no Al Gore, just French), and we were using some techniques to boost the number of people connected and sometime I've the feeling TV is using similar ones

I have a feeling you might be working under an illusion, but feel free to prove me wrong.

Moss

[Mossfinn]

I'd love to know precisely how many different posters have contributed to the site in the last 12 months. If it's more than 1500, I'm a banana.

Well, looks like you're a banana then.

Click "Members" in the main menu, then click "Toggle More Options" in the Search and Filter options section. It is then possible to do a search which gives you all the members who's last post is on or after 18th July 2007. The resulting list has 14,380 members in it. So that makes you a banana nearly 10 times over!

Ahhhhhhhhhh.......

Well, looks like you're a banana then.

Dan, you can't call Bendix a Banana

Click "Members" in the main menu, then click "Toggle More Options" in the Search and Filter options section. It is then possible to do a search which gives you all the members who's last post is on or after 18th July 2007. The resulting list has 14,380 members in it. So that makes you a banana nearly 10 times over!

Now that is clever.

Moss

[cobra]

... Just interested to know why thaivisa is so popular?? ...

For all its charms, the LOS needs a operating manual to negotiate all it's idiosyncrasies, pit-falls, do's and don'ts, and a sub-manual for the never ending paper-chase,

TV is sort of the Cliff notes for getting a handle on it all,

[roygsd]

thailand breeds idleness. hence here we are.

So do many other countries! R u sure your telling the thruth with a avatar like that?

Hi

Because you can post a reply safe in the knowedge that it will be removed without mention or explanation ?

Roy gsd

[qwertz]

thailand breeds idleness. hence here we are.

So do many other countries! R u sure your telling the thruth with a avatar like that?

Hi

Because you can post a reply safe in the knowedge that it will be removed without mention or explanation ?

Roy gsd

That depends on the tone of your reply.

I've posted many an acerbic comment but none was ever removed as far as I know.

Maybe because I stop just short of flaming or the cardinal crime of criticising the mods.

[dantilley]

More than a few were also just scammers (joining and making a post to try and get members to go to their site or what ever).

True, spammers and scammers probably account for most of the bannings that occur on the site. The "Most ever users online" statistic is massively skewed too, as the vast majority of those 12,000 or so posters would be search engine robots trawling the site.

[bendix]

Now that I've (happily) been proven a banana, I still think it's rather silly to say we have 60,000 members. Define member. Someone who joins and never posts? Well, what's the point? Someone who posts once and disappears? Do we still call them members?

The only valid member is an active member.

[laphroaig]

The only valid member is an active member.

Perhaps some form of 'virtual Viagra' would recreate activity in these 'members' you refer to

[bendix]

nice one

[dantilley]

Now that I've (happily) been proven a banana, I still think it's rather silly to say we have 60,000 members. Define member. Someone who joins and never posts? Well, what's the point? Someone who posts once and disappears? Do we still call them members?

The only valid member is an active member.

I think, yes, everyone will agree that clearly 60,000 people do not contribute to the site. Obviously making zero posts does not constitute being an active member, and making just one post is pretty dubious too. So, total of all non-banned members with 2 or more posts? 21,060. I think that's closer to what should be the forum's true member-count.

[Tod Daniels]

Its popularity is sorely overrated. ..

There are a plethora of forum's out there on the internet which can boast far more active member's, far less scrutiny/oversight in post content, and often times have far more accurate information about that particular forum's topic.

That being said; some sections of this forum are very valuable in the knowledge they dispense concerning 'all thingz thai', just as other sections are plain drivel.

I find it increasingly tiring to wade thru inane posts espousing the virtues and wonderment of this place by foreigners undoubtedly dressed in color coordinated shirts with a matching bracelet, wearing rose colored glasses. This forum is populated in ever increasing numbers by mindless sheep-like sock puppets better known as the 'wanna-b-thai' faction and who have the mindset that the ever smiling, yet diminutive inhabitants in the glorious "Land 'O Thais" are the most wonderful people on the face of the planet.

**Warning** My reality may not be compatible with your version !!

[Kerryd]

Well, another short scan through the stats shows the following UFI:

9,180 members have 10+ posts, and of that figure, 6,360+ have 20 or more.

Of the members who have joined in the last year, there are 1,205 who have 10 or more posts so far.

There are also quite a few that have made 2 or fewer posts, and haven't posted in over a year. Having a hard time trying to get a number though. It seems no matter how I change the search parameters, it still keep including all the new people that have recently joined.

[Ulysses G.]

**Warning** My reality may not be compatible with your version !!

How true.

[keemapoot]

tod-daniels willl soon be punished for that post, or the post will disappear.

Sanitized content. That is the difference.

[Pierrot]

I believe TV is using some forum management techniques that other don't use.

I use to work in this field very long time ago, actually before the internet exists (I'm no Al Gore, just French), and we were using some techniques to boost the number of people connected and sometime I've the feeling TV is using similar ones

I have a feeling you might be working under an illusion, but feel free to prove me wrong.

Moss

Let me clarify my point. TV is a commercial venture and how do they get money? Advertisement!

The more people visit the site, the more expensive is an ad spot on TV. That the visitors post or not is irrelevant for this matter.

But why people come to visit TV? To read what's going on in Thailand, get advises, and for most of them, get entertained. So you have to make sure they get what they want.

One of the most obvious "forum management techniques" I was talking about can be found is the "news" forum where George keep on posting thread after thread after thread, so we will have always something new to read every time we connect.

One other technique we used to employ is "house trolls", forum employees who disguise themselves as regular users to make sure the number and quality of new posts remain constant. But this one, TV has probably enough quality posters so they don't need to use it.

And many others …

[Shotime]

If there is a better site, please share it with us.

I think TV is very therapuetic, and how much sex can you have in a day.

"Because you can post a reply safe in the knowedge that it will be removed without mention or explanation?"

What is up with that? I have learned to stay away from the ladies forum. They absolutely do not know how to take a joke.

[qwertz]

Re. the popularity of ThaiVisa, I think the drop out rate might be reduced if some of the old hands with a zillion posts were not so

quick to heap scorn on posts from the newer members.

The less thick skinned among them might be hurt or offended by your comments.

This also applies to some newbies who write e.g. "BS, get over yourself" and similar to people they don't know from Adam, purely to grab

attention, I think.

The principal aim of a forum should be to seek and give information and perhaps entertain a little.

P.S. You can even make a few friends - if you want to.

[pumpuiman]

The information gleaned here over the years has helped me immensely. The construction of my house, for instance, involved many useful tips from reading posts...and PM's from some extremely knowledgeable members.

My wife enjoys the discussions of the "crazy farang"....we have many laughs together reading of their adventures, trials and tribulations.

As another poster mentioned, it's a great source to track something down. I once was looking for a particular German made toy piano......five minutes later I had a location...try asking around the village where to buy a Schoenhut toy piano, I doubt you'll get very far.

The farming forum is very interesting to me....though I detest manual labor...I'm impressed with peoples knowledge and dedication (I think "maizefarmer" has reached agricultural nirvana)

The Language forum has definitely improved my limited Thai.

Thai visa is an incredible source of veterinary information (thank you "Bambina", and others)

Political discussion can sometimes be surprisingly well informed.

Travel within Thailand.....costs, methods and best routes are frequently discussed here. I remember an interesting post on traveling to China by boat.....a trip I hope to make after reading about it here.

Of course there's visa discussions as well. I found this site when preparing my wife's visa. People like "the scouser" are an incredible help to those members with U.K. visa problems.

All in all it's a big family here. We've got the crazy uncles, gay cousins, wise grandfathers and obnoxious spoiled brats.

It makes for great dinner conversation

[Kerryd]

Re. the popularity of ThaiVisa, I think the drop out rate might be reduced if some of the old hands with a zillion posts were not so quick to heap scorn on posts from the newer members.

The less thick skinned among them might be hurt or offended by your comments.

I don't see that happening too often here, though it does on ocassion, especially when someone new (?) decides to post some outrageous/clueless or just plain troll post (I think the old hands tend to recognize these a bit quicker, and call them for what they are)

This also applies to some newbies who write e.g. "BS, get over yourself" and similar to people they don't know from Adam, purely to grab attention, I think.

The principal aim of a forum should be to seek and give information and perhaps entertain a little.

Again, when some newbie comes in and writes something like that, it makes me wonder just how "new" they really are. I saw an example of that recently, where someone that had only been on a few months and had a whopping total of less than 40 posts, was criticising a member that had been here for a couple of years and had 3,000+ posts.

And if they are seeking attention, those kinds of posts will get them lots, but I'll bet they won't like it (and will be some glad that the mods won't be likely to let it get too out-of-hand, like it does on some other, less moderated, forums).

P.S. You can even make a few friends - if you want to.

Hey ! I wished you a happy birthday you old fart !

(shouldn't you be in the gasthaus celebrating at the stammtisch with some junge madchen?)

[Tinkelbell]

quoted............."The Language forum has definitely improved my limited Thai."

.......................................................................

Good for you 'pumpuiman'.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same.

I'm doing fine as long as the posters refer to central Thai language. Many times I was quite confused reading some of the threads that talking in Thai. Only to find out later ( from another posters who gracious enough to correct it ) that it's Isarn, Laos or Khmer's dialect.