Thai Public Tv Is Trash!

[toptuan]

I thought Aussie soaps were moronic until I came to Thailand. Don't wanna bring out the IQ argument again, but really, how mentally challenged do you have to be to get enjoyment out of Thai soaps.

Did you notice almost all Thai soaps have only 4 main characters?

1. The beautiful young heroine, dove-eyed, and love-sick.
   
2. The handsome young man, for some reason, always in a hospital bed.
   
3. The angry middle-aged father who is always slapping around his...
   
4. ...bitchy middle-aged wife.
   

Conflict between character #2 and #3 is always a given, as is between #1 and #4.

All the soaps: Same, same. Not different.

where is the monk and the Farang?

Oh yes, thanks...

6. The monk when you need to legitimize a character or part of the plot

7. The farang when a foreign villain (kidnapper of Thai child, lecherous school teacher, etc.) is needed in the plot. It used to be the farang idiot, but things have taken a darker turn in recent years.

[Artisi]

The topic is;

Thai Public Tv Is Trash!

Is there any need for 60 indepth posts when the only answer is - Yes it is.

Edited June 12, 2009 by Artisi

[Thanh-BKK]

I thought Aussie soaps were moronic until I came to Thailand. Don't wanna bring out the IQ argument again, but really, how mentally challenged do you have to be to get enjoyment out of Thai soaps.

Did you notice almost all Thai soaps have only 4 main characters?

1. The beautiful young heroine, dove-eyed, and love-sick.
   
2. The handsome young man, for some reason, always in a hospital bed.
   
3. The angry middle-aged father who is always slapping around his...
   
4. ...bitchy middle-aged wife.
   

Conflict between character #2 and #3 is always a given, as is between #1 and #4.

All the soaps: Same, same. Not different.

And not forgetting the 30 something plain looking totally subservient housekeeper and the cute boy or girl darling little angel who has no relevance in the show whatsoever.

Also noticeable in these soap operas: car crashes where no vehicles actual get damaged, gun is always at hand to see off any love rivals and the nagging girlfriend and hospital scenes with no other patients, in sight.

Yeah

And the bitch is always the easiest to spot - by her fire-red lipstick that she wears even in the middle of the night right out of bed.

Oh, and a pickup truck can ALWAYS out-run a Porsche, and BMW's and S-Classes ALWAYS have red plates.

And obviously, even in late model cars with airbags, at least one person is dead with blood all over after the car hit a tree at 10 km/h.

The people ALWAYS live in houses that would qualify as "palace" even though there's only two living there, and an army of house keepers.

Regarding "gun always at hand", the bad guy is still alive after 25 bullets have gone into his body (at least long enough to explain the whole background story or, alternatively, get up again to shoot the good guy in turn), while the good guy is dead after a single bullet hit his left foot (with blood dramatically coming out of his mouth).

Just last week a "new" one of these soaps has started, where the first three episodes were actually interesting.... now (fourth episode aired yesterday) it's back to standard already. Sadly, my boyfriend is addicted to that crap as are 95% of Thai people that i know...... while i have developed a slight allergy against women screaming at each other, red lipstick and expensive cars with red plates

But then, in older American movies also every car explodes in a huge fireball after a crash.....

Kind regards...

Thanh

Edited June 12, 2009 by Thanh-BKK

[bonobo]

My main television in the living room has TrueVisions (which I think it pretty poor, but what are you going to do?). But for any visitor who needs her soap fix or for someone whose English is not great, I have a television in my computer room which has an antenna. Last night, there was some soap on while I walked by, and the four or so stars were standing around talking. Immediately behind them facing the camera, was a young boy in muay thai shorts jumping rope. No expression on his face, no altering of movement, just mechanically jumping rope. This caught my attention, so I stood there watching.

I have no idea ofo what was going on, but for five minutes or so, while the acting was taking place, this kid just mechanically jumped rope while staring at the camera. He never let up. I can just imagine the director getting this kid to give a little flavor to the scene, then telling him to stand there and jump rope.

I am not sure what this has to do with whether Thai tv is trash or not, but it certainly struck me as weird.

[bangon04]

I thought Aussie soaps were moronic until I came to Thailand. Don't wanna bring out the IQ argument again, but really, how mentally challenged do you have to be to get enjoyment out of Thai soaps.

Did you notice almost all Thai soaps have only 4 main characters?

1. The beautiful young heroine, dove-eyed, and love-sick.
   
2. The handsome young man, for some reason, always in a hospital bed.
   
3. The angry middle-aged father who is always slapping around his...
   
4. ...bitchy middle-aged wife.
   

Conflict between character #2 and #3 is always a given, as is between #1 and #4.

All the soaps: Same, same. Not different.

where is the monk and the Farang?

Oh yes, thanks...

6. The monk when you need to legitimize a character or part of the plot

7. The farang when a foreign villain (kidnapper of Thai child, lecherous school teacher, etc.) is needed in the plot. It used to be the farang idiot, but things have taken a darker turn in recent years.

and the Villain and his idiot henchmen have to have a moustache each....

[brahmburgers]

Some people on this thread are saying something to the effect that; 'Thais choose this type of moronic programming, therefore it's likely to sell the most whitening cream (or whatever impractical product is on offer) - so that's why such programming is so prevalent.

It begs the question: What other options are there available to watch? We're talking about network TV, not satellite or cable, so all but a few Thais don't have access to good quality educational programming like Discovery or Animal Planet or BBC specials.

If all they have to choose between is screaming soaps or screaming katoy variety shows - then perhaps we can't blame them for making stupid choices. Are there media professionals in Thailand who are capable of making quality programs? .....programs with educational, scientific, historical content? Perhaps that's one basic consideration in this debate.

Regardless, the status quo will continue to offer mostly mindless hysterics and much of the Thai populace will continue to watch and listen to it. .....and it will affect peoples' psychology and feed in to their cultural biases (farang are dumb or depraved, servants are dumb and dark skinned, pretty women are constantly scheming, hard faced men are evil, sweet looking boys are sweet, money and rich possessions are the ultimate goal, ad nauseum).

[Plus]

good quality educational programming like Discovery or Animal Planet or BBC specials

You must be kidding???

People turn the TV on to watch some bitchslapping and soapy drama and connom folks winning a fortune, not to watch hybernating frogs thaw.

The question is - Is Thai entertainment any trashier than foreign one? Are Thai game shows less exciting, less educational? Is Thai romance sillier than American?

If they are, by how much? Is it someting to be really upset about?

Also don't forget that whoever wrote that article "Too much trash on That TV" wasn't comparing it to BBC.

>>>

Bonobo, thanks for the intro to The Office, I got Tudors already, just no time to watch yet. Will try Office, too.

[Thanh-BKK]

and connom folks winning a fortune,

That's a joke, isn't it..?

Those who win are ALWAYS those who already have everything. Since my BF watches that crap all the time i am forced to see some of it too, they come to visit some stinky rich celebrity's house and talk about the usual gossip, go through the clothes cabinet and show the 80 inch Plasma in the bathroom (people need that!) and in the end they get a present basket from the sponsor of the "show" and a couple of bicycles for the kids. Who already have bicycles and are previously seen riding them. Those people do NOT need gifts!

Or why is the "lucky winner" of a Honda Jazz almost always someone who already owns at least two cars, one of which is a Benz?

I have yet to see a "common person" to win something. Key to get on those "shows" is to be rich to begin with. People (as in television audience) don't want to see "common folks", they want to see celebrities and rich people, because those are taken as role models (money, money, money and more money).

Regards....

Thanh

[bonobo]

Bonobo, thanks for the intro to The Office, I got Tudors already, just no time to watch yet. Will try Office, too.

And I am going to get out and get The Tudors.  I have one more season of The Wire, so The Tudors is next for me, based on comments made in this thread.

[bonobo]

and connom folks winning a fortune,

That's a joke, isn't it..?

Those who win are ALWAYS those who already have everything. Since my BF watches that crap all the time i am forced to see some of it too, they come to visit some stinky rich celebrity's house and talk about the usual gossip, go through the clothes cabinet and show the 80 inch Plasma in the bathroom (people need that!) and in the end they get a present basket from the sponsor of the "show" and a couple of bicycles for the kids. Who already have bicycles and are previously seen riding them. Those people do NOT need gifts!

Or why is the "lucky winner" of a Honda Jazz almost always someone who already owns at least two cars, one of which is a Benz?

I have yet to see a "common person" to win something. Key to get on those "shows" is to be rich to begin with. People (as in television audience) don't want to see "common folks", they want to see celebrities and rich people, because those are taken as role models (money, money, money and more money).

Regards....

Thanh

I can't say anything about the common folk vs. the rich folk winning prizes as I haven't seen more than maybe on Thai game show, and that one was for students.

But I have noticed the celebrity fixation here.  On Amazing Race Asia, over half of the contestants were celebs of some sort.  Both THai teams, last time, for example, were celebs of some degree of note.  In the US version of Amazing Race, pretty much all the people are "common folk."  Oh, there was a writer for a movie, but the rest were pretty average folk (and even the writer for the movie would never have been recognized by face nor name.)

[cpofc]

Hehehe, this topic caught my eye! Whay should Thailand be any different in this regard.

As someone else has mentioned. Try going to Australia and watching FTA TV there. It is a flaming disgrace! Especially late night TV! (However, the ABC Network overseas service is pretty good though)

I listen to the Radio most of the time. Just like I would do if I lived back in Oz. Up until recently I listened to Australian Commercial Radio via the internet with my PC or Notebook. But last time I went back to Oz I acquired an 'Internet Radio', which actually connects to your home network via Wif Fi or Cable, accepts Flash Drives for MP3s, has FM & acts as a Wireless Media Server on your home network!!! All in the one. Has Audio out for connecting up to your Home Theatre Sytem too!

So I just wake up in the morning, turn on the radio, and put the coffee on - no different than if I lived in Aust. Isn't technology great!

The latest thing to hit OZ?

http://www.digitalradioplus.com.au/

Also for anyone interested in a terrific 'oldies' station (50s, 60s, 70s) you could do no better than this one. tune in on Saturday around 1500 Thai Time, a fantastic Saturday Night Jukebox programme.

mms://streaming.mytalk.com.au/magic

[hammered]

and connom folks winning a fortune,

That's a joke, isn't it..?

Those who win are ALWAYS those who already have everything. Since my BF watches that crap all the time i am forced to see some of it too, they come to visit some stinky rich celebrity's house and talk about the usual gossip, go through the clothes cabinet and show the 80 inch Plasma in the bathroom (people need that!) and in the end they get a present basket from the sponsor of the "show" and a couple of bicycles for the kids. Who already have bicycles and are previously seen riding them. Those people do NOT need gifts!

Or why is the "lucky winner" of a Honda Jazz almost always someone who already owns at least two cars, one of which is a Benz?

I have yet to see a "common person" to win something. Key to get on those "shows" is to be rich to begin with. People (as in television audience) don't want to see "common folks", they want to see celebrities and rich people, because those are taken as role models (money, money, money and more money).

Regards....

Thanh

A few years ago they had Big Brother Thailand and by some mishap a young motorcycle taxi driver won based on SMS votes. One of the prizes for the winner was to be a movie star on some soap or something. The guy declined that bit and said he couldnt act and wasnt interesting and just wanted to be a motorcycle taxi driver. I never heard what happened to him after that. However, the idea of big brother in Thailand quite quickly died and SMS voting has never given a result like that again and a rise in the power of judges and experts in these kind of programs began. And allowing the real common man or woman onto the shows has declined.

[animatic]

Mr Plus

I won't waste your time pointing you at british comedy, as a yank it will go over your head.

As for drama, posters have mentioned some excellent shows.

If you are in to educational stuff (travel, natural world, science) the BBC is second to none

Prancing around while clapping coconut shells to imitate horses was bloody hilarious, goes way way over my head. And that's from Brits' best comedy troup ever. Luckily they had better moments, like "What have Romans ever done for us?" Fawlty Towers was funny, true, but that was ages ago. Still in black and white?

As a yank I must say, yes, I think British comedy must be over my head. I just got a free 'audio book' as a promo for something. The title was "Best of BBC Comedy." I listened. I don't think I got a single half chuckle or snuffed chortle out of it. There was a lot of tenor shouting by men, with a badly timed canned laughter track behind it, that much I can remember. However, I like John Cleese, especially in 'A Fish Called Wanda', ...but most British humor does go over my head, much as slush goes over my head when I help push a truck out of a rut on a snowy day.

US-produced educational/nature/scientific programs are as good or better than any that BBC produces. That's the direction Thailand should go - if it had the means to do so. Commercial concerns, such as which programs sell the most whitening cream, should not be the crowning criteria for programming. It's the younger generation that suffers the most from that wrong-headed policy.

Black Books, Father Ted, Mock the Week, Not The Nine O'clock News, Yes (+P)Minister, To the Manor Born, Chef,

Britas Empire, Q, My Family, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Babes In The Woods, Are You Being Served,

The Young Ones, Bottom, Dad's Army, Morecambe and Wise, Flanders and Swan, Black Adder ( all), Mr. B.,

'Allo 'Allo! Billy Connely's World Tour of Scotland and Wales.

All things I've watched multiple times or have on DVD.

Let's not leave out; Hobson's Choice, Carry On, Kind Hearts And Coronets, Titfield Thunbderbolt, Goon Show,

Man Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain, Brassed Off, most anything Ealing, Peter Greenaway's

The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover, Drowning by Numbers, A Zed and Two Noughts, .

Yeah British comedy goes over our American heads; sure as shootin'.

We're just twee prats one and all.

Edited June 13, 2009 by animatic

[Thai at Heart]

Add in the ubiquitous soliloquy from the baddy (male or female) who tells their intention to themselves while staring in pained evil thought into the corner of the room. Always followed with the "da,da,da,da,da" as their truly evil scheme is related to the audience.

Also the inevitable hospital scene(s) where the primped, prisitne and overly made up victim lies motionless with a tube taped to the end of their nose for a few days and the love interest of the story discovers the true level of their love for the victim.

There is the odd decent bit of acting from a few of the actors, but the bloody stories are so obvious and never change.

My missus hates me watching these shows with her.

[toret]

Oh, I like Mythbusters, Man vs Wild, Drity Jobs, The Most Dangerous Catch, etc. and I could never get caught up in the Thai soap operas. My point is that my own personal view of entertainment makes me no better nor worse than a Thai who loves soaps. It is all just entertainment in the end.

No channel has deteriorated like Discovery. From showing nice documentary programs about T34 and Tiger, and maybe a full weekend dedicated to David Attenborough, it is now in the same soapy business as TV3 and the likes.

How people can enjoy the 4th season of shoddily narrated crab fishing, interrupted 27 times per hour to inform about the next season of the worst actors in "reality" history staging family feuds in a custom bike workshop, is beyond me.

But then again I'm an intellectual snob.

[Plus]

Black Books, Father Ted, Mock the Week, Not The Nine O'clock News, Yes (+P)Minister, To the Manor Born, Chef,

Britas Empire, Q, My Family, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Babes In The Woods, Are You Being Served,

The Young Ones, Bottom, Dad's Army, Morecambe and Wise, Flanders and Swan, Black Adder ( all), Mr. B.,

'Allo 'Allo! Billy Connely's World Tour of Scotland and Wales.

All things I've watched multiple times or have on DVD.

Let's not leave out; Hobson's Choice, Carry On, Kind Hearts And Coronets, Titfield Thunbderbolt, Goon Show,

Man Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain, Brassed Off, most anything Ealing, Peter Greenaway's

The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover, Drowning by Numbers, A Zed and Two Noughts, .

Would be more helpful if you singled out two at most.

What should be the best introduction in your opinion? Something not too old and available on the net.

>>

Actually I must confess - I never watch TV. I gave up following in the early 80s. Here in Thailand I watched Sex and the City because it was on HBO, and Friends because I had a DVD of some season.

Now, with the advent of the Internet, I turned my attention to TV series because vast majority of the moves are such crap. Some I think are just brilliant. Others are unbearable. Many are just not as good if watched once a week, as they are released. 24 mentioned earlier is one example.

There's just some kind of special anticipation when I sit down in front of TV knowing that I will have 10-20 hours of non-stop fun if I watch a whole season through.

[Bagwan]

I have to confess that the last time I watched Coronation Street it was in black and white and featured Ena Sharples and Arthur Lowe. I watched the first ten minutes of Eastenders and then turned off in disgust. I have never seen one second of Dallas, Knots Landing or other such pulp. I did watch some of an epic based in Louisiana or somewhere close (Flamingo Road?) which featured Howard Duff ( a very apt name), Morgan Fairchild (but not a fair adult) and a very effeminate Mark Harman. It was so awful it was absolutely brilliant. I alternated between groans and guffaws. I guess I am not easily pleased.

For those wishing to watch something more cerebal I suggest going to YouTube and downloading all 13 episodes of 'The Ascent of Man' written and presented by Prof. Jacob Bronowski. Absolutley rivetting and very educational.

[chiangdan]

Mr Plus

I won't waste your time pointing you at british comedy, as a yank it will go over your head.

As for drama, posters have mentioned some excellent shows.

If you are in to educational stuff (travel, natural world, science) the BBC is second to none

Prancing around while clapping coconut shells to imitate horses was bloody hilarious, goes way way over my head. And that's from Brits' best comedy troup ever. Luckily they had better moments, like "What have Romans ever done for us?"

Fawlty Towers was funny, true, but that was ages ago. Still in black and white?

So far I got recommendation for The Tudors, any current comedy show? Action? Something mysterious like Heroes? Recently I enjoyed leverage - a group of criminals stealing stuff to help people suffering from big corporations. Got a British lead actress, too. And let's not forget Dr. House.

I think the brits do the best comedy shows and I am not even british. Americans think they are funny but the are just plain stupid. I have never seen an American show that I like they are all the same. Always America saves world, American hero does this. All the same predictable and boring TV shows from the yanks.

[chiangdan]

Mr Plus

I won't waste your time pointing you at british comedy, as a yank it will go over your head.

As for drama, posters have mentioned some excellent shows.

If you are in to educational stuff (travel, natural world, science) the BBC is second to none

Prancing around while clapping coconut shells to imitate horses was bloody hilarious, goes way way over my head. And that's from Brits' best comedy troup ever. Luckily they had better moments, like "What have Romans ever done for us?" Fawlty Towers was funny, true, but that was ages ago. Still in black and white?

As a yank I must say, yes, I think British comedy must be over my head. I just got a free 'audio book' as a promo for something. The title was "Best of BBC Comedy." I listened. I don't think I got a single half chuckle or snuffed chortle out of it. There was a lot of tenor shouting by men, with a badly timed canned laughter track behind it, that much I can remember. However, I like John Cleese, especially in 'A Fish Called Wanda', ...but most British humor does go over my head, much as slush goes over my head when I help push a truck out of a rut on a snowy day.

US-produced educational/nature/scientific programs are as good or better than any that BBC produces. That's the direction Thailand should go - if it had the means to do so. Commercial concerns, such as which programs sell the most whitening cream, should not be the crowning criteria for programming. It's the younger generation that suffers the most from that wrong-headed policy.

US produce nothing but trash, all this trailer park trash spitting and fighting on stage, dad is having sex with with daughter, son loves animals everyone gets jealous Jerry Springer, ricky lake and all those other quality, informative and educational shows. Really shows the true mentality of Americans.

[Jungian]

I guess the only response to that is what public TV isn't trash, you get what you pay for. But on the bright side the Thai people seem to enjoy it and that is the only opinion that really matters.

[thaibkk]

just do not watch the trash, easy, doh...

take satellite tv... true series, a dream, no pub every 5 minutes... even dough they tried that last year, but i guess even thai's did not like / agree

[toret]

dam_n what a nice timing. Just saw them officially non-acting on Larry King.

[bonobo]

US produce nothing but trash, all this trailer park trash spitting and fighting on stage, dad is having sex with with daughter, son loves animals everyone gets jealous Jerry Springer, ricky lake and all those other quality, informative and educational shows. Really shows the true mentality of Americans.

Well, I knew a THai television trash-bash would really have to change to a US television trash-bash.

If you think US television is only Jerry Springer, Rickie Lake, et al, then you know nothing about US television, and it isn't even worth the time to go into any reasonable discussion about it.

[bonobo]

Oh, I like Mythbusters, Man vs Wild, Drity Jobs, The Most Dangerous Catch, etc. and I could never get caught up in the Thai soap operas. My point is that my own personal view of entertainment makes me no better nor worse than a Thai who loves soaps. It is all just entertainment in the end.

No channel has deteriorated like Discovery. From showing nice documentary programs about T34 and Tiger, and maybe a full weekend dedicated to David Attenborough, it is now in the same soapy business as TV3 and the likes.

How people can enjoy the 4th season of shoddily narrated crab fishing, interrupted 27 times per hour to inform about the next season of the worst actors in "reality" history staging family feuds in a custom bike workshop, is beyond me.

But then again I'm an intellectual snob.

OK, I haven't watched The Most Dangerous Catch for awhile, and maybe it has run its course after the first season or two, so that was perhaps not the best example to give.  And I have no interest in the chopper guys.  But I do like many of Discovery's shows.

[animatic]

Plus I was basically showing a compendeum of high and low brow comedies,

that I have enjoyed emanating from UK. Some as vapid as some American comedies,

Babes In The Woods for example, and others so dark and brooding and multi-layered

you still think about them days later and laugh at something you hadn't caught before.

Before someone else says it:

Flanders and Swan was only on radio or LP, I never 'saw' them.

I also only know the Goonies from some cassettes I heard in NYC.

For those that don't know the Goonies included Spike Milligan and a young Peter Sellars.

But both teams painted such droll linguistic pictures I remember their skits to this day.

'Design for Living' and 'The Reluctant Cannibal' come to mind. Their humor influenced Monty Python.

I whole heartedly agree with the state of PUBLIC TV here, it is utterly predictable,

and worse trains Thai ladies to parrot the the worst aspects of their culture and not the best.

Yes, there are a few decent period costume pieces about the culture, and some educational fare,

but not much and most with a jingoist edge, making other cultures look lower than Thai culture

so all Thais can feel better about themselves etc..

There are some good American comedies too, but you must look between the dross and drek.

Things like HBO's 'Six Feet Under', for one example. 'Sex and the City' could be both excellent,

and bad, but it did shine an accurate light on one segment of the culture. I lived in NYC for much

of the same time it was set in, so I could see the references clearly.

Even as I say this 'shows' should be judged on merits of entertainment and information,

not on nationalistic bearings.... Information can/should be very accurate IF attempting to portray accuracy,

but can also be utterly twisted and illogical if in the realm of fantasy. Sometimes the two can blend well,

Six Feet Under being an excellent example.

Edited June 14, 2009 by animatic

[Plus]

'shows' should be judged on merits of entertainment and information, not on nationalistic bearings.

Just watched the first episode of The Tudors, here are two memorable lines:

Advice from French and Italians: "It would do England no good to get involved in our European squabbles. Far better she stands above them."

And then Henry himself decides to abandon his upcoming war with French in revenge for killing his uncle, and goes for lofty ideas to establish "principles of collective security and universal peace" in the rest of Europe - and these are exact quotes.

Do you realise how incredibly patronising it sounds?

Also, don't you know that it is Americans who save the world and establish democracy and freedom and peace? That position is taken.

Otherwise, the show is top notch, I must admit, apart form the bullshit that always comes when a country decides to educate the public on history via television dramas, though it's not as bad as "300" - "We are the Spartans!!!", remember?

Still, the only reason I might continue watching it is that there's nothing else on. No offence, but I just haven't been caught up with the plot yet.

Also I think if they gave Henry a mobile phone, made him stare at it intently for a minute while occasionally poking his thumbs at the keys, and them flash a wide smile of satisfaction when SMS finally goes foo, as if neanderthal learning his first tool - he'd be perfect James Bond - the lad looks and acts so contemporary dumb, with all the mannerisms, and complete lack of class.

[Alex2353]

I Couldan’t Agree More, Spent 18 months out of last two years living in Thailand. Thai TV is the biggest pile of unadulterated CR*P, S*IT I have ever come across.

I just don’t understand how people can suffer watching it.

So I had a very large Sat Dish installed on my roof for Discovery, Geography & BBC news etc.

What a relief. There is a separate TV for me Thai Missus upstairs.

1. The beautiful young heroine, dove-eyed, and love-sick.
   
2. The handsome young man, for some reason, always in a hospital bed.
   
3. The angry middle-aged father who is always slapping around his...
   
4. ...bitchy middle-aged wife.
   

Conflict between character #2 and #3 is always a given, as is between #1 and #4.

All the soaps: Same, same. Not different.

You forgot the good looking but slightly hard faced lady who hates the young heroine and tries to steal the handsome young man from her.

There is also the quirky gay guy, usually friend of the young heroine and the slightly less good looking but very cute young friend of the young heroine who falls for the not as good looking friend of the handsome young man.

The good looking but slightly hard faced lady(who sticks out her chin like Michael Schumacher whilst deep in thought or when she has been caught out) also has a mother who schemes on her behalf to advance her interests with the handsome young man.

Throw in a trip to Paris, unless it's a historical costume drama, and recycle ad infinitum.

sounds like you guys been watching a load of that pap smear.

[Alex2353]

I Couldan’t Agree More, Spent 18 months out of last two years living in Thailand. Thai TV is the biggest pile of unadulterated CR*P, S*IT I have ever come across.

I just don’t understand how people can suffer watching it.

So I had a very large Sat Dish installed on my roof for Discovery, Geography & BBC news etc.

What a relief. There is a separate TV for me Thai Missus upstairs.

I thought Aussie soaps were moronic until I came to Thailand. Don't wanna bring out the IQ argument again, but really, how mentally challenged do you have to be to get enjoyment out of Thai soaps.

Did you notice almost all Thai soaps have only 4 main characters?

1. The beautiful young heroine, dove-eyed, and love-sick.
   
2. The handsome young man, for some reason, always in a hospital bed.
   
3. The angry middle-aged father who is always slapping around his...
   
4. ...bitchy middle-aged wife.
   

Conflict between character #2 and #3 is always a given, as is between #1 and #4.

All the soaps: Same, same. Not different.

You forgot the good looking but slightly hard faced lady who hates the young heroine and tries to steal the handsome young man from her.

There is also the quirky gay guy, usually friend of the young heroine and the slightly less good looking but very cute young friend of the young heroine who falls for the not as good looking friend of the handsome young man.

The good looking but slightly hard faced lady(who sticks out her chin like Michael Schumacher whilst deep in thought or when she has been caught out) also has a mother who schemes on her behalf to advance her interests with the handsome young man.

Throw in a trip to Paris, unless it's a historical costume drama, and recycle ad infinitum.

You blaggards!!!!

You have just ruined the plots of Thai soaps for the next 10 years!!

Shame on you.

[ReeBkk]

Prime Time Thai TV is on a Par with Kids TV in the UK, in my opinion..

I always wonder why Brits think their TV is superior. From the samples I've seen, it's as crappy as any other TV.

Americans at least created some truly amazing shows like Lost and Heroes, comparing to that Brits are still in the high school amateur category.

Both Lost and Heroes have lost the plot after first successful seasons, but that's not the point.

Well, I'd have to disagree, you obvioulsy haven't seen many 'samples'.....or just didn't pay attention when you did.

Sir David Attenborough? Need say no more....

The BBC? While all news is a form of propaganda, who you going to believe? Fox, CNN, or the BBC?

Comedies like the Office, Yes Minister, Have I got News For You, Alan Partridge, Mock the Week, Quite Interesting (QI) this list is endless and spans back generations.

Eastenders. In my personal opion, crap, but its loved by brits all over the world, plus its is older than I am.

Channel Four and all Flim4 Films??? Bet you've seen those without even realising...

Real documentaries like the Cook Report, the Real Football Factories.....crazy documentaries such as Bear Grills.....

One thing American can claim is its unmatchable status for big screen productions

TV is entertainment.......like it was already mentioned, the broadcasting companies will push what's popular.... I can't see Cultural programs being top of the list for the Thais. Nevertheless, I have seen many a Thai fixated on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet when Bilingual settings are switched to Thai.

[joker]

When I first arrived in Thailand I had a (Thai) gf, nice girl, masters degree, government job, etc. Anyway, the first time I saw her watch TV she viewed it so intently that I thought "Has she ever seen a tv before?!?" Of course I knew she had but she appeared as if she were in a trance, she was that absorbed in the program.

Last night I had a burger at Kiss Foods (Not bad considering the price) and the staff was pretty engrosed in a popular series. I happened to catch one girl's eye and gave her a thumbs-up; I joined in the viewing, yuked it up a bit and we all agreed that it was the best series ever.

If you can't beat them...