‘Obscene’ ads taken down

BANGKOK: -- Advertising billboards showing men in underwear and labelled obscene by a cultural watch group have been removed after threats of legal action by the Culture Ministry.

Ladda Tangsupachai, director of the non-governmental Culture Watch group, said that a few days after media headlines about the billboards, the client company and its advertising agency had “shown responsibility” by removing them from Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road.

Consumer Protection Office secretary-general Rassami Withawet said that following complaints about the billboards, the CPO had decided to increase fines for companies displaying obscene billboards from Bt30,000 to Bt60,000.

The move came after Culture Watch filed complaints with the Culture Ministry, demanding that all obscene advertising billboards across Bangkok be removed.

--The Nation 2005-02-16

The move came after Culture Watch filed complaints with the Culture Ministry, demanding that all obscene advertising billboards across Bangkok be removed.

Where does one go to apply for membership in this "Culture Watch"? I mean, I can be a frothing-at-the-mouth fanatic, self-righteous prude, holier-than-thou extremist, smug moralist, sanctimonious bag of wind….. just as much as the next guy..

How obscene were these scantily clad gentlemen? As scantily clad as the pubescent and older teenage girls who parade in full page ads in all the magazines, including the teenage mag. of Bangkok Post, Student Weekly?

Were these underwear bulging in obviously erect style? Were they thongs (g-strings)? Were the men obviously so well endowed as to make the male members of the Culture Committee jealous?

How obscene were these scantily clad gentlemen?  As scantily clad as the pubescent and older teenage girls who parade in full page ads in all the magazines, including the teenage mag. of Bangkok Post, Student Weekly?

Were these underwear bulging in obviously erect style?  Were they thongs (g-strings)?  Were the men obviously so well endowed as to make the male members of the Culture Committee jealous?

Here are the pics (from the excellent Bangkok website 2bangkok.com):

http://www.2bangkok.com/news05c.shtml

"... Were the men obviously so well endowed as to make the male members of the Culture Committee jealous?"

That's the real issue, isn't it. If I ever get the time, I want to write a letter to the Nation about it. What I find especially galling, is that over the last few weeks there has been an advertisement for a men's shirt company in BTS stations that is far more insidious. It depicts a cheeky male, buttoning up a shirt with 4 women in underwear lounging on a bed. The direct (not sublimial) message is that he just had his way with these women as he buttons up his shirt. To me, that is far more offensive and culturally damaging than showing a scene of intimate domesticity between a man and a woman.

It's because his package was on display (they actually said this in the article). But not a peep about the other toxic male chauvinism crap.

As for me, I find kids walking around with no shoes...piles of trash laying beside the street...brown polluted air hanging over Bangkok...and fecal matter pouring out onto the beach from sewer drains ALL much more offensive than anything mentioned here.

If these types of things are not addressed, Thailand's entire "culture" is going to be buried under a pile of garbage.

Edited February 16, 200521 yr by sriracha john

It's amazing that "western cultural influences" weren't blamed for the type of ads....

It's amazing that "western cultural influences" weren't blamed for the type of ads....

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I think it has now been insinuated.

As for me, I find kids walking around with no shoes...piles of trash laying beside the street...brown polluted air hanging over Bangkok...and fecal matter pouring out onto the beach from sewer drains ALL much more offensive than anything mentioned here.

If these types of things are not addressed, Thailand's entire "culture" is going to be buried under a pile of garbage.

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Here here, another example of 15 minute fame hunters with no broader an outlook than what they see themselves when stepping out of the shower 'mine's ugly so all are ugly'. Do gooding pricks need horse whipping and 5 years detention in a social programs helping to address real issues that are so conveniently swept under the carpet in the name of Mr. Bhat.

Please some upstanding Thai retort and take tham to court, sue their arse for the loss of income and a large punative number just for good measure.

And if they're reading this have them walk the line from Pra Khanon station to the post office. There's an issue to raise public awareness over. How many more infirm individuals have to twist, break and crack their bones before that stretch of sidewalk is repaired (properly)

Nice one John

I think the “Culture Minister” and others would be far better employed getting rid of at least 50% of the huge Billboards which deface major roads throughout Thailand – regardless of what they are advertising.

Just as an example, the highway to Don Muang has, in places, boards every 100 meters or so – the majority absolutely gigantic structures on legs which appear designed to support an Oil Rig.

There obviously must be some regulatory authority but they seem to be incredibly lax or simply supine.

Patrick

As for me, I find kids walking around with no shoes...piles of trash laying beside the street...brown polluted air hanging over Bangkok...and fecal matter pouring out onto the beach from sewer drains ALL much more offensive than anything mentioned here.

If these types of things are not addressed, Thailand's entire "culture" is going to be buried under a pile of garbage.

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I mostly agree, but if you think unquestioned (male) privilege is secondary to these other problems, then why has nothing been done? What happens to the children who are left fatherless, and their mothers in this land?

Of course not the entire problem, but definitely a fundamental one. And anyway, this commentary is about billboards, not the ranking of social problems.

I think it may also have something to do with the men in both ads looking possibly remotely Thai (though with foreign-looking "styling"). There are loads of scantily clad WESTERN models of both sexes romping through all the fashion magazines, as well as on numerous billboards past and present. I guess as long as sex is presented as something Western, it's tolerable.

"No sex, please, we're Thai."

"Steven"

As for me, I find kids walking around with no shoes...piles of trash laying beside the street...brown polluted air hanging over Bangkok...and fecal matter pouring out onto the beach from sewer drains ALL much more offensive than anything mentioned here.

If these types of things are not addressed, Thailand's entire "culture" is going to be buried under a pile of garbage.

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I mostly agree, but if you think unquestioned (male) privilege is secondary to these other problems, then why has nothing been done? What happens to the children who are left fatherless, and their mothers in this land?

Of course not the entire problem, but definitely a fundamental one. And anyway, this commentary is about billboards, not the ranking of social problems.

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sorry, i just took it at face value... that a bunch of old ladies were upset because there's a big picture of a couple of guys in their "fruit of the looms"... and when compared to all the other problems Thailand is currently facing, the "ad controversy" certainly seems to be insignificant in comparison.