Big Trouble In Tourist Thailand

[RAZZELL]

Have to say - disgraceful display by the toursit police in Episode 4 regarding the deaf and dumb group. I've tried to keep an open mind and give them benefit of the the doubt. Regardless of what the intent is claimed to be by these guys, I think that one has finally made my mind up - disgraceful that they're allowed to carry on like that. Not sure who the British should be more ashamed of in this series the tourists or the tourist polizei.

One exception: Kudos to the volunteer that was able to communicate in sign language though, who remained calm and actually seemed to do some good.

Totally agree

RAZZ

[britmaveric]

Actually it was handled quite well, apart from bringing the opposing parties together. (recipe for disaster when alcohol is involved) However blame for that lies with the Thai counterpart, not HM. It was quite humorous in regards to HM attempting to arm lock the lad.

Anyways well done HM and keep up the most excellent work!!

Edited October 1, 2009 by britmaveric

[Eff1n2ret]

Have to say - disgraceful display by the toursit police in Episode 4 regarding the deaf and dumb group. I've tried to keep an open mind and give them benefit of the the doubt. Regardless of what the intent is claimed to be by these guys, I think that one has finally made my mind up - disgraceful that they're allowed to carry on like that. Not sure who the British should be more ashamed of in this series the tourists or the tourist polizei.

One exception: Kudos to the volunteer that was able to communicate in sign language though, who remained calm and actually seemed to do some good.

Totally agree

RAZZ

So do I. The Brits you see on these episodes are the same sub-prime specimens that feature on any such tabloid, lowest-common-denominator "reality" shows that infest the airwaves and can be compiled in Pattaya, Ibiza, Prague, or almost any British town centre on a Friday or Saturday night - hardly serious journalism.

The only participant for whom I had some regard was the 18-year-old lad from Manchester(?) imprisoned for drug smuggling at his first attempt and who will be 44 years old before his release. His matter-of fact acceptance that what he had done was wicked and stupid and deserving of the punishment he now faces had a sort of dignity to it that was not reflected by anyone else in that episode, or the other one I've seen.

[Patsycat]

There is something about a man in a uniform... I dated a fireman once!!!

You didn't fancy a second date then Patsy?

I actually married him!!! For about 3 years.... Wears off after a while.

Edited October 1, 2009 by Patsycat

[kjhbigv]

It would be great to see a little more of the TPV Rob Brown in Chiang Mai. The guy seems to speak a lot of sense.

As for the drunken couple who had the motorcycle accident, imagine doing that in the west. He'd be done for drink driving and she would be done for drunk and abusive behavior. The Thai police officer showed a huge (too much) amount of patience with this pair of idiots.

The outcome may have been different if the cameras hadn't been on the Thai policeman. Unbelievable he let them get away with drunk driving.

I disagree, I think the outcome would have been exactly the same without the camera's....what do you think would have happened? A western, drunken, stupid girly having an drunken argument with her drunk boyfriend, who have just come off their bike....do you honestly think the police here would want to get involved in a 'western domestic'? I thought the Thai policeman was very patient, he probably did not want to get involved and I can understand why. All he wanted to do was get the stupid girl into hospital!

As for....'he let them get away with drunk driving'.....

[enyaw]

Just watched Ep 4,nothing exciting!

Remember seeing a Doc about the manchester bloke before,he got 99 years,one year for ever pill he had but luckily got reduced to 26.

Think the Thai cop did a great job with the deaf people when HM's DO NOT RESIST fell on deaf ears

Not entirely true, he was caught with 3400 ecstacy tablets.

[kjhbigv]

It would be great to see a little more of the TPV Rob Brown in Chiang Mai. The guy seems to speak a lot of sense.

He seemed pretty thick to me, to be honest. He had the exact same persona as a UK copper and I wouldn't be surprised if he actually was one once. The problem is that the people who are attracted to these kind of positions, are exactly the type of people who shouldn't be doing them (same all over the world, including the UK police). To put it bluntly, there is a severe lacking of brain power among them (although obviously there are exceptions to the rule).

I know of Rob and pretty sure he was not a copper in a previous life! As for being 'pretty thick'.....how did you arrive at that conclusion? Seemed quite an quite intelligent bloke when I met him once.

[NanLaew]

^ Don't sweat it. madjbs probly finks all pigs is pretty fick and all crims is clevah.

[MarkBKK]

Have to say - disgraceful display by the toursit police in Episode 4 regarding the deaf and dumb group. I've tried to keep an open mind and give them benefit of the the doubt. Regardless of what the intent is claimed to be by these guys, I think that one has finally made my mind up - disgraceful that they're allowed to carry on like that. Not sure who the British should be more ashamed of in this series the tourists or the tourist polizei.

One exception: Kudos to the volunteer that was able to communicate in sign language though, who remained calm and actually seemed to do some good.

(Since the thread that I was replying in has been closed while writing this post, I suppose I'd better post it here and reply to you since your post is about the thing ... and this is not intended as a personal attack on anyone, just my reaction to watching a TV programme.)

I must say I completely agree with you. Up until episode four, I thought all of the volunteers/assistants (whatever) looked like they were doing an OK job. I was shocked, From what I've read (in several places) I thought they must be a bunch of crooked psycho bully boys. But it seemed I was wrong, and I was quite happy to have my preconceptions overturned.

Now, TV (television) is TV, and what you see may not be the truth, the whole truth, or even any part of the truth, but after seeing what appeared to be a volunteer in Chiang Mai seeming to relishing (he's trying oh so very hard to supress that grin) the 2,500 extra-judicial killings during the ''war'' on drugs, and then someone who appeared to be a lot like a thug (by his actions) in Pattaya throttling a deaf man while shouting ''Do not resist us! Do not resist us!'' in a langauge he may not have understood (but probably couldn't hear anyway), I may have been a bit hasty.

If this series continues in this way, I'm pretty sure that someone in authority might come to the conclusion that the thing damaging Thailand's reputation is the actions of these clods, and not the odd Thai chancer trying to dupe tourists.

[Mark Wolfe]

coxhoedave:

As for the drunken couple who had the motorcycle accident, imagine doing that in the west. He'd be done for drink driving and she would be done for drunk and abusive behavior. The Thai police officer showed a huge (too much) amount of patience with this pair of idiots.

No, and I thought this was odd myself. It wasn't patience, it was avoidance. In the West, one might hear, "God, think of the paperwork!" but the arrest would be made nonetheless. This case, however, appears in my humble opinion to show the police officer thinking, "God, these guys are going to resist being forced to go to the hospital or the station house and the whole thing will be huge pain in the ass. Breathalize them? Charge them with drunk and disorderly conduct? Driving under the influence? Accident report? And one of them might get sick on me...She doesn't seem like she's going to die, so let's just walk away and not do anything."

Actually, I thought, "If you are going to have an accident here, better to be shitfaced drunk since your chances of being let go are much better than if you are sober, cooperative and coherent." Not the thinking the Thai police might want to instill in tourists.

"If you get in a motorbike accident and you are sober, you'll get into trouble, but if you are drunk as a lord, they might just let you go."

Edit: Oh, and the scenes with the deaf mutes? I saw nothing out of the ordinary besides bringing them back to face off. That was an odd judgment call.

Edited October 2, 2009 by Mark Wolfe

[Donnyboy]

Well I was thinking with the footage they already have...

The Producers in London claim they only just had enough to finish all 8 programs!

theres enough scams in LOS to last 8 seasons

[madjbs]

^ Don't sweat it. madjbs probly finks all pigs is pretty fick and all crims is clevah.

Don't know about elswhere, but in the UK they are not the sharpest tools in box. Higher up you get, the more inteligent they get (usually). But, as for the clowns in uniform.....well........

Oh, and most of the criminals are even worse. Hence why they are actually able to catch some of them.

[madjbs]

As for being 'pretty thick'.....how did you arrive at that conclusion? Seemed quite an quite intelligent bloke when I met him once.

Hmm....take a wild guess how I arrived at that conclusion. Most people can roughly gauge someone in an interview such as that, are you not able to?

If he seemed intelligent to you, then there is only one conclusion I could draw from that....

As another poster pointed out, his apparent admiration for the "execution" (murder) of over 2000 "drug dealers" (anyone with a grudge etc..), was quite sick.

[Samuian]

coxhoedave:

As for the drunken couple who had the motorcycle accident, imagine doing that in the west. He'd be done for drink driving and she would be done for drunk and abusive behavior. The Thai police officer showed a huge (too much) amount of patience with this pair of idiots.

No, and I thought this was odd myself. It wasn't patience, it was avoidance. In the West, one might hear, "God, think of the paperwork!" but the arrest would be made nonetheless. This case, however, appears in my humble opinion to show the police officer thinking, "God, these guys are going to resist being forced to go to the hospital or the station house and the whole thing will be huge pain in the ass. Breathalize them? Charge them with drunk and disorderly conduct? Driving under the influence? Accident report? And one of them might get sick on me...She doesn't seem like she's going to die, so let's just walk away and not do anything."

Actually, I thought, "If you are going to have an accident here, better to be shitfaced drunk since your chances of being let go are much better than if you are sober, cooperative and coherent." Not the thinking the Thai police might want to instill in tourists.

"If you get in a motorbike accident and you are sober, you'll get into trouble, but if you are drunk as a lord, they might just let you go."

Edit: Oh, and the scenes with the deaf mutes? I saw nothing out of the ordinary besides bringing them back to face off. That was an odd judgment call.

Is waht I say, the BiB's sometimes are still caught in Vipassana, practising mindfulness and so assume this couple was just lucky!

[andyww]

As I recall the producer had originally called this Thai Cops, however the powers that be renamed it to Big Trouble In Tourist Thailand. The producer thought the title alone was wrong for the series. Bravo's marketing at work I expect.

Its actually called "Big Trouble in Thailand". Not sure where the "tourist" came from.

[bluntman]

The way some of these morons moan about the 'foam', you'd think they'd rather get burnt to death.

[cdnvic]

The way some of these morons moan about the 'foam', you'd think they'd rather get burnt to death.

That's rather cryptic

[WhiteShrek]

Actually it was handled quite well, apart from bringing the opposing parties together. (recipe for disaster when alcohol is involved) However blame for that lies with the Thai counterpart, not HM. It was quite humorous in regards to HM attempting to arm lock the lad.

Anyways well done HM and keep up the most excellent work!!

More holes than a second hand pin cushion. Not to blame? Did he park his brain before setting out on patrol for the night? or was he "just following orders" - repeating a catchphrase he picked up from watching too many movies about shall we politely say "facists" - which is not an unreasonable description given the behaviour witnessed in that clip. The programme talks of the volunteer setting out to find the Thai guy, as he strutts off. Firstly note the word Thai not foreign - that should be a Thai policeman's job. Secondly once you're past high school - doing something stupid because someone told you to stops really becoming a legitimate excuse.

Not sure what it's like where you come from but I always thought an armlock involved locking an arm - not a neck! About 1 min 55 seconds into part 4 episode 4 anyone who isn't visually impaired sees his left hand grabbing the deaf mute's hand and his right hand grabbing at the deaf mute's throat, while a colleague grabs the deaf mute's other hand.

Surely you can't be serious that trying to throttle a deaf mute shouting "do not resist us! do not resist us" is really excellent work. Or are we just adding to the humour here.

Edited October 2, 2009 by WhiteShrek

[RAZZELL]

Actually it was handled quite well, apart from bringing the opposing parties together. (recipe for disaster when alcohol is involved) However blame for that lies with the Thai counterpart, not HM. It was quite humorous in regards to HM attempting to arm lock the lad.

Anyways well done HM and keep up the most excellent work!!

More holes than a second hand pin cushion. Not to blame? Did he park his brain before setting out on patrol for the night? or was he "just following orders" - repeating a catchphrase he picked up from watching too many movies about shall we politely say "facists" - which is not an unreasonable description given the behaviour witnessed in that clip. The programme talks of the volunteer setting out to find the Thai guy, as he strutts off. Firstly note the word Thai not foreign - that should be a Thai policeman's job. Secondly once you're past high school - doing something stupid because someone told you to stops really becoming a legitimate excuse.

Not sure what it's like where you come from but I always thought an armlock involved locking an arm - not a neck! About 1 min 55 seconds into part 4 episode 4 anyone who isn't visually impaired sees his left hand grabbing the deaf mute's hand and his right hand grabbing at the deaf mute's throat, while a colleague grabs the deaf mute's other hand.

Surely you can't be serious that trying to throttle a deaf mute shouting "do not resist us! do not resist us" is really excellent work. Or are we just adding to the humour here.

Exactly. I think Britmaveric has a thing for his mate HM

RAZZ

[mrtoad]

Exactly. I think Britmaveric has a thing for his mate HM

RAZZ

Maybe it's that tight black uniform.

[JUDAS]

The way some of these morons moan about the 'foam', you'd think they'd rather get burnt to death.

That's rather cryptic

The foam that was used to prevent a fire starting at the Samui 'plane crash scene

[britmaveric]

Exactly. I think Britmaveric has a thing for his mate HM

RAZZ

Maybe it's that tight black uniform.

:D

[JonnyF]

I've enjoyed the series so far and Howard seems quite personable on camera, he's good value and I can see why he was chosen as a central character in the show.

Having said that - if I ever find myself in Walking Street Pattaya, sporting a shaved head and a black uniform, physically restraining and shouting at a deaf tourist "DO NOT RESIST US", it might be one of those moments where you end up thinking "How did I arrive at this point?"

Must be a difficult job though!!!

Edited October 2, 2009 by JonnyF

[Mark Wolfe]

Surely you can't be serious that trying to throttle a deaf mute shouting "do not resist us! do not resist us" is really excellent work.

People are getting carried away now. There was nothing out of the ordinary about that incident, as far as the part you are referring to. It wasn't like Howard was using the secret "Two-finger Chinese Touch of Death" technique on the fellow. Instead of just smacking some drunk upside the head because he was miffed at some little <deleted>, he actually was using force with restraint to calm someone. No biggie there. It's a complete non-issue.

[RAZZELL]

Surely you can't be serious that trying to throttle a deaf mute shouting "do not resist us! do not resist us" is really excellent work.

People are getting carried away now. There was nothing out of the ordinary about that incident, as far as the part you are referring to. It wasn't like Howard was using the secret "Two-finger Chinese Touch of Death" technique on the fellow. Instead of just smacking some drunk upside the head because he was miffed at some little <deleted>, he actually was using force with restraint to calm someone. No biggie there. It's a complete non-issue.

Non-issue? The guy IS NOT A POLICEMAN!

Carrying on like he is one will only end up in tears...for him

RAZZ

[britmaveric]

^ You are right - he is a Tourist Police Assistant and carries out the duties asked of him by his superior Tourist Police colleagues!!!

HM can handle himself - he is after all an adult. He knows the risks, and so far has been doing this job quite successfully for a long time. (no tears as of yet)

Edited October 2, 2009 by britmaveric

[MarkBKK]

Surely you can't be serious that trying to throttle a deaf mute shouting "do not resist us! do not resist us" is really excellent work.

People are getting carried away now. There was nothing out of the ordinary about that incident, as far as the part you are referring to. It wasn't like Howard was using the secret "Two-finger Chinese Touch of Death" technique on the fellow. Instead of just smacking some drunk upside the head because he was miffed at some little <deleted>, he actually was using force with restraint to calm someone. No biggie there. It's a complete non-issue.

Whoops. Just realised my post would be deleted because it was in German.

So, I'll rephrase it.

Mr Wolfe, Wofle, he says that historically Taunton is a part of Minehead already.

[cdnvic]

Two off topic posts trashed.

[cdnvic]

If you want your posts to live, keep them free of personal insults. Another trashed.

[andyww]

This is formula TV along the lines of many other UK shows in the past which mainly show drunk fat British girls getting their boobs out and guys fighting and throwing up in places like Ibiza.

Actually I would not be at all surprised if this show is taken up by one of the more mainstream UK channels because as an example if its genre its far better than the usual rubbish.

Just to put it in perspective right now as I write this, Channel 5 are showing "Brighton Beach patrol" which is essentially the same show but located in Brighton. I simply cant even contemplate how dull that must be. Any Channel 5 executive with any sense who has seen "Big Trouble" must be thinking "why are we showing this Brighton crap when we could have had that?".