Phuket Acts To Clean Up Jet-ski Woes

[TongueThaied]

These documentaries are just a hyped up mainly excauated load of nonsense.

Take a look on Utube at the uncut interviews and scenes. It`s obvious that most of it is semi staged, plus the bar fights and street yob sagas, you'll find these in any British towns after the pub and club animal chunking out times. Also the story about the young girl facing drug charges and her loser boyfriend. I was hoping she would have gone down for a least a year as an example to those who think Thailand is a soft touch.

That JJ who during an interview admitted that he is not a full Thai, but half Dutch, is wallowing in all the fame and is always guaranteed to put on a good show in front of the cameras.

It`s all done for gaining high viewer ratings, profit and entertainment at the expense of the Thais, damaging the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand's image around the world.

I am sure that for the Thais and the ex-pats that helped create and produce this rubbish are looking at a very grim future career wise in Thailand and perhaps even deportation for the Farang police who participated in this without official approval.

Unfortunately, for an "intelligent member," Sassienie completely misses the point. The primary negative aspect of this incident is not the scam on the beach, whether or not it actually occurred. God knows there are enough of them. For every one that is "staged," there are at least 100 more that are real. Thus, so any image created by the portrayal is not false regardless of the veracity of the report.

The primary point regards government terrorism against the media. And I say terrorism because jailing a journalist for printing something undesirable serves as a warning to all others not to dare to cross the people holding power. While crooked people in the government carry out corruption, censorship of speech and of the media is endemic to the government itself. This is a sad state of affairs in a country that has a constitutional right to publish: Ms Ladda Tangsuphachai, Director of Cultural Monitoring at the Thai Ministry of Culture, pointed out, "According to the Constitution, the press has freedom to publish. So, all we can do is to take the problematic books off the shelf." Or put the author in jail pursuant to some archaic law that plainly conflicts with the constitution.

A constitution is supposed to be the supreme law of the land, something upon which everybody can rely. But here it is not. Everybody here knows there is a lot of corruption and, like it or not, we choose to live with it. But guest or citizen, we do not have to accept the abrogation of the constitution or of basic human rights of which the freedom of speech and of the press is a fundamental one.

If Thailand truly wants to clean up its image that is "damaging the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand's image around the world," it needs to stop abrogating basic human rights. And it needs to work on the out of control corruption at the airport, on the beaches, in the taxis. The Image is NOT the fault of journalists, reporters or liars. It is hard earned and well deserved. Change will come when the people are hit sufficiently hard in their pocketbooks. The best thing that could happen for Thailand and its tourism would be for every tourist o go elsewhere until the pain gets so intense that the people finally demand change. Follow the money.

I love this place and live out in the sticks where I don't encounter a lot of this stuff. I am not bashing Thailand. But for f#cksakes, Sassienie, let's call a spade a spade. If you want to jail somebody, jail those Yellow Shirted thugs that unlawfully trespassed and closed down the airport last January. They probably did more damage than to "the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand's image around the world" than any other single event in recent history including the military coups.

[aussiebebe]

When I lived in Samui, it was a well known joke that at the full moon parties the police would work in partnership with drug dealers. Meaning you buy a small amount of some drug, then the dealer gives the secret signal to a policeman nearby. You make it about 10 steps before the cuffs are snapped on you.

Extortion is far easier and more profitable than selling drugs. This fact has often made me consider why any actual drug dealing or illegal prostitution actually exists; if someone was criminal and sadistic enough to sell crack or prostitute children, why would they think twice about the lesser crime of assault and extortion - why wouldn't they take the easier route? They'd make far more money by scamming though violence, trickery or force.

[liloldspirut]

Yes, I agree completely. How on earth can Thailand hold its head up when it has a completely stupid law against making a film which shows Thailand in a critical light? Really, how ridiculous is that? The problem is that these influential people are so used to using strong-arm tactics in Thais they really believe they can use them against everyone.

Suppose for instance that the film company managers were fined or jailed. What would the international response be to that? Some of these people just don't think things through very well, and just have a knee-jerk response to everything. For them, to think is to say, to tonk is to do, no intervention at all from the rational mind.

Many Thais I know now remind me of what I have said to them "Kit korn put, kit korn tam" *sigh*. Uphill battle sometimes.

A good example of this attitude or mental state, driving in Thailand. They do not look any further then 1 meter ahead.

[TongueThaied]

I have lived in Thailand on and off for over 20 years, lived here permanently for the last 6 years and in my opinion that if one keeps their head down here, is polite and respects Thailand and it`s culture, that Thailand is one of the safest places to live in the world.

Why is it that somebody thinks she is "intelligent" about anything, let alone Thailand, just because she has been here 20 years. Some of the absolutely stupidest things I have ever heard from anybody come from people who have been here 20 years. Perhaps you have lived here for 20 years on a retirement visa and senility has caught you. Is that it?

[ScubaBuddha]

Wow, I am surprised! Some common sense at last!! And as we all know, if the Vice Governor says it's a go, it's a go.

Phuket jet-skis: agreement reached on insurance scheme

The insurance scheme is hoped to put an end to Phuket's well-known 'jet-ski scam'.

PATONG, PHUKET: Phuket jet-ski operators will have to get accident insurance for their vehicles or cease doing business on Phuket's beaches, it was agreed at the key ‘jet-ski summit’ in Patong today.

Inside the packed meeting hall at Patong Municipality today were Vice Governor Smith Palawatvichai, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong, Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark, Deputy Mayor of Patong Chairat Sukhabaan, Director of Phuket Provincial Insurance Office Suwimon Saelim, and around 50 jet-ski operators – including the island’s now infamous Winai ‘JJ’ Naiman.

Police chief Maj Gen Pekad said three US Navy representatives had met with him recently in advance of the arrival in Phuket of around 4,000 sailors on three US warships next week.

“They said they have forbidden their men from hiring jet-skis,” he said.

“I told them not to worry because I guarantee from now on there will be no more scams or problems involving jet-skis in Phuket,” he said.

He told the assembled jet-ski operators they had to sign up to the insurance scheme – “without making a fuss”.

President of Phuket Jet-ski Association Anusorn Sahreh agreed insurance for jet-skis would be a good thing “in an ideal world”, but said in the current economic climate, his members just couldn’t afford it.

“We only work six months a year. We’re not all rich,” he said.

Mr Anusorn said his preferred solution to the problem was for every jet-ski outfit in Phuket to agree to use the same rental contract.

While disputes with tourists were common in Patong, they were quite rare in other parts of the island such as Bang Tao, he said.

Nevertheless Vice Gov Smith, who chaired the meeting, said the insurance scheme would have to go ahead.

One insurance company has already said it is willing to insure jet-skis.

Danai Rojjintavej, manager of the Phuket branch of Bangkok Insurance, told the meeting his company would be glad to provide the service, “but we’ll need to see the operators’ rental contracts first.”

Jet-ski operators and insurance companies will now meet on September 23 to exchange information and settle insurance costs.

A source in the governor’s office told the Gazette that operators would have to insure their jet-skis within one month of that meeting or stop doing business.

– Kitima Pornmongkhonwat

Edited September 18, 2009 by Scubabuddha

[Boyblue]

wow, and do they think it will do them more good for tourism than harm by sending the production company to jail? How about using that energy and the courts to I don't know maybe arrest the scammers, put a stop to the tuk-tuk crap, arrest any cop on the take....

WOW is all I can really say.

if the arrest any cop on the take, there would be no police force and they would have to build bigger prisons...........

[lordsux]

Psssst! Scubabuddha, not to get into a tit for tat, but it is TAT not TOT

[sassienie]

Of course there are lots of bad things here, as well as the good. There is always room for improvements, but there is no such place as Utopia.

Just wondering?

The posters that are griping the most about Thailand, do they actually live here? And if they do live here, why do they stay?

For those that reside in Thailand, including for myself, there are always the options of moving elsewhere if they believe the grass is greener in another land. For me I like Thailand just the way it is.

So perhaps the posters that are complaining the most about the system here, should say whether they reside here or not and if they live in Thailand, explain why they stay.

Edited September 18, 2009 by sassienie

[jpolten]

Wow, I am surprised! Some common sense at last!! And as we all know, if the Vice Governor says it's a go, it's a go.

Phuket jet-skis: agreement reached on insurance scheme

The insurance scheme is hoped to put an end to Phuket's well-known 'jet-ski scam'.

PATONG, PHUKET: Phuket jet-ski operators will have to get accident insurance for their vehicles or cease doing business on Phuket's beaches, it was agreed at the key ‘jet-ski summit’ in Patong today.

Inside the packed meeting hall at Patong Municipality today were Vice Governor Smith Palawatvichai, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong, Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark, Deputy Mayor of Patong Chairat Sukhabaan, Director of Phuket Provincial Insurance Office Suwimon Saelim, and around 50 jet-ski operators – including the island’s now infamous Winai ‘JJ’ Naiman.

Police chief Maj Gen Pekad said three US Navy representatives had met with him recently in advance of the arrival in Phuket of around 4,000 sailors on three US warships next week.

“They said they have forbidden their men from hiring jet-skis,” he said.

“I told them not to worry because I guarantee from now on there will be no more scams or problems involving jet-skis in Phuket,” he said.

He told the assembled jet-ski operators they had to sign up to the insurance scheme – “without making a fuss”.

President of Phuket Jet-ski Association Anusorn Sahreh agreed insurance for jet-skis would be a good thing “in an ideal world”, but said in the current economic climate, his members just couldn’t afford it.

“We only work six months a year. We’re not all rich,” he said.

Mr Anusorn said his preferred solution to the problem was for every jet-ski outfit in Phuket to agree to use the same rental contract.

While disputes with tourists were common in Patong, they were quite rare in other parts of the island such as Bang Tao, he said.

Nevertheless Vice Gov Smith, who chaired the meeting, said the insurance scheme would have to go ahead.

One insurance company has already said it is willing to insure jet-skis.

Danai Rojjintavej, manager of the Phuket branch of Bangkok Insurance, told the meeting his company would be glad to provide the service, “but we’ll need to see the operators’ rental contracts first.”

Jet-ski operators and insurance companies will now meet on September 23 to exchange information and settle insurance costs.

A source in the governor’s office told the Gazette that operators would have to insure their jet-skis within one month of that meeting or stop doing business.

– Kitima Pornmongkhonwat

Wont make any difference,they will insure to keep in operation but who do you think is going to pay for the insurance??......do you think they will claim from their policies so their premium will rise the following year......this wont change a thing!!

Hope there are more Doc's made..one after the other and hope more scams are exposed by the overseas media

[Chang_paarp]

Bravo must be rubbing their hands with glee, just wait for the next promo;

The show the Thai authorities want to stop you from watching.

Guaranteed to boost ratings and generate comment on a wide range of media, you could not buy that sort of publicity for a TV show. Can't wait for the official response to that headline advert in a couple of news papers and the media circus that follows. Then Murdoch's yellow press will follow up with some more titillating detail, someone will have to take a hardship post to do the research.

[GungaDin]

Wow, I am surprised! Some common sense at last!! And as we all know, if the Vice Governor says it's a go, it's a go.

Phuket jet-skis: agreement reached on insurance scheme

The insurance scheme is hoped to put an end to Phuket's well-known 'jet-ski scam'.

PATONG, PHUKET: Phuket jet-ski operators will have to get accident insurance for their vehicles or cease doing business on Phuket's beaches, it was agreed at the key ‘jet-ski summit’ in Patong today.

<snip>

Source?

Link back?

[mrtoad]

Bravo must be rubbing their hands with glee, just wait for the next promo;

The show the Thai authorities want to stop you from watching.

Guaranteed to boost ratings and generate comment on a wide range of media, you could not buy that sort of publicity for a TV show. Can't wait for the official response to that headline advert in a couple of news papers and the media circus that follows. Then Murdoch's yellow press will follow up with some more titillating detail, someone will have to take a hardship post to do the research.

The type of moronic censorship that they are trying to enforce, is the best possible publicity for the show.

[philw]

These documentaries are just a hyped up mainly excauated load of nonsense.

Take a look on Utube at the uncut interviews and scenes. It`s obvious that most of it is semi staged, plus the bar fights and street yob sagas, you'll find these in any British towns after the pub and club animal chunking out times. Also the story about the young girl facing drug charges and her loser boyfriend. I was hoping she would have gone down for a least a year as an example to those who think Thailand is a soft touch.

That JJ who during an interview admitted that he is not a full Thai, but half Dutch, is wallowing in all the fame and is always guaranteed to put on a good show in front of the cameras.

It`s all done for gaining high viewer ratings, profit and entertainment at the expense of the Thais, damaging the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand's image around the world.

I am sure that for the Thais and the ex-pats that helped create and produce this rubbish are looking at a very grim future career wise in Thailand and perhaps even deportation for the Farang police who participated in this without official approval.

Unfortunately, for an "intelligent member," Sassienie completely misses the point. The primary negative aspect of this incident is not the scam on the beach, whether or not it actually occurred. God knows there are enough of them. For every one that is "staged," there are at least 100 more that are real. Thus, so any image created by the portrayal is not false regardless of the veracity of the report.

The primary point regards government terrorism against the media. And I say terrorism because jailing a journalist for printing something undesirable serves as a warning to all others not to dare to cross the people holding power. While crooked people in the government carry out corruption, censorship of speech and of the media is endemic to the government itself. This is a sad state of affairs in a country that has a constitutional right to publish: Ms Ladda Tangsuphachai, Director of Cultural Monitoring at the Thai Ministry of Culture, pointed out, "According to the Constitution, the press has freedom to publish. So, all we can do is to take the problematic books off the shelf." Or put the author in jail pursuant to some archaic law that plainly conflicts with the constitution.

A constitution is supposed to be the supreme law of the land, something upon which everybody can rely. But here it is not. Everybody here knows there is a lot of corruption and, like it or not, we choose to live with it. But guest or citizen, we do not have to accept the abrogation of the constitution or of basic human rights of which the freedom of speech and of the press is a fundamental one.

If Thailand truly wants to clean up its image that is "damaging the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand's image around the world," it needs to stop abrogating basic human rights. And it needs to work on the out of control corruption at the airport, on the beaches, in the taxis. The Image is NOT the fault of journalists, reporters or liars. It is hard earned and well deserved. Change will come when the people are hit sufficiently hard in their pocketbooks. The best thing that could happen for Thailand and its tourism would be for every tourist o go elsewhere until the pain gets so intense that the people finally demand change. Follow the money.

I love this place and live out in the sticks where I don't encounter a lot of this stuff. I am not bashing Thailand. But for f#cksakes, Sassienie, let's call a spade a spade. If you want to jail somebody, jail those Yellow Shirted thugs that unlawfully trespassed and closed down the airport last January. They probably did more damage than to "the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand's image around the world" than any other single event in recent history including the military coups.

Absolutely full on correct and agree 100%

Well said !

Would Sassenie wish us deported for agreeing ??

Phil W.

[Scott]

Somebody mentioned that Thailand is getting like Burma. I disagree. It is starting to move in the direction of North Korea, without nukes. Books banned, films banned. censors cut things out, greased out scenes of smoking, guns. Websites banned by the thousands. And now, they are trying to stop things from getting out as well.

This isn't a good sign.

[pigneguy]

Having had "discussions" with a number of business owners from Thailand about their marketing and PR functions this does not surprise me. They believe that they have it right and what applies in Thailand will work just as well overseas. Take, for example, a food manufacturer that asked me how to promote to English speaking countries. My business in England was asked to provide them with a Press Release for international consumption. We produced a 1 page company profile intended to "focus" the business offering and place their P&L in a favourable light (clever English engineering). Upon delivery they expressed their delight, but wanted to add all their "important" Thai business relationships to "influential" people. When we explained that nobody outside Thailand would understand the significance they agreed. Company profile delivered we accepted payment. They have, since delivery, added in all these "former politician" influences to the Company Profile in a ham-fisted manner that has considerably downgraded the value of the statements and then they wonder why they are struggling to penetrate English language markets.

They have paid us, but it does gall us as we worked hard to create a favourable image considering Thailand's present political image.

Does this surprise us? No, of course not.

Why, though, go to the trouble of seeking 3rd party consulting, pay for it and then entirely ignore it? We can't be bothered to work it out. They want to contract us again, we will deliver, take the money and shut up.

this sums it all up.....

[ricogear27]

Hi guys,

I watched the first part and half of the second one on YouTube... and anyone who is not blind can see that's staged from A to Z.

That doesn't mean that such things don't happen in Thailand, probably they do, but JJ, the marines, the girl and his boyfriend, they were clearly ACTING, it was anything but real.

This proves once again how almost everything you see on TV is false, and it's artificially made to push some intentional meaning.

R.I.P to this bu****it please, the only way to judge something is to personally test it, or be there.

Apparently there is more than one muppet on this board. Its beginning to look like an infestation.

I wonder if the police who arrested JJ accepted his explanation that he was just a paid actor. My God, i have heard of method actors going to whole hog in immersing themselves in a role. But getting himself arrested just to keep up the pretense......wow. Now THAT is commitment to his craft. Oh wait......maybe the police who arrested him were just paid actors too........

Kudo's also to the British navy. I had no idea that they produced such an array of thespian talent.

I'm really beginning to lose faith in the future of humanity when i read posts like these.

You are missing the point, if the whole thing was a "movie" JJ wouldnt expect to get arrested at all would he? I'm pretty sure he wouldnt have volunteered to be arrested.

Yeah I guess I have missed the point. Please explain. You mean JJ was hired as an actor, then he did his bit on film, and the producers just let the cops arrest him. Is that really what your saying?

Why on earth do people always have to conjure the most unlikely conspiracy theories, rather than accept that the most patently obvious explanation is the correct one?? :D

[Thai at Heart]

I don't really care if it is staged or not, we all know that these scams go on every day, and the reality is that it 200 baht more for your taxi from the airport, 300 baht for a 200 m trip on a songtaew, 500 baht added to you bill in a bar from a freelancer, bits and bobs will be treated by some as wear and tear on a holiday.

To a lot of people, this is being ripped off, and it is becoming worse and worse, and they don't forget.

To the average tourist coming to Thailand for the first time, he or she will be very lucky not to have something happen to them that leaves a very bad taste in their mouths before they even reach their hotel and they will relate this to their family and friends back home. To the longer stayers here, we don't get caught out that easily, but to a green-behind-the-ears tourist this goes against treatment they are likely to find in most heavily visited tourist destinations closer to home.

Thailand was perceived as a safe, easy, exotic destination to cut your teeth before you went further afield.

IT IS NOT ANYMORE.

I read the initial thread about this programme, and I knew there would be nothing good to say about Thailand in it. Why? Because if anyone scratches they surface behind the glossy marketing, spas and blissful beaches there is a cess pit of corruption and mess from the plane magazines down to the songtaew driver.

Until the average tourist is treated as something more than a walking wallet, along with a willingness from the authorities to insist that tourists are not fair game, Thailand's tourism business will decline inexorably whilst other more welcoming and essentially honest and law abiding places will steal their place.

[Garry9999]

Somebody mentioned that Thailand is getting like Burma. I disagree. It is starting to move in the direction of North Korea, without nukes. Books banned, films banned. censors cut things out, greased out scenes of smoking, guns. Websites banned by the thousands. And now, they are trying to stop things from getting out as well.

This isn't a good sign.

I agree with your comment. And it started 19 Sep 2006.

[nightflight]

What a solid discouragement for all those Thais and Farang who would prefer to see the country prosper and becoming less dependent from criminals, mafiosi and corrupted officers.

Obviously criminals seem to have the better connections to the top and up right investigators may simply fear for their lives from now on.

This way Thailand will be a real JJ country. A true Gangster`s paradise! With rip off tuks and jet ski robbers in solid collaboration with Thai Police.

Thanks to Gavin, the world knows it right now and that series will sell like rain all over the world whilst the Thai authorities give it a 100% proof by prosecuting the production company instead of the criminals.

[LivinLOS]

If the directors of this video making company are prosecuted, let us hope that the full proceedings, and outcome, are broadcast throughout the World. Adding, of course the comments made by the Chief of the Tourist Police.

Let prospective visitors, before they book their vacation, speculate on what other wrong doings are taking place and not allowed to be told outside of Thailand.

It has been broadcast throughout the world. The whole series, plus the raw uncut video, is on Youtube. Search for "Big Trouble In Thailand".

Erm no.. 2 episodes out of 8 have been shown.. As they have pulled the licenses we dont know if the rest will be shown..

Gavin Hill has also managed to put up some of the uncut stuff to defend that its not staged.. But the 'whole series' is not out.

[noungning]

LOL another incident of shows getting ppl in trouble.

last was the ex-PM, now the whistle blower. what next?

[eljeque]

Tourist Police chief Adis Ngamjitsuksri has conceded the extortion of tourists was a problem which the police alone could not stamp out.

Addictions are hard to kick

[LivinLOS]

When I lived in Samui, it was a well known joke that at the full moon parties the police would work in partnership with drug dealers. Meaning you buy a small amount of some drug, then the dealer gives the secret signal to a policeman nearby. You make it about 10 steps before the cuffs are snapped on you.

Extortion is far easier and more profitable than selling drugs. This fact has often made me consider why any actual drug dealing or illegal prostitution actually exists; if someone was criminal and sadistic enough to sell crack or prostitute children, why would they think twice about the lesser crime of assault and extortion - why wouldn't they take the easier route? They'd make far more money by scamming though violence, trickery or force.

My mate was (very) drunk in a pattaya bar.. Some rough looking well built Thai comes up in front of him, said the guy looked like a Thai boxer, face scars, just a rough looking thug so was a bit freaked out.. The guy is saying something in Thai, mates a bit drunk, woozy and concerned, he didnt know if the guy was going to mug him, fight him or what.. The guy slaps something in his hand, as he (baffled) look at the paper / tissue in his hand plain clothes cops jump on him..

So a few grammes of weed.. Cost him 1000's that night to make it a minor crime and 60k to get off fully later..

[JUDAS]

When I lived in Samui, it was a well known joke that at the full moon parties the police would work in partnership with drug dealers. Meaning you buy a small amount of some drug, then the dealer gives the secret signal to a policeman nearby. You make it about 10 steps before the cuffs are snapped on you.

Extortion is far easier and more profitable than selling drugs. This fact has often made me consider why any actual drug dealing or illegal prostitution actually exists; if someone was criminal and sadistic enough to sell crack or prostitute children, why would they think twice about the lesser crime of assault and extortion - why wouldn't they take the easier route? They'd make far more money by scamming though violence, trickery or force.

My mate was (very) drunk in a pattaya bar.. Some rough looking well built Thai comes up in front of him, said the guy looked like a Thai boxer, face scars, just a rough looking thug so was a bit freaked out.. The guy is saying something in Thai, mates a bit drunk, woozy and concerned, he didnt know if the guy was going to mug him, fight him or what.. The guy slaps something in his hand, as he (baffled) look at the paper / tissue in his hand plain clothes cops jump on him..

So a few grammes of weed.. Cost him 1000's that night to make it a minor crime and 60k to get off fully later..

That, for me, is one of the biggest concerns with a corrupt police force/officer. If they want to or are paid enough anything can be planted and it's off to the big house for a long stretch.

[sassienie]

Somebody mentioned that Thailand is getting like Burma. I disagree. It is starting to move in the direction of North Korea, without nukes. Books banned, films banned. censors cut things out, greased out scenes of smoking, guns. Websites banned by the thousands. And now, they are trying to stop things from getting out as well.

This isn't a good sign.

I agree with you to a point, but I think saying that Thailand is moving in the direction of North Korea without nukes, is over the top.

Internet and media censorship is becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Our privileges of what we do on-line, write in books and publish onto the public domain are slowing becoming eroded and controlled by the powers that be. This pertains to whatever country one resides in, only at the moment it is more prominent in some countries than in others, but sure it wont be long before the rest of the world catches up.

As for that JJ in the documentary, I think the film company exploited the guy and now he is probably going to take the brunt for his brief moment of fame as a front man for all scammers within the tourist industries in Phuket. Quite a sad state of affairs.

And before making conclusions about the guy, take a look at the interview and see what you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgHo3-ieVjk...feature=related

Edited September 18, 2009 by sassienie

[Insight]

Somebody mentioned that Thailand is getting like Burma. I disagree. It is starting to move in the direction of North Korea, without nukes. Books banned, films banned. censors cut things out, greased out scenes of smoking, guns. Websites banned by the thousands. And now, they are trying to stop things from getting out as well.

This isn't a good sign.

As long as my Fleshbot Asia feed remains intact. Were you in this country five years ago?

Whatever the motives are, this is nothing more than a silly knee-jerk reaction to a national embarrassment.

What books have been banned recently?

[bunuel]

May be naive, but was not aware that there was actually a law "against showing Thailand in a bad light".

As a documentary filmmaker myself, I find the implications troubling indeed. If only the powers that be would now get serious prosecute all those who have "tarnished the image of Thailand abroad through their actions!"

A number of prominent Thais come to mind.Round up the usual suspects!

If anyone had any doubt what kind of clowns that are in control at all levels throughout the nation, we got it confirmed today. Again.

And I like this:

Sasisupa Sungvaribud, president of the Film Production Services Association, said the recordings took the form of a reality show and the events depicted were obviously staged and scripts written for the film.

First of all, it is a false statement.

Secondly, if it was not, it would mean the show is a film/tv-series production like oh-so-many-others with guns in them and their film-makers never got arrested for 'tarnishing the image of the nation'.

It requires stupidity to use that law for this and even greater to try to cover up the issues with claiming they are staged at the same time...

[thrilled]

I saw the video.I will not rent A jet ski,motorbike,car or anything like it.

If Thailand wants to be that way i'll cut them off.I can always just do

business that are farang owned only.

[ScubaBuddha]

Psssst! Scubabuddha, not to get into a tit for tat, but it is TAT not TOT

Ha! sorry bout that.

[EyesWideOpen]

I almost have to hand it to JJ. First he works over the Brits for 35,000 baht. Then a few days later in another video he is working over some American servicemen for 40,000 baht. Man, I need to start a jet ski business......... However for me the most sickening part of the video was watching a fully uniformed Thai policeman carefully assisting JJ in the milking process. Guess the American guys actually thought that if the policeman was there , the whole thing must be legitimate. Wrong again........

Edited September 18, 2009 by rhiekel