Tourism And Thailand The BBC's Shocking Truth

[whistleblower]

YOU SAY:

"It is the Thai style to ignore the laws (especially traffic laws) and to send their children back to the village to be cared for by the grandparents. "

THEN YOU SAY:

SO to see a 22 year old, all teeth and smiles, OOhing and AAhing to carefully selected Thais and presenting this as the 'norm' to the UK audience is unbearable for many posters on this forum.

So it is the norm then????? a bit contradictory maybe????

ALSO:

"Few of the ladies in the Patong "entertainment" scene could earn similar amounts in a shop or a bank, and in my experience would not want to do any other work anyway."

Why would they not want to do any other work anyway???

Are you saying that getting more money by laying on your back is more important than self esteem, bettering yourself or advancing yourself????

Is this also the NORM in Thailand????

[bangkoklight]

Never watched this latest program. Don't really want to. Seen her before in that Indian sweatshop comedy. She's annoying. She has welfare state thinking instilled into her. This won't go away now she works for the Beeb.

She thinks money grows on trees and everyone in the world can live the same high standards as (most) people in the West do. But we all know that in order to have "rich", there must be "poor".

This is true on all scales from the individual to the regional. The West got rich by exploiting their colonies. The Western aristocracy got rich by exploiting their serfs and immigrants. The Thai elite got rich by exploiting their domestic slaves.

Dooley can't see this. She hasn't the capacity.

But the program itself and the posts about the current cost of holidaying in Thailand (not cheap) does point to there being something very wrong and unjust.

If tourists are paying "top dollar" for hotels, services, and food, why are workers still on such low wages?

Where's the money going?

It's going to the top via the myriad of scams, organized crime gangs, corruption, and exploitation.

It's no wonder therefore that the mafia's running dogs are so pushy. They just want their cut in this endless cycle of unfairness.

And why aren't the government doing anything about it? The government are the mafia. The "elected" provincial mayors are the mafia. The MPs get their cut for merely paying lip service.

[manarak]

err... shouldn't this topic be closed because Dooley's 'documentary' is already covered in another subject?

[Phil Conners]

If the other subject you refer to is this it has already been closed.

[PanzerJohn]

I managed to take 20 minutes of watching this airhead wai-ing and thanking anyone she could find.OK, so wages aren't high but this is a third world country, plenty more a lot worse than Thailand, PI for instance.

[fasteddie]

Entertaining article and I feel for the people being forced off the land they have come to call their own but is it any surprise to any one that life is tougher outside Western First World nations. Poor working conditions, long hours and low pay ... is that the reason why so many people want to go to places like the US and UK as well as providing people from the US and UK a cheap tourist destination while being able to stay at first rate hotels at rock bottom prices.

Have to agree with much of what you say.

I did however have some other thoughts on this part of your statement.

Poor working conditions, long hours and low pay.

I think the key here for working conditions is people are comparing them to there first world way of thinking. It has been my experience that they will spend a lot of time talking and it is excepted by the employers.

Low wages yes but they do seem to be able to live on them. They also have a fairly low unemployed rate do to the fact that the employers can afford to hire more employees witch they need because of the time spent chatting. Walk into a seven eleven many of them are less than half the size of the ones in North America and have at least three employees. In North America they will often have just one employee never more than two.

Then we come to long hours. True but bear in mind that they are not going full tilt or what ever other speed that would be expected of them in a first world nation.

Perhaps if she were to do a documentary and instead of using England as a standard use Lao, Cambodia, Burma or many of the African nations as a standard she might have a different view.

You got that right!

[BuckarooBanzai]

It's now on iplayer for anyone who missed it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_Investigates/

When i started watching this program i asssumed it was a repeat and had been filmed a few years ago. With comments like it's never been cheaper to have a holiday in Thailand. Err i don't think so. Made out that hotels guests never ever leave tips for the maids and they only have their wage to live on. If the maids do a good job which so far they always have, i tip them. Ok it's only 20 or 50 baht every other day.

Apparently it has been censored in Thailand as it now states not available in your area.

[dumball]

Reading the comments on the lackadaisical approach to work in many instances , brought to mind a report on USA workers , they have become so productive that unemployed people have difficulty finding work , makes one think .

[Nisa]

It's now on iplayer for anyone who missed it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_Investigates/

When i started watching this program i asssumed it was a repeat and had been filmed a few years ago. With comments like it's never been cheaper to have a holiday in Thailand. Err i don't think so. Made out that hotels guests never ever leave tips for the maids and they only have their wage to live on. If the maids do a good job which so far they always have, i tip them. Ok it's only 20 or 50 baht every other day.

Apparently it has been censored in Thailand as it now states not available in your area.

or simply not available outside the UK

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Can I be first to ask if she had a work permit whilst engaged as a chambermaid.

When Abhisits advisor gave assurances the govt would " take care of the sea gypsies" , I doubt he meant clothe, feed and house them.

lol. Bad, but in a hypothetical where we assume the unbelievable was true, so like...you know....I'd prefer sarcastic patronisation of idiot do-gooder girl, who travels to another country at the behest of filthy liars, to cover their failure to take care of sea gypsies...because they've just doggone run out...of evil exploitation at home.

They're onto the world now. No wrongs to write at home, no justice to exact, everyone is equally exploited, and stupid enough to sit there in their chains, surrounded by those who are exploited and beat the f down, if they have the nerve to have a problem with that, and thrown smack into prison for their 'crimes' (plant smoking and other horrors), by the people who run the macabre bowl of f that is the most corrupted nation on the planet.

Oh, I'm sorry. Is that offensive? Rude to your sensibilities? I do apologise, for attempting to break your ludicrous googles that they tricked you with, as you live in chains but feel good about it. After all, you're doing good in the world, with idiot girls failing to cover the exploitation of those she covers, because it's not about saving anyone from horror, it's about preventing you from rightfully being horrified at the nature of the horrors at home. Yes, at home, outside your window, innocents falling, whilst you watch BBC scum, who make you feel good about yourself, whilst they do nothing except lie to you.

Hey man, sorry. The sea gypsies of Thailand are screwed. Her efforts to save them were vile, because she didn't care. Oh she did? Why? Did she care more about the sea gypsies, than the children being abused in Cambodia? Or the children being abused in England? No of course broham, the English would not do that. They are gentleman, men of honour, men who understand the need for other men to not be offended, by the rude pointing out of the Obvious. In such an unpleasantly True manner. These barbarians, they know nothing about rudeness or polite society. They are so uncouth, because they forget that our stoic stiff upper lip, of which we are so proud, was created being stoic and stiff upper lipped, as our exploiters beat us the f down.

Oh I'm just ranting am I. Unwilling to list specifics? Yeah, lol I am - a little f bit. I have listed specifics, the world's greatest living author just released a fictional novel that was less fictional than any BBC report you'll never hear about, citing the evidence that is irrefutable that Britain is so corrupted in government, the entire thing needs to be washed away, by anyone decent, who refuses to live in shameful servitude or abject denial. Feeling good about themselves, beat down like bitches, by the exploiters who break every law, do anything they want, kill other Englishman for their profit, and none of you fine Englishman do anything because? Oh because you were watching the BBC?

Hey, makes sense. What could possibly go wrong there?

Google the Financial Services Authority, your MONOPOLY financial services regulatory body. Check em out, you know. Make an opinion on their decisions. On whether they're down the line or not.

If the greatest living author on the planet (a Brit) cannot release novels which are stripped down in ways only a IDIOT would not understand was his way of saying "hey guys, don't worry about character or plot or dialogue - this novel, unlike my other brilliant efforts, doesn't have any of that - heck I've stripped it down of anything except a fictional report that reads like, hmm a file given to me or a stroy told to me, but someone I know is telling the truth? A truth that they won't even ACCEPT, when the evidence is in the public domain of the corruption everywhere.

Stiff upper lip, morans. Keep feeling good about this 22 year girl and her vile employers, gallivanting around a world of exploitation, doing nothing to end it. Not caring about ending it. But then, they're doing their job aren't they? They're facilitators, and their job is done, isn't it?

You just needed a patriotic boost. To bolster your belief that might have been wagging, in the core decency of your elected government, which kills young British men by pitching them in wars that are irrelevant, against despots not nearly as bad as themselves, and they do all of this for? Yeah it'ls for good man. Empires of do-gooders. It's strange the world is so full of evil, must of occurred after the British were kindly beaten the f down, and back into their box, to exploit their own. Tick. Oh, running out of Englishmen, I see? Coming back out, are we?

I am your friend as an Australian, unless the Ashes are on, but if you think that you can avoid your problems at home, by attacking innocents overseas or pretending to help them with British light and civilisation and your God-fearing example, I believe I speak for all Commonwealth nations and former British colonies, and I will tell you what our emissaries and governor-generals and professional unelected and elected liars refuse to tell you....you're going to get a cold welcome, so cold, it will shock any of the party, half to f death - just purely out of the impoliteness and unpleasant colonialism of the savages is all - poor gentleman, polite to a fault, even when children are being exploited. Must be polite, never rude, tar tar. Never ask why.

You should ask why. Tell me why. Why is being rude so offensive, if you have a counter for the calm and balanced words posed? You won't. You can't. You didn't get that far. That sentence was too long. Shucks.

You're going to get a hostile welcome, invaders of god, if you think you can pull off another round of exploitation wrapped up in a Bible and backed up by muskets for any pesky types. I genuinely believe your government is corrupted enough to have a crack, and I believe you're gullible enough to be convinced. I'm half hoping for the 2nd British Empire, deliverers of 22 year old idiots, who get in the face of powerful people, protected as she is by one of the powerful media conglomerates on the planet. Who have as much love for truth, as you do. You're the one that watches it. Ignores the lies, when they're beyond the pale. j

Come, bring the world the British empire so adored by all former subjects. I'm tired of these Australian tyrants. I actually am. But they'll likely welcome the envoys. Tick tick. Come friends. Come as friends. We are friends of course.

BBC-watching slaves, baffled and confused, in their humble tiny matchbox living rooms, huddled trying to get warm, wondering why those slaves who are 3/4 enslaved already, don't embrace your masters. You've got a great life right. How much you get paid, after tax. no need to scale it to other currencies, let's talk about purchasing power. Let's talk about London, where 4 young adults in their 20's all working no kids, pay their rent every time - then go hungry lol - as I sat there and tried to make sense of it, without being rude, cause they lived in a freaking hovel, not even near anything all that central, 3 blocks from Earls Court tube, in an apartment I wouldn't normally be caught dead in, only because I imagine I'll be caught dead in one one day...slaves, friends, slaves deluded into slavery. And I cannot say "whoa guys come on, is this how you want to live?" because well, when you're a slave trying to delude yourself into coping, such a prick like that isn't really doing any good. Or so I thought.

I don't think I buy this tripe about fear of offence and fear of impoliteness when speaking the rude Truth. I think it's all a fallacy. to hide the fact that the BBC cares for Truth, as much as they care for Cambodian children exploited for sexual deviants. And when you can pose an argument which counters why they are unable to help the Cambodian kids, unable and so unwilling, with new sea gypsies to not save, I will listen. And I will not call it rude, even if it is. Why? Geez, cause sticks and stones break my bones, but the only people who'd have a need to use them, are the people for whom words hurt them really bad, or have the potential to. yes, rude rude words. Way too TRUTHFUL to be acceptable, in polite society. Of slaves.No matter how long it is, no matter how poorly written you write, no matter if I have to translate it into Her Majesty's Finest, in order to read it. I'll get through it out of respect for the effort you went to, it might come late when it should have be invested in schools, but I'll be there with you slave. If you care about yourself. I'm not so stupid as to think, anyone in this world would care about the exploitation of others. We're talking about your chains, paid a few quid, for being a good slave, who doesn't realise he's a slave because he has choices. He can buy an iPod with his quid, or he can bet it online on a football game.

Watch your quid young man. The monopoly Gambling Authority of the UK, looking over a bad ass industry of crooks, as you can imagine. Been around for awhile 6 years or so? Zero....prosecutions. For the idiots, that's zero convictions obviously. You don't get the latter when you refuse to do the former. I guess no one, in the online gambling industry, who is White Listed by the Gambling Authority to provide services to Great British residents, has ever thought "you know what, let's push our luck here - after all, we're not in GB, or British residents, setting up a new white label brand will cost oh 5000 quid and we've got clients stupid enough to bet that on a spin of the electronic wheel. What do you say lads, should we have a go, or do the right thing, as gentleman online gamblers with registered places of business, verified by the stringent KYC that must be completed, on the anonymous crooks who have an office panning out to a cow patties 4 yards from each other, in an empty (except for cow patties) Costa Rican field.

Yeah I'm sure you're fine. These guys are probably English gentleman. Who find questions with such dubious implications, to be very rude, on forums of exploited suckers, crying about being exploited suckers. Go on, have a flutter, on the advertisements verified as safe for exploitable persons, for companies who take wagers indefinitely without impolitely hassling you for proof of age, they'll hassle the bejesus out of you should you have the nerve to request some of your money back following an inconvenient and rude win. Complain to the Gambling Authority, they're a monopoly and THEY CARE. look at that record of caring. Idiot slaves.

You slaves will be wondering why the 3/4 and already fully exploited slaves of the former colonies don't embrace your masters, and full or double slavery. You will be genuinely confused. And you should turn to the BBC for answers. I promise you they will have good ones. Well, I should say, convincing ones. They'd have good ones if you demanded them. But you don't so why do overkill...

Yeah I can't imagine why we wouldn't accept another yoke of colonialism. Cause things are going so democratically peachy, over there.

Entertaining article and I feel for the people being forced off the land they have come to call their own but is it any surprise to any one that life is tougher outside Western First World nations. Poor working conditions, long hours and low pay ... is that the reason why so many people want to go to places like the US and UK as well as providing people from the US and UK a cheap tourist destination while being able to stay at first rate hotels at rock bottom prices.

Dammit lol. I write a scathing destruction here. But I'm compromised by previous intelligence displayed and must replace it. Nisa come on! What's this about here, what is this stuff about people wanting to go places, and possible reasons why they'd want to go - you don't think they're gonna be peeved, a new bride landing in London, excited wife of a humble slave who can't get a flat all that near a tube entrance cause it's all just too crazy dear. The walk will do you good, the 5 blocks of dangerous, DANGEROUS streets, for a young pretty girl who doesn't speak the English language of gentlemen all that well yet. Not that the men who might give her a hard time, have mastered her Majesty's finest yet, first language 2nd language. <deleted> are those Englishmen from Manchester saying? That is not English I don't care what anyone says...

You know that for all the rhetoric in the Guardian, where editors and respected former ministers of the crown are waxing lyrical, either powerless to move the stony hearts of scum who kill young Englishmen in phoney wars of invasion, editors and former ministers saying the obvious, that arrest peaceful children for smoking PLANTS, because they're rather do that then kill humans in unjust (or 'just' wars), and throwing those animal plant-smokers in prison, is an outrage against humanity and must be abolished immediately....for all that fine rhetoric, bit late not sure how anything changed from when they started beating down innocents who didn't want to kill in their wars, and throwing them in prison - but the Guardian must be pragmatic, about the editorials it writes that no one in power reads except to giggle at and then ignore...ignore, when it cannot be ignored, there is no debate to ignore...they're still beating down innocent peaceful children, throwing them in prison for not having the patriotism to be good killers, oh the want to pop a pill and dance, what possible purpose does that serve the the nation? They should be KILLING right? KILLING in Libya. KILLING in Iraq. KILLING in Afghanistan. KILLING for Blair, that deep breath. former PM, killed some Englishmen in some unjust wars, Killed some Englishmen at home. Looked the other way all the time, except when there was evil to be done. Retained the FSA. Cause their record is spotless. Gave them even MORE powers. Monopolies are great, when they're the regulators, and have no one to report to, but themselves. Top guy Blair. Cheryl was a peach. Top guy Cameron also. Hope he gets 6 figure sums for lying to idiots, in speeches after a spell in power, where a lot of innocents got killed for NOT.MUCH.GOOD.DONE.FOR.ENGLAND.AT.ALL.

Still, he was a powerful man. Must be treated with the respect that is his due. Don't want to be impolite. What message would that send, to future despots, who are contemplating killing innocent English kids, weighing up the pros and the cons of the thing.

This program was a joke so much so that I wrote to points view lets hope they air my message .

Please BBC if your are going to produce such programs on such a subject havesome one who has a little more knowledge of the country.

Yours looking forward to less pandering programming

Hey man, do you think the BBC is stupid? And doesn't know about your views on acceptable programming? You're going to keep watching them anyway. I know this, because you said so, and because they've been lying about irrelevant crap, whilst their owners enslave their subjects, for a pretty freaking long time.

keep writing those letters though. hey should we get the Cambodian sex abused kids, to write to the paedophiles and ask them to stop, as well?

It would make more sense. Trust me.

This is a good point. It does not even appear that the government is making a tiny effort to defeat the taxi mafia, or the other mafias such as the jet ski mafia, the property mafia, the bar mafia (every bar in samui now charges 150 baht for a lady drink!). If they would make the least bit of effort, it would be encouraging to all of us. Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and China are making huge efforts to fight corruption, and are trying and convicting high ranking officials, and corporate CEO's on a nearly daily basis, and Thailand is sleeping on the job. They will get left behind, if nothing is done. 20 years from now Thailand could really work it's way down the rung of Asian nations.

Hey man fight the good fight. If only they were like back home right. Leading the charge. new anti-corruption legislation this year, check it out. Wider, INTERNATIONAL powers to selectively convict and give slides to, a whole new ball game for the likely single most corrupt regulatory financial services authority on the planet. Wait, I'm not sure if that's technically true. There could be some mock ones, which fool suckers and convict at only 1/40th the rate of US regulators (who I wouldn't have thought, at first blush, would stack up all that well - you know, with recent events and all (chortle). But what do you know, FSA snarling dogs, the hounds (monopoly hounds) standing in the breach between corruption and English decency, convicting at 1 / 30th the rate of their dubious colleagues across the pond.

How very polite.

Bah, you can make numbers prove anything. Yes, you can. Can you make the numbers prove their innocence?

*** waiting *** waiting *** waiting ********

Crap. I feel better. I'm getting played as well... done nothing. Just ranted. in prose but prose and incoherence to someone who doesn't want to read it, work out the same. nothing can be done. when slaves embrace their shackles. Is it so wrong of me, to sadistically hope for the stunned looks on the slaves faces, baffled when their masters get a bit of shock during the chain placing ceremonies? I don't have much, to hope for. Because you have given up hope in ideals. I think a bit of bitter bemusement, of surprised slaves, isn't crossing the line...

[madmitch]

I can't really add too much to the comments as I agree with most. It was unprofessional and only gave one side of the stories (despite the chat to the hotel manager). I don't know where they have dug Stacey Dooley out from but they should have kept her there. Surely this can't be the BBC's new approach to investigative journalism?

Interesting that they tried to portray Rawai Beach as an idyllic paradise, which it certainly isn't; it's a muddy beach only used by boals, unsuitable for swimming and sunbathing.

And Stacey did state that the price of the hotel was GBP30 PER PERSON, so 3000 baht per night for a room, which is an easily obtainable price in low season.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Cant ever remember the 'mafia' controlling the donkey rides in any UK seaside town.

The difference between a 'civilised country' and a developing country such as Thailand is that for the most part a civilised country has laws and people to enforce those laws and a checks and balance system.

Thailand has laws but if they are never enforced then nothing will change.

I've 'added' too much to the discussion but you really might want to look at your seaside towns. Or do you think joining the EU did not have benefits?

Not even a slight curiosity in looking at your evidence, please give it to Malta LGA.

But it's evidence of the LGA's corruption!

Please refer it on to Malta LGA.

lol that's the worst feeling when you realise that the daft person you're speaking to is telling you something, that you are the daft person and would you kindly listen to what they're telling you. So embarrassing. Thanks monopoly Gambling Commission. It's ok though, because Malta is EU. And the EU, nothing like that right. Crazy mafia hilarity, probably been reading too many books if you think that's how Malta works. Government recently did a Commission. No corruption in Malta. No Google or search engines either.

I dunno. You only get burned when you forget, and fall for the ridiculous rhetoric that government is your friend. Usually pretty soon around then, they burn you. Yeah it's embarrassing, but why does it feel like you've been betrayed. Someone's given you reason to believe otherwise. That feels unfair somehow. Or maybe it's just that they're arresting people and not themselves. That's a good one to get my ire up. Always love to see that old trick.

[inmysights]

"She has already done Thailand’s sweatshops and child prostitution in Cambodia."

Never really achieves much...Maybe she'd be better off having a crack at the jetski scammers

Oh yeah, that'd be oh so original and interesting ... YAWN ...

[inmysights]

Entertaining article and I feel for the people being forced off the land they have come to call their own but is it any surprise to any one that life is tougher outside Western First World nations. Poor working conditions, long hours and low pay ... is that the reason why so many people want to go to places like the US and UK as well as providing people from the US and UK a cheap tourist destination while being able to stay at first rate hotels at rock bottom prices.

There is nothing "rock bottom" about Thailand prices these days. Maybe sometime in the past, but things have changed. Mind you, it is still reasonable, but a statement like rock bottom is simply ridiculous. Please do your research. Yes, labor costs here are low. But prices have gone up on everything, and while it is still reasonable here, by western standards, the days of rock bottom are gone.

I agree. 'Rock bottom'?! Ha! What total tripe! There again, bet she wasn't staying at a 200 baht guesthouse ...

[inmysights]

I can't really add too much to the comments as I agree with most. It was unprofessional and only gave one side of the stories (despite the chat to the hotel manager). I don't know where they have dug Stacey Dooley out from but they should have kept her there. Surely this can't be the BBC's new approach to investigative journalism?

Interesting that they tried to portray Rawai Beach as an idyllic paradise, which it certainly isn't; it's a muddy beach only used by boals, unsuitable for swimming and sunbathing.

And Stacey did state that the price of the hotel was GBP30 PER PERSON, so 3000 baht per night for a room, which is an easily obtainable price in low season.

What are you talking about?! Rooms are not rented PER PERSON - they are rented PER ROOM. And 30 GBP is 1455 THB. NOT 3000. Diktet.

Edited April 1, 2011 by inmysights

[inmysights]

YOU SAY:

"It is the Thai style to ignore the laws (especially traffic laws) and to send their children back to the village to be cared for by the grandparents. "

THEN YOU SAY:

SO to see a 22 year old, all teeth and smiles, OOhing and AAhing to carefully selected Thais and presenting this as the 'norm' to the UK audience is unbearable for many posters on this forum.

So it is the norm then????? a bit contradictory maybe????

ALSO:

"Few of the ladies in the Patong "entertainment" scene could earn similar amounts in a shop or a bank, and in my experience would not want to do any other work anyway."

Why would they not want to do any other work anyway???

Are you saying that getting more money by laying on your back is more important than self esteem, bettering yourself or advancing yourself????

Is this also the NORM in Thailand????

For SOME, most definitely YES! You really should get out more ...

[madmitch]

I can't really add too much to the comments as I agree with most. It was unprofessional and only gave one side of the stories (despite the chat to the hotel manager). I don't know where they have dug Stacey Dooley out from but they should have kept her there. Surely this can't be the BBC's new approach to investigative journalism?

Interesting that they tried to portray Rawai Beach as an idyllic paradise, which it certainly isn't; it's a muddy beach only used by boals, unsuitable for swimming and sunbathing.

And Stacey did state that the price of the hotel was GBP30 PER PERSON, so 3000 baht per night for a room, which is an easily obtainable price in low season.

What are you talking about?! Rooms are not rented PER PERSON - they are rented PER ROOM. And 30 GBP is 1455 THB. NOT 3000. Diktet.

I know. I also know what she said and my information is correct. Watch the programme before making uninformed comments.

[KKvampire]

It was good amunition for those who think BBC3 is a waste of Licence payers money, 3rd rate Dross

[FarangBuddha]

I watched it last night, another hour of my life wasted. It was hardly Ross Kemps idea of darkside then again she was nearly out the door when a rat turned up so I guess it was a positively dreadful experience, it's not like there's not billions of rats in the uk don't know why she was squealing so much.

My opinion exactly. The presenter's patronizing attitude towards the Thais she met was revolting and she lost all credibility with me when she starting wai-ing all the service staff (including the hotel bell-hop ) and children she met.

A real farang dufus in my book...someone who parachuted into Phuket to "report" on the oppression and exploitation of the poor people working in the tourist industry. Sure things may not be perfect but they are surely better than where they came from and the shortage of labour on the island is surely pushing up wages and working conditions.

[RoyHarsip]

It's now on iplayer for anyone who missed it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_Investigates/

When i started watching this program i asssumed it was a repeat and had been filmed a few years ago. With comments like it's never been cheaper to have a holiday in Thailand. Err i don't think so. Made out that hotels guests never ever leave tips for the maids and they only have their wage to live on. If the maids do a good job which so far they always have, i tip them. Ok it's only 20 or 50 baht every other day.

Apparently it has been censored in Thailand as it now states not available in your area.

or simply not available outside the UK

its available on YouTube.... ..here..

[coolhandjoe]

Stacey(waste of tax payers money) Dooley had a procession of lackies wiping her rear with silk sheets throughout the "Investigation" and probally her whole adult life.

[coolhandjoe]

Somebody should investigate her for wasting licence fee payers money

Edited April 1, 2011 by coolhandjoe

[Nisa]

its available on YouTube.... ..here..

Thanks.

I watched the first part and what became very clear is that the show has no issue in lying to tell a story. If you look at the 7:00 minute mark you clearly see they edited the tape pretend (lie) she is only given 6-minutes to clean the bathroom but in fact if you look at the chalk board it says 12 minutes. The first line is 5 minutes for the bed, the second is the bathroom and the third (which they edited to appear as if the bathroom) is the general room. 2-minutes (8:57) later they again have the narrator state (lie) again that she only has 6-minutes to clean the bathroom.

The other impression I got from the 1st part is that she is not too bright, lazy, has difficulty learning and is weak spirited ... especially when compared to the Thais. The women couldn't even make a bed properly.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Nisa

[Beetlejuice]

It would not surprise me if the land was being purchased actually by farangs, for farang owned businesses.

Behind many big and some small busnesses, including bars, massage parlours and restaurants there is usually a farang lurking in the background somewhere and a lot of them are quite upfront that they are the real owners.

Perhaps this reporter should delve into who is actually financing these land deals and hotels, it may break open a whole box of surprises.

[simon43]

Perhaps this reporter should delve into who is actually financing these land deals and hotels, it may break open a whole box of surprises.

I seem to recall that the 'other' web-site did a report a few years ago about who actually owns the top 20 hotels on Patong Beach. The results were maybe a surprise to some. The vast majority of these lands and the hotel buildings were owned by Thai families and companies, with no foreign control or ownership.

Where the foreigners were involved was in the ownership of the hotel 'business', - ie the company that operates the hotel. (Think big brand names, such as Hilton, Best Western etc). This seems to be a sensible situation, given that international hospitality companies are well-experienced in operating hotels where the majority of guests are not Thai.

Simon

[sydneyjed]

Surprise,surprise...There's a big write up in the Sunday Morning Herald in Sydney today on a radio personality leaving her 5 week old baby with her mother while she plays the 'diva'..It happens every where now,people having to travel and leave their kids early doors to pay the bills!!!She hasn't even lived yet or knows jack s..t about nowt..just seems to cry every time she thinks people are being exploited...then hugs them!!!Already past her use by date...Next please!!

"She had no conception of Thai culture and should have maybe focused on theforeigners them selves, the majority that visit the country show little respectfor them selves and even less for the native culture.

This is the attitude that local Thais learn from the so called civilizedwestern countries and is causing more harm to the society than development."

What exactly is Thai culture????

Bribery?

corruption?

money = power = untouchable?

slicing a girl in half then driving 10 km with half a body in your car?

being a 15 year old and driving uninsured with no licence and killing people without conviction?

Mafia run tourist areas?

"This is the attitude that local Thais learn from the so called civilizedwestern countries and is causing more harm to the society than development."

I don't think so.

Cant ever remember the 'mafia' controlling the donkey rides in any UK seaside town.

Go to any Thai town (not heavily populated by westerners) and see the crap they just throw on the streets.

"If its not mine - I dont care about it" is a very deeply rooted thought for all the Thais i have met.

The difference between a 'civilised country' and a developing country such as Thailand is that for the most part a civilised country has laws and people to enforce those laws and a checks and balance system.

Thailand has laws but if they are never enforced then nothing will change.

What exactly is Thai culture????

One aspect of Thai culture, and Asian culture in general, that came up in the show was leaving your children with your parents and going away to work. She made such a big deal about this yet it is completely normal all over Asia.

I watched about 15 minutes of the show and was so frustrated by her ignorance I had to turn it off.

[Insight]

Watched it last night with the wife. Honestly didn't find it too bad. Thought it portrayed the hotel and the treatment of its workers somewhat unfairly, but other than that, some parts were quite interesting.

I personally thought the target audience was young travellers who were considering Thailand for a holiday. If the show encourages such people to be a bit more respectful to those serving them on their holiday, such as the hotel maids and volunteers working at the Full Moon Party, then no real harm done...?

[clifric]

I watched the programme and have to agree with most of the comments already made here.

With regard to the 'sea gypsies' (Moken) I understand, and I think it was mentioned by their representative in the programme, they had lived on the land since the end of WW2 and there were no land titles then. When titles were issued, rich businessmen (there's a good collective noun for Thailand) bought up the land titles.

Looking in to it is a career in Thailand and I suspect Abhisit is too busy looking into a crystal ball to see his future to worry about any of his countrymen.

[kotsak]

I find this

of the "Blood, sweat and Takeaways" series more entertaining