So Were You Caught Out By Thaivisa April Fools Prank?

[Jezz]

In THAILAND Hundreds of Britons protested in Thailand yesterday against new laws preventing any foreigner over the age of 50 from marrying a Thai woman - before they were told that they were the victim of an April Fools Day prank.

A news item on the Thai website Thaivisa.com said the laws were introduced and a bill would be passed through parliament on May 1st.

Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz1IN706kZz

[animatic]

I posted

"Not fooled" minutes after the thread was started.

The post miraculously vanished.

Hmmmmmm.

Do you yell out the endings of movies too?

No, but I don't laugh when someone slips on a banana and breaks their neck either.

Did anyone now? No.

Posting the spoiler on the first page is the equivalent to standing outside the cinema with a poster spoiling the ending of 'Crying Game'...

Perfect parallel!

[jdinasia]

[AZBill]

Totally bought it. Nothing the Thai government would do would suprise me ! Not really funny though and I'm sure it freaked out a bunch of people..

[McFarang]

Amazing the amount of posters that say they knew it was a hoax within seconds, well had me going at least 1/2 hour until i saw a post that said look at the date . This was hastily removed when i refreshed the page so well done moderators in removing answers that said April fools including mine. This just made the hoax a lot better and continued the fun amazing the replies.

Yes you got me a lot longer than a few seconds at least I am honest also 48 yrs old been with my Thai partner 5 years and I think i will keep it this way without getting married.

[TAWP]

So were you caught out by Thaivisa April Fools prank?So were you caught out by Thaivisa April Fools Prank 2011? The Daily Mail rounds up the best pranks from around the world: Read more: http://www.dailymail...d-round-up.html

Daily Mail should write about the awesome April Fools text my a friend over SMS too, or can they limit their referrals to a few big places?

Edited April 2, 2011 by Maestro
Remove quote of deleted post.

[janverbeem]

I posted

"Not fooled" minutes after the thread was started.

The post miraculously vanished.

Hmmmmmm.

Do you yell out the endings of movies too?

Like when folk are queuing up outside to see the Titanic. Someone comes out and shouts out. It sinks in the end.

Happened to me.

jb1

And you didn't knew that before you went to the movie?

[lungmi]

Certainly showed who has a sense of humour. Plenty of sanctimony and bitterness to go around too.

I don't know what was funnier, those who are still worked up 24hrs later, or those still calling us on it after 100s of others.

Not to mention the particularly large numbers of 'old hands' here that got quite worked up about it! This one beat the shower rationing April fool's joke by a large margin! I noted quite a few posts blaming "the elite" for the fictitious law and that REALLY made me smile

Yes, certainly did beat shower rationing.

Part of the joy of a great practical joke is it has to be based on something

a ) Plausible in the context.

b ) A connextion to reality; how ever absurd.

c ) A real effect possible on many lives.

In this case the often announce idiocies we regularly see here,

Tthe Cambodian law just announced.

And the number of 50 something guys with younger Thai ladies.

Younger of course can be 49 and below.

So yes, you got me for around 45 seconds,

but it was a hoot while it lasted.

35 pages and 35 hours and some STILL are going down that path,

an even BIGGER hoot!

It had all the elements

I said to my wife that we couldn"t marry with papers. She asked me why? Thai Governement prohibit it.

But my big smile gave her the clue that is was the 1. april day. No problem, she answered me, we can marry every day, but 1.april is excluded.

[dantilley]

I posted

"Not fooled" minutes after the thread was started.

The post miraculously vanished.

Hmmmmmm.

Do you yell out the endings of movies too?

Good point. That's another negative thing about many members that's come out of this - people complaining because their attempts to spoil the fun were curtailed, highlighting their lack of sense of humour, and having no concept of being a good sport.

[janverbeem]

Daily Mail should write about the awesome April Fools text my a friend over SMS too, or can they limit their referrals to a few big places?

I would suggest they limit theirselves to the greatest pranks instead of the biggest places,that would justify their article title.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Maestro
Removed quote of deleted post.

[timekeeper]

Snape killed Dumbledore.

i knew he was no good since he was in Diehard

[Flatouthruthefog]

<br />Totally bought it. Nothing the Thai government would do would suprise me ! Not really funny though and I'm sure it freaked out a bunch of people..<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Me too, because (a) nothing this govt could do would surprise me either and ( the topic had been in the news re Cambodia for some days before April 1st. I admit to being fairly SURE I'd read it - related to Thailand - well before the 1st.

So in that sense the ruse was clever, but I'd rather call it insidious. Call me a curmudgeon if you will (look it up or choose a more common insult) but I think this so-called 'joke' has done harm.

And it says much more about the perpetrators at tv than it does about the people taken in by it.

Come on tv!? Tell us exactly why we should believe your "government spokesman" reporting ever again?

[Beetlejuice]

Besides rushing out and marrying my long term live in girlfriend before the law changed, in which you will be hearing from my lawyer tomorrow, NO.

[jdinasia]

<br />Totally bought it. Nothing the Thai government would do would suprise me ! Not really funny though and I'm sure it freaked out a bunch of people..<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Me too, because (a) nothing this govt could do would surprise me either and ( the topic had been in the news re Cambodia for some days before April 1st. I admit to being fairly SURE I'd read it - related to Thailand - well before the 1st.

So in that sense the ruse was clever, but I'd rather call it insidious. Call me a curmudgeon if you will (look it up or choose a more common insult) but I think this so-called 'joke' has done harm.

And it says much more about the perpetrators at tv than it does about the people taken in by it.

Come on tv!? Tell us exactly why we should believe your "government spokesman" reporting ever again?

Try going back and reading the original post --- and engage the brain

[Jingthing]

I posted

"Not fooled" minutes after the thread was started.

The post miraculously vanished.

Hmmmmmm.

Do you yell out the endings of movies too?

Good point. That's another negative thing about many members that's come out of this - people complaining because their attempts to spoil the fun were curtailed, highlighting their lack of sense of humour, and having no concept of being a good sport.

Ouch.

To defend myself a little bit.

I read the thing within minutes of it's posting and I honestly thought it was OBVIOUSLY BS! I didn't imagine that more than a few people would fall for it. So I posted not fooled. When it was deleted, I got why they deleted it, and I wouldn't characterize my comment on this thread describing the deletion as a COMPLAINT. More like a matter of fact comment, like, interesting that they did that. I won't change my opinion that it was a lame attempt, but that's how I see it, clearly with so many others falling for it this is a case where I misunderestimated (sic) the thing.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Jingthing

[rubik101]

Those that were fooled will post that they knew all along that it was a joke and just posted to go along with the joke. Those that were not fooled and didn't post will not be posting here if they have any sense. Those that were not fooled but posted anyway need to re-examine their replies for honesty and edit or delete as required!

[Puccini]

...

Come on tv!? Tell us exactly why we should believe your "government spokesman" reporting ever again?

Never believe a Thawat!

[animatic]

So you got salt on your coffee and your eggs were far too sweet, April Fools... what did you expect? It was a corker and it got quite a few going, so it was a successful prank.

If anyone was gullible enough to truly take it seriously on just one days posting, then that's their own look out. Can't blame TVF if you "read the paper every day and believe it every word."

Edited April 2, 2011 by animatic

[makescents]

I clocked on straight away.

-vague source that appears only on that thread in google

-not quoting AP or The Nation

-copying Cambodia!

I posted the third reply but it got deleted twice, I suppose they wanted to keep it going for a while.

[Richard W]

Your right it showed that you lot who put it up haven't got a sense of humour. A decent April fools joke has some small indicators.

I clocked on straight away.

-vague source that appears only on that thread in google

-not quoting AP or The Nation

-copying Cambodia!

I posted the third reply but it got deleted twice, I suppose they wanted to keep it going for a while.

The indicators were there, as Makescents says, but they were a lot harder to spot than usual. Someone commented that Thaivisa doesn't have a team of reporters, but the membership can provide a good source of information at times. On the spot reporters have included Scampy (for the London tube bombings) and Simon43 (for the 1-2-go crash on Phuket). The on the ground coverage of wide-spread natural disasters in Thailand is excellent.

The big problem with this one is that it is just too plausible. After all, why do foreigners have to make a declaration of their income when they marry in Thailand?

[John1012]

I did wonder how it would affect people, but I tend to adopt the attitude that I'll deal with whatever arises, as I always have. So didn't get worked up about it.

Sadly the article exposed some people out there with a pretty poor view of the Thai goverment and Thailand.

Yes initialy I was caught out (worried about the bequeathing of possesions, rather than the marriage bit), and, yes I have a pretty poor opinion of the Tha government, ruling class, BIB and infastructure.

Too much corruption, too little long term planning, too much spending on uneccesary military toys and not enough spending on education and health,, No such thing as long term impact analysis when decisions are made So much arrogance , so much show so little substance.

Sad really that Thailand is such a beautiful place and many Thai's are wonderful people, but those that are in power are slowly driving Thailand backwards into becoming a 'third world joke'.

Unfortunately I am committed financially to Thailnd, as are many other Farangs, so I just have to look on, survive and wonder what will happen when those dis-enfranchised millions organise and replace the existing hierarchy.

I also worry about the inevitable effect of aging in certain areas of Thai society and what will be the result of unrespected changes there.

[pgs]

Was a pretty good joke, lucky I saw it right away.... But what the thread really revealed is the lack of belief of many TV posters that the government can actually govern. When the government puts out wacky statements virtually every day, it would be difficult to distinguish a joke thrown into the daily mix. For next year on April 1, post that the government is tired of wealthy farangs stealing away the cream of Thai females away from poor hard working Thai men. Therefore all farangs with a net worth exceeding 2 million baht will be deported...

But their finances will have to remain...

[PeterDec]

I recently lived in Thailand for the past 3 years and it would not surprise me if Thailand enacted such a crazy law. So, yes, I for one was caught off guard and a bit frazzled by the story because it greatly affected me personally. I lived with the same lady for 3 years in Thailand and several months ago took a job offer in the Middle East to save up some money. I had planned on marrying my lady friend this July when I got a break from work, and bring her to live with me (a requirement in the Middle East). So I was stunned by the story and spent a good part of the day trying to fiind out if it was true or not and if it was how to get married in a nearby country. It upset my day and didn't find it very amusing. I hope TVF uses better judgement in the future.

[dantilley]

I wouldn't characterize my comment on this thread describing the deletion as a COMPLAINT. More like a matter of fact comment, like, interesting that they did that.

Your first post on this thread sounds like a complaint. You're not the worst offender though - some other people have been getting quite irate about whistle-blowing posts being deleted.

[bonobo]

I posted

"Not fooled" minutes after the thread was started.

The post miraculously vanished.

Hmmmmmm.

Do you yell out the endings of movies too?

Like when folk are queuing up outside to see the Titanic. Someone comes out and shouts out. It sinks in the end.

Happened to me.

jb1

OT, I know, but I saw Star Wars the first week, before there were any lines. I was going again a few weeks later with some military friends (I was the only one with a car, so I was driving). I "let slip" that the rebels were killed by the death star in the end, but that death emboldened the rebel cause and got everyone to rise up and defeat the empire. They all yelled at me for spoiling the ending, and I apologized.

After the movie, I got the crap beat out of me by my friends!

[creck]

Yes I was surprised at such a crazy law, but yes I did believe – certainly, for several pages of posts. Then I realised it was just too good an ‘arouser’. I really enjoyed it, however. I cannot see why some thought it was not an excellent joke.

The excuse for the law - that the elite would introduce it as a way to combat competition was fabulous – so possible!! (Like the OP). I did press that, but most people were seeing it as how it would affect them or their buddies.

Good show, thanks a lot.

[creck]

I posted

"Not fooled" minutes after the thread was started.

The post miraculously vanished.

Hmmmmmm.

Do you yell out the endings of movies too?

Like when folk are queuing up outside to see the Titanic. Someone comes out and shouts out. It sinks in the end.

Happened to me.

jb1

But THAT is a good joke. if anyone was queueing to see Titanic and did not know it sank... Well I suppose such exist, god help us.

[romano]

Agree.Not hing is too absurd in Thai politics, so this 1 april joke was totally PLAUSIBLE.The scary part is that it COULD have been true, given the cultural background of thai politicians.The fact that so many foreigners took this news seriously ( myself included) says enough about the' madness threshold' they have to cope with daily here in Thailand....

People hardly need more to get worked up about without fake news to add to the already incendiary nature of discussions here on Thaivisa.com; I do not exclude myself.

There is also the issue that really nothing is too amazing or ridiculous to come up in this place. It leaves no litmus test to tell fact from fiction.

It may be bit irresponsible as well, since quite a few people may have actually based important life decisions on this piece of "news."

And finally, it wasn't really that funny.

...

BTW, I am considerably younger than 50 and am philosophically opposed to marriage.

[desi]

I posted

"Not fooled" minutes after the thread was started.

The post miraculously vanished.

Hmmmmmm.

I did too, as did quite a few others.

I found the repeated deletes in poor taste.

[sausageandmash]

You sound like a real bundle of fun.

People hardly need more to get worked up about without fake news to add to the already incendiary nature of discussions here on Thaivisa.com; I do not exclude myself.

There is also the issue that really nothing is too amazing or ridiculous to come up in this place. It leaves no litmus test to tell fact from fiction.

It may be bit irresponsible as well, since quite a few people may have actually based important life decisions on this piece of "news."

And finally, it wasn't really that funny.

...

BTW, I am considerably younger than 50 and am philosophically opposed to marriage.