Lady Gaga Fans Gush, Critics Blast Fake-Watch Tweet: Bangkok

[KeyserSoze01]

With all this stupid nationalism, xenophobia and hypocritical image obsession displayed by some locals, I find find more than fitting that the concert apparently is called "The Born This Way Ball"...

Also quite surprised that nobody hung themselves up over her comment about "50,000 screaming Thai monsters" - unless 'monsters' is simply pop lingo for 'loving fans', of course.

She calls her fans, her "little monsters".

Her career is based on controversy but then the Thais complain when she is! Go figure.

This Thai quote says it ALL

"She came to our home, but instead of admiring us she insulted us," a commentator on the Pantip.com Web forum said."

Oh the irony. The fact is, the truth means nothing in Thai society, only face.

[Roota]

Thais for sure have NO sense of humor.

Nonsense. Most Thais have a very healthy sense of humor. It just tends to have certain blind spots. (And judging by some of the silly outrage I see posted on these forums sometimes, they're not the only ones.)

And yes, as someone suggested, check out Twitter in Thai. Plenty of Thais are having a laugh over this as well.

[KeyserSoze01]

Lady Gaga is a very shrewd and controversial entertainer. She did exactly what she wanted to do with that comment and that was to create controversy. There isn't anything called bad press. She now has people talking about her in Thailand that would normally never pay her any attention, which is exactly what she wanted. Amazing what a little throw away comment can do.

[Thai at Heart]

I could not agree more. Very concise analysis. First of all, why do these people have such fabulously thin skin? Who cares about a tweet by a pop star? Why does that even mean anything at all? How do they know it was not said in jest? And why not just admit that your country is one of the world capitals for fake goods? Look, most of us that live here know how many wonderful qualities Thailand has. All of our countries have many faults. So, why be so sensitive about this, unless this sensitivity if a reflection of inner insecurity about something?

Because sometimes, the truth hurts........

Thai's don't like people pointing out even the most obvious issues with the problems here, because if nothing is done to change it, it is their fault. Thais and only Thais through their culture and society have the power to make the country as they see fit, but then moan about how the world see's them. It is no different when someone gets caught doing something wrong or illegal in Thailand. The first response is "Who told you that". The crime is in getting caught not, the actual act of carrying out the wrongdoing.

I wonder what else she will have to say on stage? She might get lynched or arrested if she doesn't bite her lip a bit.

[Debothai]

I am not against fake rolexes, in fact I had one some years agao, bought in Pratunam, beautiful thing, a fake submariner, but the problem was that it worked too fast it gained 9 minutes a day....I never bought another one since...The rule is they say that a fake rolex will work until the airport then fail...Well I noticed the bad time keeping from the first day...Still, fake goods are becoming less and less available now in Bangkok, unless you know those who go and buy stuff from POIPET. My wife has just received a new PRADA bag from her Thonnburi friend who goes to POIPET regularly to buy stuff like this...I don't think that GAGA should be critisized for her comment, after all she is nothing but a pop-singer she has no political significance. Although I do like her music, I would also buy a fake cd of her. No problem.

In fact may I go one step ahead to say that all these fake goods do not really make a dent on the originals, because the people who do buy the fake goods are not going to ever have the money to buy a real rolex anyway. So all these fake PRADAS and ROLEXES are a form of advertising for the real thing. I don't see what's the fuss about all this. A fake GAGA cd or two isn't going to make GAGA any less rich.

Thai people know that there are fake good around, they just wanted GAGA to be more tactful, but then again GAGA is insignificant, she is just a pop singer, and I even like some of her music...

[xthAi76s]

'Manufactured outrage to create stories and hype and website traffic. A handful of people made comments on twitter, oh noes! 99% of Thais don't give a $%#@ what she said. No one is boycotting. No one is protesting her like they did in other countries. No one cares. The only thing most Thais would think is that it is very strange for a rich celebrity to want to buy a fake watch, as that is something for poor people. Most Thais wouldn't understand how it could be a novelty item for a rich foreigner.'

Couldn't have put it better myself. It's actually quite amusing (if a little tirmsome) to watch all the usual suspects (the bitter twisted folk that hate living here but haven't got the balls to leave) react to the Thai Visa spin. Good for generating web traffic but making the site's content very predictable these days.

What I find quite amusing (if a little tiresome) are the the people who

1) often fail to admit that the country they live in has all manner of problems that they have no control over

2) make the infantile assumption that anyone who lives in Thailand and who doesn't like or levels criticism against certain aspects of Thailand is somehow unable to leave or wants to leave or is silly enough to actually believe that if they live in a place, they should be happy and/or accepting of everything that goes on around them

3) people who are predisposed to an (often quite self-serving) philosophy which encourages them to interpret negative things in a society (so long as they are not directly and negatively impacted) as positive or which encourages them to be indifferent at every opportunity because they know that being truly aware of what's going on around them is much more challenging to deal with. Some people call these kinds of people 'selfish cowards' -- although I don't, of course.

It's certainly much easier to sit back in a nice condo with a nice job or perhaps in healthy retirement and try to interpret crappy things in Thailand as being OK. While looking out of my 15th floor condo window, observing a row of street vendors baking in the sun slaving away for what, under proper circumstances of mental health, I would call meager, I think to myself --

"Look at those wonderful street vendors happily working away in their traditional ways earning a good living. They certainly do look happier than the people exploiting them. Yeah, now I feel better about the whole thing. Let me put some ice in my imported craft ale and relax a bit. Maybe later I'll go down and buy a meal for 30 baht. Not sure why they are always look at me funny when I walk over with my constant (if condescending) smile. I want them to feel that we are equals; that's why I do it."

Oh, in fact, it's not a whole lot different from the Hi-So Thais who spend so much energy convincing themselves that they live in the same Thailand as their Thai servants. Same same.

** If one looks around the web, one will find all manner of stories by different agencies covering this very story. I've seen several, and I find no significant spin in the TV one.

Edited May 25, 2012 by xthAi76s

[dissonant]

Lady Gaga is a very young person without any important background of studies at university. She does not know Thailand, she does not care, she did not intend to be offensive. She is an excellent professional making a poor joke, that's it. She just repeats what she heard. Within 3 days, she'll have forgotten all about Thailand.

IF you (you are) going to make comments on someone's education and background, may i (I) suggest you get your grammar and language skills to a higher level.

She sure has more (enough) talent and education to have reached the four million mark in digital sales and have a second world tour

Maybe you should get your writing abilities up to par before you comment on another person's effort. "More", in your usage, is comparative. You didn't compare it to anything. You should have written "more than enough" or simply "enough", as I have indicated in parenthesis.

Thanks for your time.

good to see yet another "qualified" teacher got a job yet?

Haha, perhaps. It just annoys men when people attack others on the basis of grammar and then proceed to write badly..lol Unless of course the poster was being ironic, but I don't think they were.

Edited May 25, 2012 by dissonant

[arkom]

"We are more civilised than you think," tweeted DJ Suharit Siamwalla, who has a ticket to tonight's show but now plans to boycott it.

He'll probably just buy the concert DVD at MBK when it comes out....

[carra]

Haha, perhaps. It just annoys men when people attack others on the basis of grammar and then proceed to write badly..lol Unless of course the poster was being ironic, but I don't think they were.

'proceed 'to' write badly' surely??

Oh you managed to edit it quickly haha

[phl]

I could not agree more. Very concise analysis. First of all, why do these people have such fabulously thin skin? Who cares about a tweet by a pop star? Why does that even mean anything at all? How do they know it was not said in jest? And why not just admit that your country is one of the world capitals for fake goods? Look, most of us that live here know how many wonderful qualities Thailand has. All of our countries have many faults. So, why be so sensitive about this, unless this sensitivity if a reflection of inner insecurity about something?

I think better they send one of those "walkers" who walk around selling fake watches, glasses and cd's, so she does not have to sweat at the markets.

The best part would be for one of them to hit the glass on the glasses(ray ban) and claim its authentic, straight after they show her 300 baht rolex watch

[phl]

Haha, perhaps. It just annoys men when people attack others on the basis of grammar and then proceed to write badly..lol Unless of course the poster was being ironic, but I don't think they were.

[unanimosity]

This made me crack up! But yeah, The way some Thais react is no different from westerners biatching and moaning about being called "farung" and such. Human nature I guess, though some (Thais and farungs) do have a sense of humor and find can have a good laugh.

You mean like having a good laugh at the sight of a mangled motorbike and corpse nearby?

[phl]

"We are more civilised than you think," tweeted DJ Suharit Siamwalla, who has a ticket to tonight's show but now plans to boycott it.

He'll probably just buy the concert DVD at MBK when it comes out....

Nah, do not insult him, he is more sophisticated than that, he will download it from the net, like he does with all his music

[btunes]

Go Lady G ..the truth is the truth.

[yummypizza]

Lol....she said fake....

[indyuk]

lmao . . . just over the comment on fake watches. wonder what will their reaction of others speaking on prostitution, transsexuals and drugs.

lmao . . . just over the comment on fake watches. wonder what will their reaction of others speaking on prostitution, transsexuals and drugs.

I agree. The fact is that the indigenous population is infinitely corruptible. Thai 'Face' blurs the issues of morality, substance abuse, bribery, infidelity, religion, vote buying, and a terrifying shortness of temper. In order to cope with such personality flaws the people have evolved the concept of 'Face' behind which the vast majority may shield themselves. Each seems to have evolved their own particular incarnation of' 'The face of Dorian Grey'.

[superduper]

""She came to our home, but instead of admiring us she insulted us," a commentator on the Pantip.com Web forum said.""

ADMIRE????

Methinks you think too highly of yourself and your country. Admiration should not be sought and when one seeks it it's unbecoming and a sign of low class.

[superduper]

Maybe Lady Gaga was being sarcastic in light of the deep root thievery of people who steal everything they can get their hands on - particularly copyrighted music. Maybe she was mocking Thailand. Maybe she has a darn good point. Maybe if more Thais mocked Thailand, Thailand wouldn't be mocked by the rest of the world as a cheap place to vacation, a cheap place to get laid, a cheap place to buy illegal stuff, just a plain cheap place.

She has a good point. Thailand is on the US Counterfeit Watch List for a reason (uh... not Watch as in timepiece)

[timewilltell]

I guess these hypersensitive Thais would have been more upset if she Tweeted she was off to watch a pingpong ball and bottle opening show in Patpong. It's a pitty Thais don't have any idea of how this country is perceived internationally and instead cling to their outdated and illinformed home-grown perceptions - much like the history they are taught at school.

Ha - that would be the lady market she referred to but no-one seems to understand. Or maybe I got the wrong end of my stick!

[pxlgirl]

they should be bitching about being called "farung" since the correct word is "farang"

Depends what phonetics you use I guess, I've seen a couple of variants, but who cares as long everyone knows what's meant.

Thais would probably bother less about being called "Asians" than "Chings", the latter would mean "chinese", right?

[R10wota]

Now thats funny. I think that those people who are offended doesn't know about the fake watches.

Common now.. just accept it... It is what it is. Hiding it or not believing it doesn't change anything ... but they don't even hide the fake watches in the shops.

[xthAi76s]

I could not agree more. Very concise analysis. First of all, why do these people have such fabulously thin skin? Who cares about a tweet by a pop star? Why does that even mean anything at all? How do they know it was not said in jest? And why not just admit that your country is one of the world capitals for fake goods? Look, most of us that live here know how many wonderful qualities Thailand has. All of our countries have many faults. So, why be so sensitive about this, unless this sensitivity if a reflection of inner insecurity about something?

Yes, exactly. What is with the covering up? Well, I think some of us who think about deeply enough can identify many possible reasons why. Face, shame, fear for what is required to change things, apathy, etc. So, it is what it is. What Thais probably don't understand (and likely due to their education system) is that very often the kind of people -- like many of us on TV -- who would criticize Thailand so quickly and frankly are the same people would and do criticize our own countries. And, further, they might be surprised to know that disliking a certain aspect about a society does not necessarily imply hatred toward the entire and all aspects of the society. But, you know, this takes a certain level of intelligence and both intro- and extrospection.

I love many things about this place, but I'm not going to pretend I don't see the faults.

[pxlgirl]

You mean like having a good laugh at the sight of a mangled motorbike and corpse nearby?

Now what does LadyGaga have to do with the motorbikes? Nvm, I'm off to get some coffee.

[Payboy]

DJ Suharit Siamwalla

[thailand49]

The truth hurts and it is so typical of so many Thais that they are unable to accept criticism! This Thai might feel they are more civilized, which what was said has nothing to do with being civilized! I'm sure if we criticise Thai on how bad they drive it would also be a relection on civilized?

I say get over it! that would be more civilized!

[rayw]

Oh dear. Come on Thailand don't be so over sensitive, get real. What is wrong with the fact that Thailand like most other Asian countries is known for its copy Rolex watches and other goods, after all it all truly helps the economies here in Asia too. I wonder how many of those pedantically complaining about this silly issue actually do not own any copy products themselves hmm ?? Who can blame those that do buy copies (most of us!) when many of the originals are way way rip off over priced and unaffordable to most Asians and many Westerners too. I have had many fake Rolexes in my life and many of them have been very good too if you do not go for the ultra cheap copies, and anyway I would NEVER pay the exorbitant prices of genuine Rolex watches and know few who would even those that can afford to. Best way for these original companies to stop copies being so popular is to lower their prices considerably and accept a fair and reasonable profit margin not the rip off get rich greedy attitude that the modern western corporate world now adopts and has paid the price for with the huge predictable global recession and financial collapse.

Personally I always buy originals if I feel they are not at rip off prices, same goes for music, software and films and clothes etc etc and happy to pay a small but reasonable amount more than the copy prices too. If I feel they are rip off prices then if I would like the product I will follow almost everybody and buy a copy version and place the fault on the rip off originator's greed. So yes the blame in most cases truly lies with the rip off greedy corporates who make the copy market so tenable and desirable to most folk. Sorry if you do not agree but I feel this is the hard truth.

Finally I have lived here happily for over 9 years now and know and have many Thai friends. From my experience all the Thais I know buy copy products willingly, knowingly and FREQUENTLY so I find it hypocritical for some Thais (and westerners too) to now start this silly nonsense and unfounded over sensitivity to what is to most an almost universally accepted and beneficial practice (albeit in practice still illegal). It surely should be up to the originators to ensure their products cannot be copied reliably and to not try to rip off their potential customers, rather than to use stupid unwanted laws designed by the elite ruling classes to protect their eternal greed.

Good luck to Lady Gaga for her concert whatever day that it is on (is it tonight?). Not going to it myself though would like to if I was in Bangkok, but I do admire her style and quite like her music too though not my favourite genre personally preferring good Rock and Progressive music. Hope everyone who goes really has a great evening.

Edited May 25, 2012 by rayw

[MaiDong]

I boycott lady gaga and anything associated with her, for eternity, starting a very long time ago, you fake turd.

[lilFish]

There are a lot of Thai people out there including me who don't get offended by what she said.

Some of you live in Thailand for a long time and already know that you have to be 'fake' to make people like you.

When I was young and still lived in Thailand, I didn't have many friends in school & uni because I was a frank person and liked to speak my mind. Most of them hated me because of that reason. They just couldnt accept the truth.

Another funny thing I read on some forums is that some Thai people translated 'Lady Market' as Brothels [Market that sells lady] LOL instead of a shopping place.

[Thai at Heart]

I could not agree more. Very concise analysis. First of all, why do these people have such fabulously thin skin? Who cares about a tweet by a pop star? Why does that even mean anything at all? How do they know it was not said in jest? And why not just admit that your country is one of the world capitals for fake goods? Look, most of us that live here know how many wonderful qualities Thailand has. All of our countries have many faults. So, why be so sensitive about this, unless this sensitivity if a reflection of inner insecurity about something?

Yes, exactly. What is with the covering up? Well, I think some of us who think about deeply enough can identify many possible reasons why. Face, shame, fear for what is required to change things, apathy, etc. So, it is what it is. What Thais probably don't understand (and likely due to their education system) is that very often the kind of people -- like many of us on TV -- who would criticize Thailand so quickly and frankly are the same people would and do criticize our own countries. And, further, they might be surprised to know that disliking a certain aspect about a society does not necessarily imply hatred toward the entire and all aspects of the society. But, you know, this takes a certain level of intelligence and both intro- and extrospection.

I love many things about this place, but I'm not going to pretend I don't see the faults.

The issue is that criticism is somehow dressed up as not "loving" the country, as opposed to "caring" to change it. Change only comes by first admitting to yourself that there is a problem, and deciding what and how to change is not the reserve of the people in Thailand. That is the privilege of the few.

[sawadeeken]

I dare say she is calling a 'spade' - a 'spade'. How do people get indignant about the truth...... I guess even though it is true, they blame somebody for mentioning it. I can't say that I am a fan of hers, she is just not 'my era', so I'm not just trying to defend her. It is not her to blame when somebody equates Thailand (or most of Southeast Asia) with 'fake Rolex' or 'Pirated Movies and Music' or the two pair of NIKE sweat pants I just bought in Pattaya (the thread is already un-raveling in the elastic waistband). I haven't bought a fake Rolex for years, but if I wanted one (or several), I could go right out and get them, many places in Thailand, within 30 meters of the stall where I got the fake Nike sweat pants.

I copied and pasted from the original article, "Many were angered by the singer's remark on Twitter, where she has 24 million followers. Some fans called it offensive, insulting and bad for the Thailand's image." I just had to smile. Your image is what you see when you look in a mirror - If you look in the mirror and you see a 'fat guy' or an 'old guy'......... THAT'S YOU....... and likely it's not going to change until you do.........

My intent is not to be a 'Thai-basher' - I love Thailand and have many ties to Thailand, as many of you do. But what makes many of us attracted to Thailand is the availability of Fake Rolexes and Fake Nike sweat pants (or the latest flicks for 100 - 200 Baht). 'Spades', really are 'spades'.