Thai Govt Wants Youtube Sex Spoof Removed

[WhizBang]

I've never had any contact with sex workers so I have no experience of it.

Well, well, well I finally found someone else living in thailand other than me that has never had contact with a sex worker.

Are you sure? Not all sex workers work in bars.

[Pimay1]

Well, well, well I finally found someone else living in thailand other than me that has never had contact with a sex worker . We are few and far between my friend.

That you know of.

They are out there, sneaking about...incognito...some even dress like men....or is it the other way around.

Wow thanks for the heads up. I had no idea.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed.

[DLock]

On the flip side, tourist arrivals will hit 27million next year...

[Pimay1]

I've never had any contact with sex workers so I have no experience of it.

Well, well, well I finally found someone else living in thailand other than me that has never had contact with a sex worker.

Are you sure? Not all sex workers work in bars.

Well I'm quite sure as all of them told me they wen't sex workers. But then again I sure am a trusting soul.

[kimamey]

Firstly I've watched it and found it very funny. I've never had any contact with sex workers so I have no experience of it. It seems to also poke fun at foreigners (Americans in this case but it applies to all) who have such shallow views and have to pay for sex so maybe they should complain as well.

Prostitution is illegal in Thailand so the only reason there is anything to make fun of is because Thai authorities fail to enforce their own laws. Why don't they enforce the law? Well I can only guess based on what I've heard as I'm not close enough to know but maybe someone else can correct me if I'm wrong. There are influential people who make money out of the sex workers. That might be the police, politicians and others of high standing. Thailand seems to have this reputation as an easy place to buy sex which presumably is why some come here. If that number is substantial then the lack of enforcement helps bring in those tourists which the kingdom would lose and have to replace. Does Thailand want and can it afford to lose them or not?

Making a fuss about this isn't going to help when Thailand is so hypocritical as it seems to be about many things. This isn't about Thai culture as this was done in the USA. Thais can complain if they wish as that's the idea behind free speech but they can't force their views on people in other countries. Remember I only found out about this because Thai officials decided to complain. If you can't stop it just let it go and don't worry about it. I think that's some sort of Buddhist teaching isn't it? Odd that Thais are Buddhist but forget this when it suits them, as is often the case from what I've seen.

Well, well, well I finally found someone else living in thailand other than me that has never had contact with a sex worker . We are few and far between my friend.

Gf would kill me and at my age I have trouble keeping up with her let alone sex workers as well.

What's your excuse?

[Songhua]

On the flip side, tourist arrivals will hit 27million next year...

Especially now that they've learnt a few handy phrases.

[kimamey]

SNL hasn't been culturally irrelevant at all. Especially during election seasons, which in the USA are very, very LONG, SNL parodies are very popular and very culturally relevant.

The government will also inform the United States embassy that the commercial spoof is tarnishing Thailand's image and will ask the embassy to explain the situation to the producer of Saturday Night Live, Mr Sonthaya said.

If they think SNL is going to broadcast some kind of apology, they've got another thing coming. The target audience of SNL is AMERICANS. So clips end up on youtube. Big deal. SNL is a commercial enterprise and the hurt feelings of some thin skinned Thai people is none of their business.

Why do foreign more repressive governments fail to realize that in open media societies the media is not endorsed by the government? This reminds me of the insanity over the anti-Muslim video that sparked riots, with people blaming the American government for that.

I seem to remember some blamed the US for the Danish cartoons as well.

Complaining about these things tends to ensure a bigger audience. It's not really worth it in many cases. I think this video about Thailand is one of those.

[Pimay1]

Firstly I've watched it and found it very funny. I've never had any contact with sex workers so I have no experience of it. It seems to also poke fun at foreigners (Americans in this case but it applies to all) who have such shallow views and have to pay for sex so maybe they should complain as well.

Prostitution is illegal in Thailand so the only reason there is anything to make fun of is because Thai authorities fail to enforce their own laws. Why don't they enforce the law? Well I can only guess based on what I've heard as I'm not close enough to know but maybe someone else can correct me if I'm wrong. There are influential people who make money out of the sex workers. That might be the police, politicians and others of high standing. Thailand seems to have this reputation as an easy place to buy sex which presumably is why some come here. If that number is substantial then the lack of enforcement helps bring in those tourists which the kingdom would lose and have to replace. Does Thailand want and can it afford to lose them or not?

Making a fuss about this isn't going to help when Thailand is so hypocritical as it seems to be about many things. This isn't about Thai culture as this was done in the USA. Thais can complain if they wish as that's the idea behind free speech but they can't force their views on people in other countries. Remember I only found out about this because Thai officials decided to complain. If you can't stop it just let it go and don't worry about it. I think that's some sort of Buddhist teaching isn't it? Odd that Thais are Buddhist but forget this when it suits them, as is often the case from what I've seen.

Well, well, well I finally found someone else living in thailand other than me that has never had contact with a sex worker . We are few and far between my friend.

Gf would kill me and at my age I have trouble keeping up with her let alone sex workers as well.

What's your excuse?

Well I am 67 and my gf is 59 so there is not too much keeping up for either one of us .

[dalsobrook]

Truth hurts doesn't it?

[luudee]

I thought it was great advertising for Thais tourism industry ! Nobody could have made a better Ad !

The should thank SNL ....

luudee

[euroflash]

Pretty funny stuff. Can't wait to hear how Thais will pronounce Rosetta Stone.

[bender92]

Another Thai who is outraged about something that happens in another country? Maybe Saturday Night Life should apologize...NOT!

Thailand has to come to terms with a simple fact: this IS the picture, many people abroad have about Thailand!

It is not about temples and food, elephants or beaches alone....

Thailand has temples and elephants and beaches?

[belg]

man, this was seriously funny

but hey... IT TARNISH THAILAND?

what ....phuket scamms?

what ?

tuk tuk maffia

what ?

jet ski maffia

what ?

gem stone ripp-off

what ?

200.000 hookers in pattaya

what ???

[technologybytes]

If there was any danger of anyone ever thinking it was not a joke, then I'd understand.. but clearly it's a joke and it's funny.

I love the scene where the nerdy American is packing boxes of extra small condoms... the joke is aimed as much at the sex tourist as it is Thailand.

[timbothaivisa]

Simple solution. Stop the sex trade, and Thailand will cease being the butt of jokes as the prostitute capital of the world.

Agreed - the culture minister really boobed over this one.

[DocN]

Another Thai who is outraged about something that happens in another country? Maybe Saturday Night Life should apologize...NOT!

Thailand has to come to terms with a simple fact: this IS the picture, many people abroad have about Thailand!

It is not about temples and food, elephants or beaches alone....

Thailand has temples and elephants and beaches?

...so I heard....

[quandow]

I saw this on Saturday Night Live and thought it mildly amusing, then left it at that. Now that the government is making an issue of it, exposure will EXPLODE and possibly millions more will see it than would have if the government hadn't done their sabre rattling and beating their indignant chests like a bunch of howling monkeys.

[metisdead]

Comments on moderation have been removed.

[madmitch]

At present the video has been viewed 1,348 times.

Now the Thai Government has asked for it to be removed we can expect many more hits over the next few days, mostly hits that would not have taken place had the Government not brought attention to the video.

[Tywais]

Flame removed.

[OzMick]

Perhaps that was the idea of asking for the ban. There is no such thing as bad publicity.

[dcutman]

I think Thailand should stop all exports to the U.S. Those funny Bastards(not), that would for sure teach em a lesson.

[whybother]

They're not worried about the spoof highlighting the sex industry. They're worried about giving the sex industry a bad name.

[engrin]

G-d forbid the farangs learn Thai and start seeing the cheaper hookers that service the Thai men

[grantbkk]

I saw it last week and thought it was pretty funny. Sex only is in ones head until the mini condoms are introduced mocking my fellow Americans. The minister is a sly old bird. Free advertising for Thailand. He is probably laughing his butt off at one of the VIP soapy massage places.

[TheWalkingMan]

I think Thailand should stop all exports to the U.S. Those funny Bastards(not), that would for sure teach em a lesson.

Seriously? Blame an entire country for the comedy clip of one show? Are you sure you are not a comedy writer?

[wade72]

I think the people who put out these "Outraged" statements and try to remove/ban something from the internet, really need to read about the "Streisand Effect".

We are talking about a video that had had a couple thousand views internationally prior to this statement, it will have millions upon millions in a couple weeks.

I thought it was funny when I saw it yesterday and was wondering how long it would take for some government official or other to publish a rant about it.

[atsiii]

I'm hoping the SNL gang does a spoof on the Thai Government, itself. I can imagine a hilarious parody in the making... 555!

[harsh4]

how come nobody addresses the real problem ? either locals or farangs/expats... if thais are so sensitive and touchy about their country being portrayed as a sex tourism destination, why do they turn a blind eye to the fact that prostitution is rampant all over this country despite being illegal and prohibited by law. And who are the law enforcers ? Why are they not doing their jobs ? Why are bars that peddle sex are allowed to operate openly ? walk down the main stretch of sukhumvit between sois 3 and 23 in the evenings and see if it's possible to avoid seeing it. Freelancers populate that stretch every evening, and bars in soi nana, cowboy or patpong operate openly. Why is this allowed if prostitution is illegal ? The answer might be the corrupt police force who pocket monthly payments to allow these establishments to ply their trade. is that the fault of the americans or the foreigners or SNL ? Innocent thais who are brainwashed into believing that polluted and dirty foreigners come here to destroy their culture or disrespect it need to realize it's their own guardians of law that are the real culprits who have no shame in selling their country's 'good name' or respect by being greedy, selfish, corrupt and a lot more.... terribly sad indeed, but sadder to see the government trying to take an official line internationally pretty much admitting and making a mockery of their own failure....