Thai Govt Wants Youtube Sex Spoof Removed

[schondie]

Get ready for the Streisand Effect in 3 ... 2 ... 1

[Thai at Heart]

Actually, they could just put a funny spin on the front page of the nation.

We have all been anethsitized to the comedy delivered as news every day.

[plachon]

The culture minister has no other more urgent worries?

Well, yes, he probably does. His dad, Kamnan Poh, who has been convicted of murder and corruption has just been caught by the Bangkok cops after 7 years "on the run" (actually living in his own luxury home all along in Chonburi ), and so this is a good time for said minister to deflect attention away from own family problems and show what a good job he is doing protecting the good, clean reputation of Thailand from those evil farang jokers in the US.

[Mosha]

Is that for the whole night?, this could be quite Innocent question, remember many Thai hotels charge by the hour.

Of course, totally innocent. And just why do they charge by the hour?

I think "BANG KOK" as a capital name doesn't help the country's image much, either.

To Thais it's short name is Khrung Thep.

[jpippy]

It was a funny clip. It made more fun of Americans than it did Thais. And Thais are involved in the exact same behavior. THE EXACT SAME BEHAVIOR. So spare me the tarnished reputation line.

The SNL skit was professionally made, so accurate in its jokes. (The guy pretending to be German to go to Thailand was so on the mark, and very funny) Had me rolling. I fail to see how anyone can take it so seriously.

This is not the "serious" world I live in, and I don't think it's the world Thais live in either. Look at how Thais pick apart ladyboys in their commercials. And what about that optical commercial, a real one, not a spoof, of a group of theives who drink what they thought was yogurt from a sperm bank? Did you hear sperm banks across the world saying their business had now been tarnished. Don't answer that. I don't want to know.

[binduzen]

Why so serious????? Mai pen rai!!!!

[dominique355]

And by censuring Youtube, the whole problem of prostitution in Thailand will go away, right? Right?

Typically Thai: The situation is bad and we know it, but if anyone mentions it, we silence him, put him in prison and censor his thoughts instead of dealing with the problem.

[Hardie]

Much funnier than TV's ads featuring 'model-quality' 13-year-old girls... work's work, right?

[toenail]

Thank you Thai government for drawing MORE attention to this "tongue and cheek" humor on SNL . Most people would not have known about this satire clip; however, you have now drawn MORE attention to a (stupid) comedy. But if you are serious, you would be embarassed and want to educate your youth to have a skill instead of turning to prostitution for money.

[metisdead]

Off topic post and replies have been removed.

[AloisAmrein]

Once again Thailand is denying the own truth. What cannot be true, is not true... The Thai government should admit finally that Thailand has become the world's biggest brothel, with the help and tolerance oft influential police forces, government members. Officially prostitution is illegal - in contrary to most Western countries - but thousands of corrupt police men and politians make a good living out of tolerating prostitution. Very big hypocrisy. Thailand does everything for money: selling children, prostitution, bombing neighbouring countries, if the Americans ask them to do...

[lahgon29]

Most Thai internet users were not impressed with the video, saying the joke is too harsh and not at all funny.

I started reading the topic, and spent the last hour looking at Monty Python sketches. Thanks, Morakot!

[Thai at Heart]

Ah, zee gehmahns going to complain too?

I mean, not every German man who comes to Thailand is a sex tourist.

Let's see how long this takes...

[Jingthing]

As an American in Thailand, I felt the main target of the spoof was ... Americans in Thailand. So if ANYONE should be complaining to SNL it's Americans in Thailand. (Not Thailand.) Not that anyone should be complaining.

[FarangTalk]

The truth hurts.

[KhunHehe]

The video is funny, and all this controversy just brings great press to SNL. It won't be banned from Google. That's silly.

I wouldn't be surprised if the minister reaction is itself a spoof.

[crazydrummerpauly]

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.

Four years in LOS and no contact with the sex-biz here either - with a very beautiful, fully-employed govt teacher of English as a missus - Why go out for hamburgers when you've got steak at home ? ( For those who remember Men Behaving Badly, what was the answer to that question ? : 'Well sometimes you just fancy a hamburger' . Brilliant.)

[Thai at Heart]

Nation headline

commerce minister furious at Americas attempt to belittle Thailands efforts to perfect the prostitution business.

Quote: when those gi's were here we just provided them with the vanilla basics, but we've come along way since then. I think tourists of all persuasions and perversions can find anything they want in Thailand.

To think we only appeal to middle aged single men just doesn't do us justice. We will challenge this image vigorously, and ask the producers of SNL to come and see in reality what we have on offer.

By the way, I think there is a madam somewhere in pattaya who does something called an SNL. It will fit in well for the show.

[KuhnPaen]

The Thai govt. will moan about an SNL sketch, but never complains when someone posts a vid of girls shaking it on Soi Cowboy. Bottom line: The sex industry in Thailand feeds the rural poor--without the trickle down money from Thai bargirls, there would probably be civil war. I send my $1,000/month to help my girl and her family there. How many others like me? How many billions of baht? Gimme a break.

[endure]

Asterisks don't hide bad language and if it's particularly bad you may find yourself unable to post for a week or two.

[rbrooks]

he he, video was funny.. and ask how mutch, goes for everything in this country,, maybe the thais should teach their people not to ask 3 times the prices instead , like they do on almoust all you want buy something outside from food shop.. Is to late to change the image, Every grown up over 17 years in western Europe knows what going onin sex buisness in Thailand anyway..Anoher issue is Americans, they hardly know they have 52 states..

Another issue is your attempt at the English language. I believe you need to go back to school before you make another vain attempt to mock the intelligence of Americans. The video is a classic example of SNL ( Saturday Night Live) at its best. They are just keeping it real and funny. Good luck Thai ministry on getting an apology. This is not politics but just show business. Lighten up and take it as comedy. I am sure the Thai people have done their best in making fun of the Farang quite often through the media and in politics but do we ever demand an apology? We know better.

[crazydrummerpauly]

I'm not sure that Thais have much of a sociological imagination...but does anyone else think (as this old sociologist does) that the massive disregard for the law against prostitution over half a century, has created a more generalised contempt for the Law ? Or to put it in reverse - wouldn't it be surprising if it had not done ?

[atyclb]

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

A high % of them are the same level that service Thai men but find farangs willing to pay them much more.

[ingvar]

There is no such thing as sex in Thailand and all the 60 million Thais just appeared by accident, listen to the Thai politicians, they are always right!

[atyclb]

Insinuating there are German sex tourists going to Thailand ! The Kingdom Of Germany should demand an apology from Barack Obama and sue America.

[endure]

Not everyone on Thaivisa has English as their first language so we don't really appreciate people setting themselves up as the Grammar Police. Thank you.

[Thai at Heart]

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

A high % of them are the same level that service Thai men but find farangs willing to pay them much more.

Well that's all down to exchange rates.

[crazydrummerpauly]

The Thai govt. will moan about an SNL sketch, but never complains when someone posts a vid of girls shaking it on Soi Cowboy. Bottom line: The sex industry in Thailand feeds the rural poor--without the trickle down money from Thai bargirls, there would probably be civil war. I send my $1,000/month to help my girl and her family there. How many others like me? How many billions of baht? Gimme a break.

Bt 30,000 ! ouch.

[ingvar]

This is everybodys favorite subject hehe!

How many Thai politicians (the same that are whining about the video) have their little mia noi tuckked away in an apartment somewhere or even several?

[cbrer]

Wonder how many young mia nois and plastic bags full of cash around the house these ministers have.

If it was either publish the real truth or publish his spoof clip I think they'd be on their knees with envelopes (the only way they know) to have this clip shown.

Edited February 4, 2013 by cbrer