ThaiVisa is no fun anymore - full of trolls, whackos, haters and MOGs

[wooloomooloo]

In February 2024 there will be a verbatim thread reminiscing the good 'ol days of 2014.

[springsteen]

Simple as that! It used to be fun in the early days 10 years ago - it was rare to see spiteful posts.

Now it seems that almost every post is 'destroyed' by complete nutters and extremists, or those with hateful, abusive posts.

One simple question - What is the easiest way to put a member on ignore? Is it a '1-click' procedure? I will feel happier to place all these members on ignore and not have their rubbish intrude into threads.

Simon

Do you feel the same about the other Thai forum where you sometimes frequent and sometimes troll and hate or just this one?

[simon43]

Do you feel the same about the other Thai forum where you sometimes frequent and sometimes troll and hate or just this one?

See what I mean? Inane, whacko comments - I have never trolled in my life or sent hate posts. Another nut-job to add to my ignore list.

I find the news forum to be the worst - full of extremists and haters who verbally attack others for their political views.

If there is one change that I would make to ThaiVisa, it would be to split Thai news into 2 forums - General Thai News and Political Thai News. The latter forum would include all news postings that involve the government, opposition parties and politicians.

Simon

[chiang mai]

The forum was originally just a fun place to air views and get help on a wide range of Thailand related issues.

Now it has a different focus as its number one concern.

That's all that has changed really.

Maybe what has also changed is that some of the longer term members don't feel as important as they maybe used to feel years ago, maybe they were part of a clique that has been long gone....Maybe...

I'll say that Thai Visa over the last couple of years has become more news and politics than anything else...

At the end of the day if trolls are causing problems or people are flaming or bullying then the report the post function is available to anyone who feels the need to use it, then just let the mods or admin deal with it how they see fit....

I wouldnt start a thread/topic to whine about it, if you find a thread/topic that don't float your boat and you find some of the posts offensive then just move on to a thread that interests you more.....Last comment aimed at SIMON and others just like him..Just use the report function if your offended in any way..

I for one am happy to see an influx of new posters who can generate new thinking and perspective, to be honest, there was a time not long ago when I felt that things were getting stale. But the serious sub-bridge dwellers are not about any of that, they seem to have arrived at the same time but their mission is different, I have in mind two who pop up every few weeks only to be abusive and add zero value, fact is they destroy value, those are the real trolls to me and there aren't that many of them, you listening Huayrat!

[harrry]

Sadly some of this is true. I used to look forward to reading Simon43s posts but now they just do not seem so interesting or fun any more.

[simon43]

I used to look forward to reading Simon43s posts but now they just do not seem so interesting or fun any more.

I'm so sorry! Clearly I need to marry a Thai woman again......

[simon43]

The political events seems to have spawned a large number of haters (on all political sides) in the news forum.

My particular 'whinge' is where the names of politicians or events are changed to create an insulting or childish word or phrase. I thought this was not allowed by forum rules, yet it happens all the time.

Why can't people address the politician by his/her correct name? It is so childish and makes me feel like I am reading a schoolboy magazine.

[Maestro]

What is a MOG?

http://www.acronymfinder.com/MOG.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=mog&oq=mog&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.991j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mog

[bkkjames]

Here is my advice.

1) News section, only if looking for an argument

2) General, only if looking for brain damage

3) Western Food, only if looking for an argument and brain damage

4) Bangkok, only if looking for a wat what?

5) Pattaya, only if looking for ...I forgot sorry

6) ManCity, only if looking for light reading

7) The Pub, only if looking for Smokie

8) I drink too much, only if looking for your wallet, lost mobile

9) Pattaya News Clippings, only if looking for class

10) ManCity, only if looking for more light reading.

[harrry]

The political events seems to have spawned a large number of haters (on all political sides) in the news forum.

My particular 'whinge' is where the names of politicians or events are changed to create an insulting or childish word or phrase. I thought this was not allowed by forum rules, yet it happens all the time.

Why can't people address the politician by his/her correct name? It is so childish and makes me feel like I am reading a schoolboy magazine.

Whinge - Whingers are not popular in any circumstance. To whinge is to whine. We all know someone who likes to whinge about everything.

http://www.effingpot.com/slang.shtml

[Maestro]

The political events seems to have spawned a large number of haters (on all political sides) in the news forum.

My particular 'whinge' is where the names of politicians or events are changed to create an insulting or childish word or phrase. I thought this was not allowed by forum rules, yet it happens all the time.

Why can't people address the politician by his/her correct name? It is so childish and makes me feel like I am reading a schoolboy magazine.

I'd like to ask you, and all other members, a favour. Every time you see a post where a politician's name is changed to an insulting word or phrase, or any other post that is clearly in violation of forum rules, please hit the report button below the post in question. I remember the time when I got so upset that I spent practically three full days searching for all posts over the previous five years that had Toxin instead of Thaksin, Abishit instead of Abhisit, and removing them because I got so fed up with this childishness.

I don't know the exact current count off-hand but I believe we are about 45 in the mods/admin team and there is simply no way that every post can get read by a mod, every troll post can get recognised and removed, but there is an absolute guarantee that every report of a post will be reviewed and where considered necessary or appropriate the reported post will be removed.

Simon, you are one of many members who are regularly reporting posts that are in violation of forum rules and I would like to thank here you and all others for this much-appreciated help in keeping Thaivisa as free of troll posts as possible. Trolls are a poison to any forum – see this topic: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705282-can-thai-visa-control-trolls/ – but with a joint effort we can contain their poisonous effect.

[simon43]

What is a MOG?

Miserable Old Git!

@Maestro, the forum software allows the admin to add 'banned' words, (which would normally be used for words like f...). But you could also add words like abishit and toxin to it - easier than trying to edit out every post with these childish words.

I actually report very little - only the worst cases or when I've had a bad day shouting at my hotel guests (Fawlty Towers).

I started using the ignore user function - it is not the fastest process because there are so many to add

Going off-topic, but something I've always wondered about. Member status under their avatar indicates whether they are a member or advanced member (or similar). It seems to be possible to reach the lofty heights of Advanced Member after only a few hundred posts.

What are the different member levels that the forum software allocates? Is there no 'God-like' status for those members who have posted tens of thousands of posts (Jingthing), or those who are veteran members (such as myself)?

Actually, I quite like the status of 'Veteran Member' or 'Antique Member'....

[chiang mai]

Whilst the common and garden bridge dwelling troll is fairly easy to spot, there's another variety that I almost hate to refer to as the "sophisticated troll". Sophtrollus can be adept with vocabulary and its disease is not readily apparent, closer scrutiny over time however reveals that, despite the outer layer or apparent respectability, Sophtrollus is nothing more than the common or garden variety troll who has learned new tricks - I know of at least a couple of such players on these boards and it is other members who are the entertainment for them rather than any content.

[Tywais]

What is a MOG?

Going off-topic, but something I've always wondered about. Member status under their avatar indicates whether they are a member or advanced member (or similar). It seems to be possible to reach the lofty heights of Advanced Member after only a few hundred posts.

What are the different member levels that the forum software allocates? Is there no 'God-like' status for those members who have posted tens of thousands of posts (Jingthing), or those who are veteran members (such as myself)?

Actually, I quite like the status of 'Veteran Member' or 'Antique Member'....

The one below the avatar is Member, Advanced Member, Sponsor, Admin, Local Moderator, Global Moderator and several others that are not normally assigned. The actual member status is the one above the avatar and that one changes automatically to one of the below depending on number of posts. After 500 that one can be customized as yours have. Perhaps add a 'troll' member status group.

Newbie 0

Member 10

Advanced Member 30

Senior Member 100

Super Member 1000

Platinum Member 2000

Titanium Member 5000

Star Member 10000

[Showbags]

So simon is a dibba dobba...

[ttthailand]

I have to agree that there are some real crazies on TV (maybe me included). I try not to let it get to me as normally what they say makes little or no sense anyway. Not all, but I think many don't have a life or any friends anyhow and are just angry with the world. Look at someone with thousands of posts and only a few years on TV.... <deleted>, get out and see the world then your view on life might be a bit better.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[ttthailand]

And don't you just love the guys who always want to correct someone's English or the way they state something.... Get a life !

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[tx22cb]

For me, differing opinions are OK, as long as people keep it civil and do not fling personal insults.

I despise those who deliberately lie, or make up "facts".

I must say that I subconsciously like reading some posts from those at the extremes of the spectrum - they remind me that ignorance and intolerance flourish at every edge of society.

I also feel that we could be more welcoming to "Newbies", some of whom have been shot down as "trolls" and "fakes" without proof by those who should know better. Many of the Newbies are locals (my perception) and I welcome their views on all topics.

Edited February 20, 2014 by tx22cb

[simon43]

So simon is a dibba dobba...

I had to look that one up in the Urban Dictionary:

Somebody (often immature, a suck-up to a higher power,a square, or a hyprcrite) who 'tells-on' or 'squeals' on other people for doing something considered 'not right' or 'forbidden'.

That definition doesn't seem to apply to me

[Maestro]

...Is there no 'God-like' status...

Deus omnipotens? Nope. As has been mentioned, Star Member is the top of the ladder, at 10,000 posts. After that, all that is left for you to do is polish your halo every day upon wakening

[harrry]

...Is there no 'God-like' status...

Deus omnipotens? Nope. As has been mentioned, Star Member is the top of the ladder, at 10,000 posts. After that, all that is left for you to do is polish your halo every day upon wakening

He will probably just have to accept members slapping their foreheads and saying "Oh My God!!!" when they read his posts.

[Brevity]

I've given up trying to actually show the picture.

I keep getting this message: You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.

I have tried extensions of JPG (JPEG) and GIF. Those are the most common picture formats used in the world. If they are not allowed here, what the *#% is?)

This depends on the SOURCE website - if the original URL of the image you want to embed ends with a supported extension, no problem.

Some website specifically designed for image-sharing try to "block" such direct linking by using dynamic code that displays a URL that isn't a direct link to the file.

SOME of these will work if you just manually add a ".JPG" to the end of the URL, but some won't (ebay for example).

Note Google' image search facility lets you "see all sizes" of a given image and you can usually find an alternative source.

Thanks for the advice.

After it not working as a direct copy and paste from the website, I actually pasted the image into a graphics application (Photoshop cousin), cropped it and saved it in a compressed format as both JGP and GIF to my desktop then tried including it in the post. Wasted a lot of time.

[Maestro]

So simon is a dibba dobba...

I had to look that one up in the Urban Dictionary:

Somebody (often immature, a suck-up to a higher power,a square, or a hyprcrite) who 'tells-on' or 'squeals' on other people for doing something considered 'not right' or 'forbidden'.

That definition doesn't seem to apply to me

Indeed, it does not apply to any member who reports an abusive post. On the contrary, theses members contribute to maintaining Thaivisa the congenial forum it is, something that is appreciated by all members except perhaps the 0.001% who are...(I forgot the politically incorrect word for it; in Italian it would by rompipalle)

[Maestro]

I've given up trying to actually show the picture.

I keep getting this message: You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.

I have tried extensions of JPG (JPEG) and GIF. Those are the most common picture formats used in the world. If they are not allowed here, what the *#% is?)

This depends on the SOURCE website - if the original URL of the image you want to embed ends with a supported extension, no problem.

Some website specifically designed for image-sharing try to "block" such direct linking by using dynamic code that displays a URL that isn't a direct link to the file.

SOME of these will work if you just manually add a ".JPG" to the end of the URL, but some won't (ebay for example).

Note Google' image search facility lets you "see all sizes" of a given image and you can usually find an alternative source.

Thanks for the advice.

After it not working as a direct copy and paste from the website, I actually pasted the image into a graphics application (Photoshop cousin), cropped it and saved it in a compressed format as both JGP and GIF to my desktop then tried including it in the post. Wasted a lot of time.

I believe this would make an interesting topic for Forum Support Desk. Other members may be struggling with the same problem and would be able to learn from it.

[simon43]

Might that graphics problem be as simple as writing the file extension in lower case .jpg or .gif? Some software applications (PHP) do not like file extensions in upper case letters.

Simon

[hanno]

On every forum, someone will inevitably come along, saying how much better everything was 10 (or 5, or 25) years ago...... I guess a lot of people get grumpy and intolerant as they get older

[Morakot]

If there is one change that I would make to ThaiVisa, it would be to split Thai news into 2 forums - General Thai News and Political Thai News. The latter forum would include all news postings that involve the government, opposition parties and politicians.

I can picture this. One where we can have all the TAT announcements and some light-hearted lifestyle stories from the Coconuts News and in the other section the nitty-gritty reality of life in Thailand...

Simon relax a bit. Nasty trolls should be reported and others can be ignored if you choose so. The ignore function is useful for persistently annoying people. A forum is not too different from real life, you get interesting and nice people, weird and wonderful ones, and of course idiots.

Edited February 20, 2014 by Morakot

[ttthailand]

If there was one thing I would change about TV it is adding a "Not Like" . This way people can see that what they are saying is not what other people agree with. Some people say nasty stuff or stupid things and because they get little or no negative feedback they convince themselves that it is correct. And display the number of likes and dislikes

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[chiang mai]

On every forum, someone will inevitably come along, saying how much better everything was 10 (or 5, or 25) years ago...... I guess a lot of people get grumpy and intolerant as they get older

Methinks the older more established members are the least of the problem. Take your post for example, it contains a stereotype characteristic reference to older people, this in a thread that discusses an older members dissatisfaction with posting behavior, could that not be construed as a troll like post?

[Totster]

If there was one thing I would change about TV it is adding a "Not Like" . This way people can see that what they are saying is not what other people agree with. Some people say nasty stuff or stupid things and because they get little or no negative feedback they convince themselves that it is correct. And display the number of likes and dislikes

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

A 'not like' function can be used malevolently, I believe this is why such a function was never implemented or removed (If I remember correctly)

totster

Edited February 20, 2014 by Totster