Thai PM Bemoans Divisive Soap Operas, Offers to Write Better Ones

BANGKOK: -- Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Friday criticized television soap operas for promoting violence and division in society and said he wanted scripts to encourage reconciliation. He said he would write them himself if he had to.

Prayuth, who is also army chief, staged a coup on May 22, overthrowing an elected government after six months of at times violent anti-government protests.

“I have ordered that scripts be written, including plays on reconciliation, on tourism and on Thai culture,” Prayuth told reporters.

“They are writing plots at the moment and if they can't finish it I will write it myself,” he said of a team of government-appointed writers.

The junta has ruled unchallenged since taking over and has cracked down on pro-democracy dissidents and supporters of the ousted government of Yingluck Shinawatra. It has even warned academics that debate that might “cause misunderstanding” would not be tolerated.

Yingluck, Thailand's first woman prime minister, is the sister of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, a telecoms tycoon who shook up politics by winning over poor voters with populist policies and challenging the royalist establishment.

Prayuth bemoaned hugely popular television soap operas which he said encouraged violence rather than peace. Some television dramas have also been criticized for trivializing rape and domestic violence.

“In our country, television dramas make people fight and they create divisions so we have much improvement to make in this area,” he said.

“I have ordered that scripts be written,” he said. “One plot will be two foreign families come to visit Thailand, they meet each other and come to love each other.”

It is not the first time Prayuth, known for his gruff exchanges with reporters, has shown an interest in the arts.

The straight-talking general also penned lyrics to a patriotic ballad - “Return Happiness to Thailand” - which is played by radio and television stations around the country.

Source: http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-thai-pm-bemoans-divisive-soap-operas-offer-to-write-better-ones/2463139.html

--VOA 2014-09-27

I bet Steven Spielberg and George Lucas will be itching to work with him..

ha ha the hub of jokes, this story could even be from a lakorn. many lakorns have just been lifted from old novels or remakes of old lakorns, they are all utter trash no matter where they are from. But they do represent one thing accurately- the division of class in Thai society.

What about one set on a peaceful tropical island?

Maybe we could see beautiful women wearing burqas and ugly women in bikinis to promote female safety awareness.

Add to that people asking grumpy old men pertinent questions until the old men lose their tempers. Then we know what kind of questions we should be asking grumpy old men.

"Aren't kittens so fluffy?"

Talk about jumping at your own shadow. It would be hard to find a cultural product less threatening to class and social hierarchy than Thai soaps, which confirm privilege and status at every turn. If these are divisive, it's hard to imagine what kind of mind-meltingly banal 'entertainment' you could replace them with. But never mind

I will write it myself

Good news for a change.

come on all they need do is add in a few ghosts/evil spirits, lots of cheating, jealous gf's, rich people ripping off poor people and crooked police/govt officials and they can have virtually the same storyline as every other soap we see here, just like real life as they see it I suppose........

Don't forget the obligatory ladyboy, the servant not quite good enough for the son as she is poor Issan, the victims of being run over at 5 miles an hour outside their house and the mai nois by the dozen

Playing it a little loose with the word 'arts' in relation to soap opera scripts.

Losing the plot?

They've restricted freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of press, and academic debate. None of this was enough so they're moving on soaps. Of course all this is for the best, one can't have "Thai style" democracy without "Thai style" freedom of speech.

"Offers to Write Better Ones."

Of course he and so many others can write better ones. However, the goal isn't quality. It is increasing viewer ratings, and internationally, no matter which country, shallowness sells. Who is going to sponsor a soap opera no one is watching?

The straight-talking general also penned lyrics to a patriotic ballad - Return Happiness to Thailand - which is played by radio and television stations around the country.

....................by order.

I have ordered that scripts be written, including plays on reconciliation, on tourism and on Thai culture, Prayuth told reporters.

Presumably not including plays commemorating the Thammasat University massacre. Am I alone in finding this situation is growing increasingly Orwellian, maybe even Jong' ian, as in Kim, not as in Jungian?

But, but, but, but....Thaksin!

I wanted to be the first to offer the standard reply in argument.

Are you not aware the man is a CONVICTED CRIMINAL? Are you not aware he is a FUGITIVE? Please feel free to add your own further rhetorical questions..

Calm down, he got 2 years for a conflict on interest concerning his Mrs buying land in Rachada, Same as Samak got for having a cookery spot on TV, ie he was stitched up.

I've got a story line. Democratically elected government overthrown by military dictator.

Now that, like Thai soap operas, is original.

I sense somebody who thought he was qualified for the job is going into mental breakdown.

The straight-talking general also penned lyrics to a patriotic ballad - “Return Happiness to Thailand” - which is played by radio and television stations around the country.

....................by order.

“I have ordered that scripts be written, including plays on reconciliation, on tourism and on Thai culture,” Prayuth told reporters.

Presumably not including plays commemorating the Thammasat University massacre. Am I alone in finding this situation is growing increasingly Orwellian, maybe even Jong' ian, as in Kim, not as in Jungian?

But, but, but, but....Thaksin!

I wanted to be the first to offer the standard reply in argument.

AFAIK Prayuth is not demanding royalties for every time his song is played, or payment for his proposed scripts. Nor is he ordering banks issue billion baht loans to companies that suddenly fold. Notice the difference?

May as well write a soapy General, the stuff that's dished up at present is so low grade that you could turn it into sewerage and use for fertilizer for the rice farmers, maybe something like this handsome General falls in love with refugee and the family is against such arrangement, err yeah just a thought. .

The straight-talking general also penned lyrics to a patriotic ballad - “Return Happiness to Thailand” - which is played by radio and television stations around the country.

....................by order.

“I have ordered that scripts be written, including plays on reconciliation, on tourism and on Thai culture,” Prayuth told reporters.

Presumably not including plays commemorating the Thammasat University massacre. Am I alone in finding this situation is growing increasingly Orwellian, maybe even Jong' ian, as in Kim, not as in Jungian?

Presumably also no series commemorating the valid efforts of simple red-shirts to restore democracy for their own 'elite' chap.

Fun aside if you watch some of the soaps you might agree with the PM on this. Never seen so many guntoting handsome guys slapping females. needing some of their mates to hold someone so it's easier to beat him, etc., etc.

They've restricted freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of press, and academic debate. None of this was enough so they're moving on soaps. Of course all this is for the best, one can't have "Thai style" democracy without "Thai style" freedom of speech.

You never watched Thai soaps I guess, or did you and think that all that was perfectly acceptable, even in your own country?

They've restricted freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of press, and academic debate. None of this was enough so they're moving on soaps. Of course all this is for the best, one can't have "Thai style" democracy without "Thai style" freedom of speech.

You never watched Thai soaps I guess, or did you and think that all that was perfectly acceptable, even in your own country?

I'm confused, are you suggesting that it's a good idea for Prayuth to write the soaps?

I'm confused, are you suggesting that it's a good idea for Prayuth to write the soaps?

Look. Just what kind of reconciliation do you expect to get if some general doesn't tell the entire country what to say, do and think? Sheesh! Some people.

I am so excited about this!

Politics combined with the "art" of rewriting Thai Soap Operas. What a fantastic and genius idea! So good for the country and all Thai-people. The first step to democracy, clearing all corruption and safety for all!

I just can't wait to see this. When can we expect the first show?

(Jumping around in excitement and joy)

'an interest in the arts' You have got to be kidding! Is there going to be some kind of Thai Renaissance?

Seriously, an article like this scares the xxxx out of me...

Hmmmm......what will the government penned soaps be named?

The General's Hospital? Days of Our Rives?

'A Tale of One City' comes to mind...

Imagine if the leader of any other sovreign nation announced he/she would be moonlighting as a writer for televised drama, lol.

Take over government. Check.

Pay farmers. Check.

Straighten out the police. Check. Sort of.

Tackle corruption. Check. Well, not really.

Sit next to Obama, get selfie and autograph. Check.

Appear on cooking show. Pending.

Set up retirement career as soap script writer. Pending.

They've restricted freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of press, and academic debate. None of this was enough so they're moving on soaps. Of course all this is for the best, one can't have "Thai style" democracy without "Thai style" freedom of speech.

You never watched Thai soaps I guess, or did you and think that all that was perfectly acceptable, even in your own country?

I'm confused, are you suggesting that it's a good idea for Prayuth to write the soaps?

You confuse easily, don't you ?

I'm only suggesting that Thai soaps are awful and that I have no doubts that in the free Western World we would have various (different) protest groups agitating against such stereotype like depiction.

Just told my girlfriend the news. She is devastated. It will take her a long time to get over this.