Its quiet in Pattaya and also very noticeably quiet on THai Visa forums

[n210mp]

Is it me or is there a distinct lack of posters across all the forums?

 

I regularly post and have been very surprised at the lack of discussion, debate even a slow down of the Nasty brigade and the speeling police (I Know )

 

having to spend ,more time on FB or the Time  crosswords  for my daily mental stimulation is just not cutting it  (joking)

[impulse]

'Could be the chickens coming home to roost.  Sooner or later, the level of petty and mean was going to exceed the tipping point.  But I suspect its just a lull.

 

I'd be curious to know how the value of the website has changed since the change in ownership and format, measured by the number of hits and views.

[SaintLouisBlues]

6 minutes ago, impulse said:

I'd be curious to know how the value of the website has changed since the change in ownership and format, measured by the number of hits and views.

Expressing opinions out of ignorance and being nasty to complete strangers is the essence of social media - surely you know that? There'll always be a place for TV

[Dtrump]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

'Could be the chickens coming home to roost.  Sooner or later, the level of petty and mean was going to exceed the tipping point.  But I suspect its just a lull.

 

I'd be curious to know how the value of the website has changed since the change in ownership and format, measured by the number of hits and views.

I heard a number of posters have banned Thai Visa.  Someone finally realized how the cow ate the cabbage.

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

Expressing opinions out of ignorance and bring nasty to complete strangers is the essence of social media - surely you know that?

 

This years' episodes of South Park hit close to home.  I think Skankhunt42 is taking lessons from TVF, or maybe it's the other way around.

 

[daveAustin]

Combination of recent events, currencies, immigration and upgrades methinks. That Pattaya is quiet is obvious... have you read the news lately? TV itself is past its prime. I think the recent upgrade has had a huge effect on membership... periodic logouts (people then probably forgetting sign-in details and not bothering), frequent dropouts/hangs and it just not working very well. Also, things like support not listening to members and not re-introducing the quick-nav button for whatever reason (possibly because it encourages fewer clicks) just turns people off and sends them elsewhere.

 

Cannot comment on moderation but, the royal thing aside, TV has got progressively more heavy-handed regards what people can say and there are some fragile personalities. People are also moving on; spiralling expenses of living in Thailand, bad exchange rates and OTT immigration rules likely being main reasons. There are also many more fora as well as social media, with which to communicate here. George was very shrewd in selling up when he did.

[Strange]

Just now, SaintLouisBlues said:

Expressing opinions out of ignorance and bring nasty to complete strangers is the essence of social media - surely you know that?

 

There are a lot better forums out there that have better 'rules' and its funner to bring the nasty with both barrels without worrying about being filtered. 

[SaintLouisBlues]

1 minute ago, Strange said:

... without worrying about being filtered. 

The Mods have to have something to fill in their day

[Jack Mountain]

ThaiVisa is for me the number one Thailand info site for foreigners ... maybe even the only one.

[johnnybgood]

18 minutes ago, Jack Mountain said:

ThaiVisa is for me the number one Thailand info site for foreigners ... maybe even the only one.

 

 Ah.......... another ThaiVisa Poster of the Year candidate.

 

 

[getreal]

I think it may be because of the original owner, george?,leaving.

 

Before tvisa had a lot of helpful info concerning expat life. Lately, it has been more tabloid clickbait style of the british trashy magazines and newspapers. I thought they might even add a page three girl. 

I wont name it, but one of the pattaya newspapers they source from has degenerated signifigantly since Howard left in my opinion

.

I think thaivisa started off to help expats and george promote his businesses, but since he sold up the focus seems to be more on number of clicks with often rediculous headlines and more of a thai bashing angle and focusing more on what the english members like to read and less international.

[Jingthing]

I think forums like this are more of an older dude kind of thing. You know, like actually talking to people on the phone. 

[n210mp]

Maybe  there isn't any younger "dudes" here anymore especially  in the quantities that would enable a proportion of them to be vocal or literate enough to  be involved in the forums.

Younger "dudes" that  rely on intermittent  jobs offshore and others staying previously on a tightrope  budget,  cannot stay here with the World, European and UK economy being what it is! 

 

I also think that there  is an element of truth in what  "getreal" says in what I suspect though,  maybe an "Alter ego" of his true ID.

A way of saying something from his alter ego he could not  or did not want to say in his real Thai Visa ID  (Could be wrong and if I am I herewith apologise)

 

I think and feel that  previously the "Feel or atmosphere" of the forums where sort of "family orientated " and the rules exercised with a little more  flexibility, banter  and humanity than  is the case  now  but then again the times are changing and maybe in these politically correct charged times for the time being anyway  it is better to be prudent to the sensitivities of the people in charge in this Country than to make waves and risk ending what is for me one of the greatest platforms for any Expat in Thailand .

 

On a final word from me and I am no Arse licker as most will know if they have read some of my posts on the management of the forums.

 

The new version of the forum in my opinion is far better than before, whether it was borne of a need to accommodate more advertisements and thus make more income or to make the forums more readable and attractive to the membership and thus make more money, I  do not know.

However in all fairness I think that the new owners and management should be given some leeway and more  time to sort out the problems associated with the running of this very complex forum and  business.

 

Impatient and sometimes irascible and unsympathetic members must allow the Management and the Mods  more time and leeway in getting to know their way  around the  new  forums.

 Thailand is in a state of flux at this time and  changing so very fast thus  making running any business never mind a forum as complex as this,  a nightmare 

 

[siam2007]

13 minutes ago, n210mp said:

Maybe  there isn't any younger "dudes" here anymore especially  in the quantities that would enable a proportion of them to be vocal or literate enough to  be involved in the forums.

Younger "dudes" that  rely on intermittent  jobs offshore and others staying previously on a tightrope  budget,  cannot stay here with the World, European and UK economy being what it is! 

 

I also think that there  is an element of truth in what  "getreal" says in what I suspect though,  maybe an "Alter ego" of his true ID.

A way of saying something from his alter ego he could not  or did not want to say in his real Thai Visa ID  (Could be wrong and if I am I herewith apologise)

 

I think and feel that  previously the "Feel or atmosphere" of the forums where sort of "family orientated " and the rules exercised with a little more  flexibility, banter  and humanity than  is the case  now  but then again the times are changing and maybe in these politically correct charged times for the time being anyway  it is better to be prudent to the sensitivities of the people in charge in this Country than to make waves and risk ending what is for me one of the greatest platforms for any Expat in Thailand .

 

On a final word from me and I am no Arse licker as most will know if they have read some of my posts on the management of the forums.

 

The new version of the forum in my opinion is far better than before, whether it was borne of a need to accommodate more advertisements and thus make more income or to make the forums more readable and attractive to the membership and thus make more money, I  do not know.

However in all fairness I think that the new owners and management should be given some leeway and more  time to sort out the problems associated with the running of this very complex forum and  business.

 

Impatient and sometimes irascible and unsympathetic members must allow the Management and the Mods  more time and leeway in getting to know their way  around the  new  forums.

 Thailand is in a state of flux at this time and  changing so very fast thus  making running any business never mind a forum as complex as this,  a nightmare 

 

 

 

they could at least update the members on what's going on.

For example, since months the (useful!) "classifieds" - section is gone with little to know explanation except they r working on it (for months? reallyyy?).

Other useful stuff like "ask the lawyer" has disappeared as well.

 

And I am afraid, I definitely don't like the new version as it eventually makes my screen freeze every time I am scrolling down the "view new content" window.

 

In case SHERYL and UBONJOE will call it quits one day, expect the number of active members shrink another 40-50%

[berybert]

One can only read the same story so many times before it becomes a bit pointless replying.

A van over  turns killing 12 people is one we read about every couple of weeks.

A man/monk rapes and kills a baby is becoming a weekly read.

As with most things in life it all becomes bland and boring.

If someone does ask a decent question, like where to find a decent condo in Pattaya or Chaing Mai, he is likely to get told that he should get a condo in Bangkok. So that will also put people off.

Downhill all the way.

[starky]

Pretty pointless having an open forum where most of the topics are locked, you can basically discuss nothing, theres too many rules and despite what others may say IMO the new format is rubbish. So that leaves you with a lot of mundane rubbish thats not really worth reading. Obviously a huge drop in members recently whether or not they return remains to be seen. I think this dogs had his day.

[n210mp]

If there are no people coming here anymore in the numbers needed to renew and maintain the thread and posts count  of any of the Thailand ExPat forums then ergo there will be a drop in the quality and numbers  of those same threads and posts! 

For some of the lesser member  populated Thai ExPat forums it could also mean the end of them.

 

The point

 

There has been a massive downturn of European, American Australian males visiting Thailand over the last 3/4 years (No link, no Facts, no stats, just common sense and the experience of seeing it happen by being here and witnessing the downturn.

 

If there is not a  steady and  continued supply  of male, young, middle aged and elderly virile  tourists seeking the pleasures of Thailand's flora and Fauna  the whole related tourist economy will falter. (As it is doing and has done for the past 5 years IMHO)

 

It will be a chain reaction

 

This means that everything that is related to the non arrival of these  frontline and normally free spending tourists will be affected. (it's not rocket science you know)

Thai Visa forums  along with bars, golf courses, driving ranges, Immigration offices, the BIB, Cafes, restaurants, condo builders, The list is endless and goes on and on, will all be AFFECTED!

 

So it becomes rather silly and pointless in trying to somehow and vindictively attribute the lack of sensible threads and posts to a new look forum or indeed the Mods or management.

Rather like Nero playing his violin, Lyre or whatever whilst watching Rome burn and  in other words ignoring the obvious!

 

There must be a statistic of the  conversion factor relating to how many of those who originally came as SexPats, Back packers, itinerant offshore workers, teachers,  converting to ExPats and becoming the mainstay of the ThaiVisa forums.

 

  Maybe  George can be consulted for a fee and  come up with some stats that support that the lack of newbies into Thailand could contribute to a quiet time  for most tourist related  businesses?

( Including the obvious lack of quality posters on here at the moment, although  I am fairly optimistic that it will improve )

[kannot]

12 hours ago, berybert said:

One can only read the same story so many times before it becomes a bit pointless replying.

A van over  turns killing 12 people is one we read about every couple of weeks.

A man/monk rapes and kills a baby is becoming a weekly read.

As with most things in life it all becomes bland and boring.

If someone does ask a decent question, like where to find a decent condo in Pattaya or Chaing Mai, he is likely to get told that he should get a condo in Bangkok. So that will also put people off.

Downhill all the way.

needs  more  Freddie Star ate  my  hamster

[bojo]

Maybe it's just that people find social media sites more interesting/interactive.

 

[bartender100]

48 minutes ago, bojo said:

Maybe it's just that people find social media sites more interesting/interactive.

 

Your right, other places more fun, here is over moderated now, t5his post wont pass as my others did not

[n210mp]

46 minutes ago, bojo said:

Maybe it's just that people find social media sites more interesting/interactive.

 

 

 

yes I agree,  I am an avid FB follower but in mitigation I  have a low boredom setting  that needs constant grey matter stimulation , the bars and incumbent occupants  around here (Pattaya darkside) dont give me the social or mental interaction I find here on TVF !

 

The sporting  (golf) type bars can be very different with , IMHO a better type of clientele but not being a social person even these places lose their attraction after a couple of visits, great for after golf afterglow or comedown but not day after day ETC 

 

There are occasions when there has been a bevvy of irritating nasty and malicious type of posting going on when I think it's time for me and THF to go our separate ways but then again,  I am hooked or addicted to TVF and in all fairness by the repartee and banter as well as the useful info that is generated daily.

 

I also feel a sense of loyalty to the forums as well in response for all the info and help, online friendships,  it has given me in negotiation of  my conversion to life in  the LOS from the over bearing and  bureaucratic nanny state of the UK. 

 

To the moaners and the naysayers you should vote with your feet if you feel that the place has gone to the dogs, moaning and carping will not make it any better for you or the rest of us who in spite of your continued rantings  will continue to support a forum that has given us so much in the past.

 

TVF in its new identity  will either go forward and be successful; or it won't  and if it doesn't win the battle against all the overwhelming odds that are lately conspiring against its success then it will shrink and maybe become a smaller version of what it has become this last few years.

 

However Thai Visa forums, IMHO  will never die or fade away

 

It may shrink a bit becasue of the current lack of European and American posters but it would  continue, even after the "Business minded people who run it now lose all interest becasue it just cannot be profitable in the scale needed for  its running costs.

 

If that day ever comes that it become worthless as a means of making  enough money to maintain its upkeep,  then there will be someone or a group of like minded folk who would take the job on of maintaining the best Thailand  ExPat forum that there ever was created

 

 

[Laughing Gravy]

15 hours ago, berybert said:

One can only read the same story so many times before it becomes a bit pointless replying.

Then you get those who throw abuse and insults when you don't agree with them. I am personally finding sitting back, watching and reading the attacks and aggressiveness of some posters, much more amusing, than putting my opinions on a thread these days.

The class of a poster certainly seems to have taken a 'nose dive' in my opinion.

[Jip99]

I would hate to rely on TVF for my mental stimulation!

 

Occasional banter, and excellent information at times, yes - but too many keyboard warriors wanting to turn almost every thread into a pi55ing contest kills my mental stimulation.

 

Still, rather have it than not and as for Pattaya, well frankly I prefer it quieter. I don't need the throng of my tourist days anymore and anything that makes it easier to get around is fine by me.Good deals on rooms, less idiots around and even some of the girls seem almost grateful for your business.

[malt25]

16 hours ago, siam2007 said:

 

 

they could at least update the members on what's going on.

For example, since months the (useful!) "classifieds" - section is gone with little to know explanation except they r working on it (for months? reallyyy?).

Other useful stuff like "ask the lawyer" has disappeared as well.

 

And I am afraid, I definitely don't like the new version as it eventually makes my screen freeze every time I am scrolling down the "view new content" window.

 

In case SHERYL and UBON JOE  will call it quits one day, expect the number of active members shrink another 40-50%

" In case SHERYL and UBON JOE will call it quits one day, expect the number of active members shrink another 40-50% "  Me thinks TV will slowly die a slow death if & when Sheryl & Joe move on.

But, just my opinion.

[watcharacters]

51 minutes ago, n210mp said:

 

 

yes I agree,  I am an avid FB follower but in mitigation I  have a low boredom setting  that needs constant grey matter stimulation , the bars and incumbent occupants  around here (Pattaya darkside) dont give me the social or mental interaction I find here on TVF !

 

The sporting  (golf) type bars can be very different with , IMHO a better type of clientele but not being a social person even these places lose their attraction after a couple of visits, great for after golf afterglow or comedown but not day after day ETC 

 

There are occasions when there has been a bevvy of irritating nasty and malicious type of posting going on when I think it's time for me and THF to go our separate ways but then again,  I am hooked or addicted to TVF and in all fairness by the repartee and banter as well as the useful info that is generated daily.

 

I also feel a sense of loyalty to the forums as well in response for all the info and help, online friendships,  it has given me in negotiation of  my conversion to life in  the LOS from the over bearing and  bureaucratic nanny state of the UK. 

 

To the moaners and the naysayers you should vote with your feet if you feel that the place has gone to the dogs, moaning and carping will not make it any better for you or the rest of us who in spite of your continued rantings  will continue to support a forum that has given us so much in the past.

 

TVF in its new identity  will either go forward and be successful; or it won't  and if it doesn't win the battle against all the overwhelming odds that are lately conspiring against its success then it will shrink and maybe become a smaller version of what it has become this last few years.

 

However Thai Visa forums, IMHO  will never die or fade away

 

It may shrink a bit becasue of the current lack of European and American posters but it would  continue, even after the "Business minded people who run it now lose all interest becasue it just cannot be profitable in the scale needed for  its running costs.

 

If that day ever comes that it become worthless as a means of making  enough money to maintain its upkeep,  then there will be someone or a group of like minded folk who would take the job on of maintaining the best Thailand  ExPat forum that there ever was created

 

 

 

I Think your post is a good one but I question  this.    "However Thai Visa forums, IMHO  will never die or fade away"   

 

I used to love AC2 in the Philippines and  it was far and away the most active of any forum  I'd ever seen there or in Thailand.   It was also filled with countless personal attacks but everyone was allowed to say whatever he or she wanted so it hardly mattered.

 

Alas, the owner failed to sell it while it was on top and it is now no more.     Forums can certainly die and social media  is taking a gigantic  bite out of them.

 

[n210mp]

2 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

I Think your post is a good one but I question  this.    "However Thai Visa forums, IMHO  will never die or fade away"   

 

I used to love AC2 in the Philippines and  it was far and away the most active of any forum  I'd ever seen there or in Thailand.   It was also filled with countless personal attacks but everyone was allowed to say whatever he or she wanted so it hardly mattered.

 

Alas, the owner failed to sell it while it was on top and it is now no more.     Forums can certainly die and social media  is taking a gigantic  bite out of them.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply

 

Did you mean this one :

 

http://www.netfacet.xyz/site/angeles2.com

 

Or This one;

 

http://philippines-addicts.com/forum/topic/44811-what-happen-to-ac2/

 

Or was  there another one with the same name ?

 

To be honest and with respect for  your opinion from what I can  vaguely remember of the Philippines forum  was that it wasn't in the same league size or indeed had the membership of TVF, unless you are talking about one that I am not aware of that is?

Didn't it have a membership based mainly on ex USA service staff?

 

Another good ExPats internet forum was Thai-Uk which  also through a mixture of heavy handed unbalanced  Moderation and indifference from the Moderators/Owners, suffered a very big downturn in its popularity, however  it's still going on but  admittedly only as a former shadow of what it was.

 

[amykat]

4 hours ago, n210mp said:

 

 

yes I agree,  I am an avid FB follower

 

I want to make a point about FB, which is that you are not anonymous there.  It is called a social network I believe for a reason, it is like a social club and one should follow rules that allow for good social interactions with a wide range of people.  My friends on FB come from all over and from different periods of my life. I often worry about offending them and so won't post 60%-90% of things that I would like to post or talk about. For example, I am an atheist and that drives a lot of people crazy.   I also have had to ban a lot of people who do post inappropriate things, like my own dysfunctional family members.  My Uncle is on a personal crusade to convert atheists and while he was able to restrain himself in that area, he for some reason misunderstood the coup here a few years ago, and posted a bunch of anti-Muslim rants, thinking he was supporting me somehow.

 

Recently, I decided to break my rule against no politics or religion and similar inflammatory issues, and posted only some minor Trump/Hillary articles that were really about sexual assault and would more woman come forward now, also a video of Hillary talking to teen girls about self image, things like this.  Seeing Hillary on my page sent my Mother's b/f into a fit of rage and he spent a day stalking me around FB and leaving nasty, racist messages on my page and everywhere he found that I clicked "like" on anything ...meaning other people's pages!!

 

So, the point I am getting around to, is that on TV, we can feel a certain freedom (limited by moderation of course) to write what we want, to say things in more blunt ways than we might otherwise do in a more mixed audience.

 

 

4 hours ago, n210mp said:

 

  I am hooked or addicted to TVF and in all fairness by the repartee and banter as well as the useful info that is generated daily.

 

I also feel a sense of loyalty to the forums as well in response for all the info and help, online friendships,  it has given me in negotiation of  my conversion to life in  the LOS years.

 

 

I also enjoy this and if you read TV often enough you get to feel that you know the posters as friends ...or frenemies, as the case may be.  I get quite a lot of laughter in my life from this. 

 

One suggestion I have towards this, is that we don't seem to have a place where general discussions can just take place.  In news threads, new news keeps happening and drives the old news away when some (limited) interesting discussion is happening inside.  In other areas, the theme of "It must be about Thailand" is restrictive and boring to those of us who have lived here for a long time. I am sick of only talking about Thailand, or things related to pensions, immigration to other countries, world news is the same ....couldn't we have a general place that isn't a specific topic, where people can start talking about anything they want?   If it a thread is stupid and boring, it will die off, and if it is interesting, people can keep adding to it, and it would be a good place for conversations, discussions, banter, whatever.  But it needs to be in a prominent place so that people will see it, not banished to nowhere land.

 

[SaintLouisBlues]

My membership of FB is purely a work of fiction. My profile is not my own; my picture is not my own. I am completely anonymous there. I use it to spy on other people who are foolish enough to post information about themselves

[watcharacters]

1 hour ago, n210mp said:

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply

 

Did you mean this one :

 

http://www.netfacet.xyz/site/angeles2.com

 

Or This one;

 

http://philippines-addicts.com/forum/topic/44811-what-happen-to-ac2/

 

Or was  there another one with the same name ?

 

To be honest and with respect for  your opinion from what I can  vaguely remember of the Philippines forum  was that it wasn't in the same league size or indeed had the membership of TVF, unless you are talking about one that I am not aware of that is?

Didn't it have a membership based mainly on ex USA service staff?

 

Another good ExPats internet forum was Thai-Uk which  also through a mixture of heavy handed unbalanced  Moderation and indifference from the Moderators/Owners, suffered a very big downturn in its popularity, however  it's still going on but  admittedly only as a former shadow of what it was.

 

 

Well sir, that would be this one:

 

http://www.netfacet.xyz/site/angeles2.com.

 

In some ways it offered a lesson for some  regarding  believing what one hears or reads.     When I joined the owner who lived within reach of anyone in Angeles pledged there would never be a charge for membership.      That went out the window in a few years but then again, the charge was not so much.    I believe it was 20 USD / year.   And that even included a Tee shirt which I gave to a friend.

 

But coupled with what was called  "The Executive board" which  wilted on the vine shortly after it's announcement, it called into question belief.

 

To this day, I honestly don't think I've been a member of any board I enjoyed more than AC2.

 

To each his own and it certainly wouldn't have been for  everyone.    It could be and often was brutal.

 

The board appeared to have  a significant number of US servicemen as members.    That's fairly understandable in light of  its close proxmity to both Subic Bay and Angeles City.

 

One IT board  member  friend estimated AC2  could have easily sold for 100K  around 2006 or so.    Surely Ron,  a very nice fellow, must have kicked himself in the proverbial backside a few times over his procrastination.   He now only owns an empty domain name rather than a thriving income producing forum.

 

I do  wish him  good  luck