'BIG TROUBLE' DEBATE HEATS UP
The furore surrounding the 'Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand' television series intensified yesterday with news that the Thai production company is, according to The Bangkok Post, set to be prosecuted for sending the videos abroad for broadcasting without permission. This is, according to the story, a violation of Article 34 of Thailand's Motion Picture laws. Seksan Nakawong, director-general of the Office of Tourism Development, said the film-makers also violated Article 23 of the same law for making a film tarnishing the reputation of Thailand.
One of the best blog entries that encapsulates the whole story can be found on The Farang Speaks Too Much blog. It would take me forever to summarise this whole story so I'll direct you there if you want to find out more. It also includes comments from the producer.
Big Trouble .. is a reality television show that has been shown on Bravo, a UK satellite television channel. The producers have repeated the incorrect statement that 288 British citizens were killed in Thailand last year, so on that point alone they are wrong. Following my earlier story on how 'Media Lies are Damaging Thailand' I spoke to the British Embassy and the Foreign Office but they were unable to give me an exact figure of the number of unnatural deaths. They did confirm to me that the majority of those 288 deaths were natural.
The fact is that television channels are not going to commission boring television. Thailand has problems - both in terms of corruption and in terms of its image overseas. I cannot see how drawing attention to what is essentially an insignificant show on a largely insignificant channel is going to help the country. It would be far better to address problems on the ground rather than going about those who document them.
That would be great publicity.
3 comments:
Seems a lot of violations on antiquated laws.
It's about Thailand moved on to international standards and got rid of this parochialism. While the video may be a tad sensationalist, it doesn't highlight anything that one living here hasn't seen or been made aware of - unless of course you are Thai, where heads buried in sand means all this is ignored - just like the airport.
For many years I have tended to avoid tourist haunts - khao sarn, patpong, patong beach - as I am all to aware different rules exist.
And as the series seems to have been made in cooperation with the Tourist Police, surely authorities can't have much cause for complaint.
In truth, I felt the first episode painted foreigners in just as bad a light as locals.
You're right Gareth. This series has been made with assistance from officials, so I would image the production company have some good grounds for a strong defence.
I can't help but wonder about the law aspect, and question what might have happened if the show had only been broadcast on the Internet. How does the law govern that?
I have a good idea for a show that will appeal to Thai authorities. Here's the synopsis ...
"Andrew, a 40-year-old British expat has been living quietly in Bangkok since June 2006. During the week he commutes to his office and at weekends he goes shopping. His life in Bangkok can be described as very normal."
Have to go now, the phone is ringing off the hook with production companies wanting to negotiate .... :-)
Sounds like a rather typical reaction to bad news: Kill the messenger.
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