Thais & Facebook

[Big Boy]

What is it about Thais and Facebook (maybe it's the rest of the world also, and I'm sheltered living here in Hua Hin).

I'm just reading about a 33 year old Thai Lady who was raped and murdered in Cha-Am last night. People are 'Liking' the story. There are comments such as 'LOL'. What is this all about? The story has some detailed photos as well.

Every day, I see the same thing with vehicle accidents, often resulting in death.

OK, report the story, add photos if they help, but unless you a sadist or an absolute moron, what is there to Like about somebody meeting a horrific death. I definitely don't see anything to laugh out loud about.

[richard]

What is it about Thais and Facebook (maybe it's the rest of the world also, and I'm sheltered living here in Hua Hin).

I'm just reading about a 33 year old Thai Lady who was raped and murdered in Cha-Am last night. People are 'Liking' the story. There are comments such as 'LOL'. What is this all about? The story has some detailed photos as well.

Every day, I see the same thing with vehicle accidents, often resulting in death.

OK, report the story, add photos if they help, but unless you a sadist or an absolute moron, what is there to Like about somebody meeting a horrific death. I definitely don't see anything to laugh out loud about.

Maybe it's a Thai misinterpretation of the work 'like'. It does seem grim though. They may press like to agree to dislike what they have just been told. If you know what I mean.

My particular moan about Thai FB posts is the plethora of selfies and their obsession in showing you in detail what they are about to eat. Mind you, even some of the UK postings from certain 'friends' I have reveal all the details of their life including when they last went to the toilet

[Spitfire]

I remember reading an article about Thailand being one of the highest % of population users of Facebook, something like over 30 million active daily user accounts. Personally, I find Facebook here is mentally destructive for many people and nothing short of a corrosive malaise that overtakes so many Thais lives, from students that can't rip themselves away from it during classes to adults that put such a high price on how many 'likes' they get for each photo.

So many people post photos of themselves and it's nothing but the brigade of sycophants, stalkers, criminals, the mentally deranged, manipulators, trolls or sleazy guys hunting for pussy that reply with the most cheezy nonsense it's unreal.

I've seen women with profiles of over 500 pictures of themselves as if they are trying to prove how wonderful their lives are in an orgy of vanity or a tsunami of drivel about what they are thinking or ate this morning for breakfast.......little bit disturbing to me really.

IMO, Facebook and it's ilk has to be one of (if not the) most personally and socially destructive things invented in the last 20-30 years....not a fan at all.

[sateeb]

/\ # "like".....

[Bristolian]

I remember reading an article about Thailand being one of the highest % of population users of Facebook, something like over 30 million active daily user accounts. Personally, I find Facebook here is mentally destructive for many people and nothing short of a corrosive malaise that overtakes so many Thais lives, from students that can't rip themselves away from it during classes to adults that put such a high price on how many 'likes' they get for each photo.

So many people post photos of themselves and it's nothing but the brigade of sycophants, stalkers, criminals, the mentally deranged, manipulators, trolls or sleazy guys hunting for pussy that reply with the most cheezy nonsense it's unreal.

I've seen women with profiles of over 500 pictures of themselves as if they are trying to prove how wonderful their lives are in an orgy of vanity or a tsunami of drivel about what they are thinking or ate this morning for breakfast.......little bit disturbing to me really.

IMO, Facebook and it's ilk has to be one of (if not the) most personally and socially destructive things invented in the last 20-30 years....not a fan at all.

Sorry posting from phone and..,.

I could not agree more

I disabled my FB account 3 years ago but only after substituting all messages and photos for the irrelevant.

It's a very dangerous platform with many personal security risks.

[chopsticks]

This article mentions that, as in BB's example, a 'sorry' button would be a more appropriate option instead of 'like' now being used to express sympathy.
There's also been a lot of support for having a 'Facebook free' day to see how the addicts would cope without it for 24 hours.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 54519.html

[Takiap]

IMO, Facebook and it's ilk has to be one of (if not the) most personally and socially destructive things invented in the last 20-30 years....not a fan at all.

[centermid7]

I was sitting at the rail of a bar the other night watching the world go by and one the gals in there brought over her phone to show me Facebook photos of herself and as she showed me each one her question to me was always the same "Suay mai?". Over and over the same thing, "Suay mai?".

After a half a dozen photos and the need for me to tell her/assure her that she was indeed "suay" (even though she ain't!) I finally had enough and I asked her "are you really so insecure that you need to show me and ask me the same thing over and over?" She had no idea of what I had asked but got that the idea that enough was more that enough and the phone was put away.

[richard]

I think you need to bear in mind 'mental age'. These are kids with a new toy and are eager to show their prowess in using it to to all and sundry

[Noz]

IMO, Facebook and it's ilk has to be one of (if not the) most personally and socially destructive things invented in the last 20-30 years....not a fan at all.

I agree completely. I can see the value for far-away relatives being able to see what their family are up to - good way to see photos etc - and useful to keep a record of important events. And given the raft of social media users, there can be some benefits to its use. Such as the sad story of Stephen Sutton, who died of cancer last year at 19 years old, and remarkably raised over £5million for charity - Facebook and Twitter probably played a part in getting his message out there.

But these are exceptions. The day-to-day posting of absolute tripe and daily pictures of people and their lunch is just plain rubbish.

I'm not signed up to it but my wife is and thankfully she's weaning herself off it. I admit to losing the odd hour of my life seeking out old school chums but the novelty is gone and I never look at it now. When Facebookers are on their deathbed about to meet their maker, I wonder how many will say "if only I'd spent more time on Facebook"? Although the way the Thais use it, I'd put good money on a large percentage of them literally dying to put one last selfie on their Facebook page!

In Thailand I think a lot of social media use is down to the never-ending preoccupation with status. Facebook in particular has proved to be an excellent medium to show-off on a daily basis and to let everyone know "this is what I've got" and "I'm doing this, therefore I am wealthy", or whatever. Pitiful really. And from what I've seen, a lot of Thais like to use Facebook to air their dirty laundry or slag people off. Tiresome to say the least.

The phenomenon is of course far from limited to Thai people. My wife is "friends" with some of my cousins and they post a lot of rubbish as well. Usually daft stories or pictures or some kind of spiritual message for the day. Harmless I suppose and probably less tedious than looking at people changing their profile picture on a daily basis, stories of how their boyfriend is so terrible or here's today's dinner and guess what? I'm out in the bar drinking again. Fascinating! It does annoy me to see people diving to update Facebook when they just arrive at a place.

So it's not for me. I waste enough time on the internet without adding to it.

[Chazz14]

IMHO, Facebook is without doubt the biggest single timewaster that has been invented to date...

I find it ironic and sad that whilst millions of people add endless photos and trivial comments to their accounts, all Mark Zuckerberg and co. are really interested in is bombarding them with free apps/games. By agreeing to the Conditions of Use for these, the Facebook account holder also agrees to his/her phone address book data being accessed (and maybe the data sold on?). Is it still virtually impossible to delete an unwanted Facebook account?

[dozer]

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