Big Trouble in Thailand

[dtaai-maai]

''Jet-skis are allowed to operate as a sport in Patong, not as a business,''

Generally agreed all round, but this little proclamation doesn't make much sense. Unless you're a tourist, of course. "Free jet-skis - ta very much!"

[Spitfire]

Looks like he's been served up as scapegoat here to take the imediate rap. The other jet-ski operator are going to be upset with him. Strange how in the photo in BaaBaa's post he is wearing white sheets around his hands, what's that in aid of, don't want to be seen in cuffs? Think his father is a major in the police or something on the Island, which says it all, little Billy runs wild because dad is a cop and no-one say zip, typical.

[STEVE G]

It serves him right for thinking he is so above the law that he can threaten people with a gun whilst being filmed by a TV crew.

[bozzman101]

thanks for the link to the torrent download Baa Baa!!!!

got it down in under an hour hope you can post a link for next weeks thrilling epesode thanks

[JimmyGreaves]

thanks for the link to the torrent download Baa Baa!!!!

got it down in under an hour hope you can post a link for next weeks thrilling epesode thanks

Yes cheers Baa Baa looking forward to watching it tomorrow night before the spurs match

[buksida]

Just watched the first episode, nothing really surprising in there and pretty par for the course in the areas it was filmed.

Had a look online for the second episode and found this from a website called phuketwan.com:

THE SECOND episode in the controversial 'Big Trouble' television series is set to screen in Britain on Monday night - but Thai authorities are now preventing the eight-part series from being completed.

Producer-director Gavin Hill says the Thailand Film Office has sent a letter asking the British production company, Bravo, not to screen any more episodes.

Episode Three, being edited in Britain, is in rough-cut form. The show can only go on with permission from all the people shown on-screen.

That includes Winai ''JJ'' Naiman, the now-notorious Phuket jet-ski operator, who signed a release form so that his actions could be displayed to viewers with his approval.

Mr Hill said tonight's second episode does not reflect badly on Thailand. That was never the intention of 'Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand,' he added.

''I don't know what's going to happen now with the series,'' he said. The Thailand Film Office has ''pulled all the releases and permissions that are required to complete the series.''

He has been told there is the likelihood of a complaint being made to the British embassy. At least one volunteer expat tourist policeman in Pattaya had also expressed concern.

Episode Two, Mr Hill said, contained no more about jet-skis on Phuket and was about ''Brits behaving badly,'' with military police in pursuit of drunken sailors.

''In some ways, it's very positive for Thailand,'' he said. ''The young lady who was in trouble on Koh Phangan in the first episode is fined 50 pounds, she gets her bail money back, and she is allowed to go, with the only real penalty being an extra three weeks in Thailand.''

By coincidence, authorities on Koh Phangan have announced a plan to make the island, noted for expat full moon rave parties, drug-free as fast as possible.

Episode One of 'Big Trouble' screened last week, revealing footage of what appeared to be an extortion bid by ''JJ'' with a gun in hand, and it came just before a planned summit on jet-ski scams on Phuket.

Nationwide, crackdowns are underway on crimes against tourists at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok as part of a push against corruption by the Prime Minister.

The jet-ski crackdown on Phuket came after the Deputy PM met with the Australian ambassador. Other ambassadors later echoed their increasing concerns about jet-ski scams to the Phuket Governor, Wichai Praisa-nob.

Mr Hill was keen to make the point that the 'Big Trouble' jet-ski scandal coverage came about by chance. He still says that in fairness, there is no way of knowing whether the alleged damage to jet-skis in the show was genuine or not.

An incident involving ''JJ'' and US marines, posted this week on You Tube, was not used in the series because the show was being made for a British audience. Only the first-episode incident involving ''JJ'' and British marines was considered relevant.

If it screens tonight in Britain, viewers will also see inside Phuket prison, where a British national is interviewed about his experiences in being jailed for ATM offences.

Didn't think the 'authorities' would like something that showed the real side of Thailand and exposed the dangers that many unwitting tourists face.

[PeteC]

.....Mr Hill was keen to make the point that the 'Big Trouble' jet-ski scandal coverage came about by chance. He still says that in fairness, there is no way of knowing whether the alleged damage to jet-skis in the show was genuine or not......

Horseshit. I've watched it in Pattaya for years from my previous perch as all nationalities rented skis only to be told they had smashed it up while in use.

What did they run into, a whale?! They rent by the half hour, go out and cruise back and forth about 150 meters from the beach where they rented it and come back in. These are not pros but tourists, many have never been on a jet ski before so they don't go miles out and disappear from sight of the beach. They hit nothing.

However, when they come back in, arms are flying, brows being wiped and all manner of excitement about the "damage" they had done to the machine. The existing damage had already been done long ago by the Thai teenage idiots hauling the unit up onto the transport trailers each evening and off again each morning.

The victims speak no Thai and many times little or no English. Scared to death and many times pay up a few thousand and run back to their hotel, never to be seen on the same beach for the rest of their 2-3 week holiday. Many with young, happy kids as well in tow. Damn shame. I hope the kids remember when they get big.

Use your power Thailand and TAT to cut the show. Bury your head in the sand once again. It's all got to be genetic, no other explanation. Pete

[russ]

what the jet ski guys like jj do is stick a fiberglass sheet over the broken bit of the jet ski so when you hire it it looks ok but the first wave you hit the fiberglass sheet comes off showing the broken bit and then they say you done the damage . seen it done in spain crooks all of them

[migrant]

If the article is correct, I find it interesting that Thai authorities are reacting so strongly. The tourist dollar is important to Thailand so a show like this does get their attention.

Perhaps this sore spot is exactly whats needed to bring about some changes in these type of rip-offs, and others.

[BaaBaa.]

Episode 2 on youtube HERE

[PeteC]

Here comes the squawk now. Typical response. Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... eo-nasties

[PeteC]

....and here is the slant from The Nation. Pete

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/09 ... 112318.php

[lomuamart]

As if a tv company is going to set out to ruin the image of Thailand's tourist industry. It just dosn't help matters that the series comes hard on the heels of scams at Swampy and other nasty incidents involving foreigners - namely police shootings of them. These incidents have been widely reported in the western media. There were also, I believe, recent press reports in the UK citing Thailand as the most dangerous tourist destination for Brits, in terms of the number of violent incidents that happen to them.
Of course all these factors are really only a conspiracy against Thailand as the intention is to make the country lose its competitive edge. The tv producers must have some deal going with Vietnam or other SE Asian country. Maybe they're getting commission for every tourist that now changes their holiday destination?
Get real, Thailand. Although I've never been ripped off here in a big way - that I'm aware of - plenty of tourists are (and Thailand isn't alone in the world for this kind of thing). The Thai authorities need to clamp down on their own rogues. It's unfortunate that negative western media attention has to be the driving force to wake them from their slumbers.
Take a good look at your own home, Thailand, before you start having a go at others.

[Super Joe]

Episode 2 on youtube HERE

Thanks for link Baab's.
First week's episode was interesting this one was just showed a pathetic bunch of tourists, mostly Brits, who should be in Ibiza not Thailand. Shows the British Navy youngsters as a complete bunch of c**ks too, can't tell them apart from your average lager lout.
That marijuana girl and her boyfriend were just embarrassing, plus the div in the England shirt who'd peed on the taxi bonnet, then pleaded for his life, then got all tough again refusing to pay when in the safety of the policce, then paid up when given option of night in the cells.

The only highlight was the Iraq mercenary thug getting his cumuppence after sitting on top of some innocent bloke pumelling his head, then later crying to the police that he was bleeding a bit. He could have given that lad brain damage if no-one had intervened.

Shows Phuket as something approaching Pattaya lager lout wise, which I've noticed progressively over last few visits, good news for Hua Hin maybe. Why can't these pathetic spanners stick to Spain and Greece.

SJ

[STEVE G]

Yes, I watched it last night from the link and it wasn't very exciting.
The highlight for me was the young Essex lad in a Thai jail who said something like "It's not too bad really except there's no music and the TV is all in Thai".
I wont bother watching any more as it has been made in that annoying style of modern television that seems to assume the viewer has the memory of a goldfish and needs to be shown the same thing over and over again.
Incidentally, I'm working in Yeovil at the moment and they should send a TV crew down here on a friday night; the local lads riled up on cider make a full moon party look a bit tame!