Isn't Thailand amazing? All is about face and blaming someone else. And the pathetic tame police chief who claims he cannot do anything about the scams as the were covered by influential people.
I just finished a non-fiction WWII book and it is believed by the author (and many others) that what finally turned the tide in the Pacific war was the Japanese obsession with "face". The Japanese commanders had a habit of never reporting failure to the high command at home and always inflating their victories and advances so that the top brass (and Emperor) directing the war back in Japan thought it was going much better than it actually was and made poor decisions based on this inaccurate data.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
Just when you think you've heard them all - along comes this alleged prosecution of the film company for selling abroad what is, after all, supposed to be genuine footage of real events?
Burma indeed springs to mind! Don't sort out the scams, just stop the publicity. Except of course that it's too late now to stop it.
I can pretty well handle all the little quirks in LOS. Even the lack of health and safety. The broken pavements, soi dogs, bulldozing of Bangkok markets, even airport sit-ins. (Not to mention delivery of wrong pizzas!)
There's a lot they DO get right, like Skytrain, the pristine tourist palaces and wats, wonderful hospitality. But IMO this action is likely to draw far more adverse publicity than any jet ski scam.
Writer: ONNUCHA HUTASINGH Published: 18/09/2009 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News A Thai video production company involved in the filming of alleged extortion of foreigners by a Phuket jet ski operator is to be prosecuted for sending the recordings abroad for broadcasting without permission.
Wanasiri Morakul, director of the Thailand Film Office which comes under the Tourism and Sports Ministry, yesterday said police had traced the tapes to a company called Black Sheep Productions.
She said the managers of the company, which had produced the Big Trouble In Thailand series for Bravo All News station in England, admitted to holding the copyright for the recordings.
Ms Wanasiri said normal videos made by Thais do not require prior approval from the ministry's Office of Tourism Development. But the people responsible for the Big Trouble In Thailand series, which has been a big hit on YouTube, had violated Article 34 of the motion picture law by not having the contents examined by a Tourism and Sports Ministry film committee before they were broadcast abroad.
The company's managers could face 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to a million baht.
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.
The clips feature Phuket jet ski operator Vinai Naiman, also known as "JJ", demanding compensation from a British client, a marine on rest and recreation leave.
In the footage of the British marine, Mr Vinai was seen going to a storeroom and returning with a gun which he dangled by his side.
Sasisupa Sungvaribud, president of the Film Production Services Association, said the recordings took the form of a reality show and the events depicted were obviously staged and scripts written for the film.
Tourist Police chief Adis Ngamjitsuksri has conceded the extortion of tourists was a problem which the police alone could not stamp out.
He said the extortion gangs, including those in tourist provinces, worked under highly influential people.
Think you're right there Margaret. Interesting bit that is high-lighted in red, bit of a paranoid act, didn't know the locals have to run stuff past the TAT before it can be shown abroad. Maybe they want this all cleared up as there are a couple of US warships arriving in Phuket very soon. With the cops, is it a case of can't or won't stop the extortion of tourist and for what reason? That was a rhetorical question BTW.
Pete
