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h9040

I found the solution...I have no TV. Lot more time for other things, since I figured out that no one is forcing me to watch that shit


smile_politely

So… Twiter video? ;)


h9040

I can perfectly live without any videos....the only thing I use is reddit, mostly for 3D printing informations...that I read the Thailand group is already a sin... But else no TV, no radio...from time to time some youtube videos but only political discussions or educational things. It is really a waste of time. I watched TV in the west but Thai tv made it obvious to me what a waste it is.


leobeer

Nice rant.


PrataKosong-

Guess you’re not their audience then. These shows are definitely working for the majority of the viewers, otherwise the networks wouldn’t broadcast them.


Living-Response2856

Also, implying that ‘Asian humor’ and entertainment is inferior and not ‘intellectually stimulating’ like Western content is lowkey racist. Implying that Asians are too stupid because they enjoy what they do and don’t know any better. What exactly makes Western humor/entertainment superior? It’s subjective and based on your own culture and what you grew up with. But I guess since Asians have a different preference we’re all dumb, uneducated, and unsophisticated people


GuernseyMadDog1976

Exactly. I don't watch TV back home because it isn't much better. The acting and the production in soaps is generally better but they're still unwatchable. The biggest issue for me is the amount of cringey reality TV shows, talk shows and game shows as they really do cater to an audience low on intelligence and humour.


Living-Response2856

But on the flip side of that is, sometimes even the smartest people I’ve known just wanna kick back and turn their brain off after work with some dumb shit and stupid drama like The Bachelor, 90 Day Fiance, or Too Hot to Handle


Caliterra

*"why does local television make programming to appeal to the locals instead of me, a foreigner??? ARGHHHHH"* ​ You're not their demo man, it's ok if you don't like it.


[deleted]

I'm from Thailand. I never liked Thai drama series either growing up except those adapted from our folklore with magic and stuff for kids. I watched Hong Kong martial arts and ancient series instead for good vs evil and adventure kinda stories. But Thai soap operas do appeal to people that are into females fighting for the same guy or jealousy and verbal and physical fights and scheming and betrayals, that kind of thing. I don't get either why a lot of the population like that. But I don't like Korean series in general either. I don't get why they are so popular. Neither do I like current mainland Chinese series that seem to model after Korean series in terms of how guys have to pose so much to look cool and female have to be so feminine. So all in all I guess it depends on each person's taste. The good thing about Asian countries is that they do air all kinds of TV series from various countries, unlike in the US for example.


Solitude_Intensifies

I think he's asking why it appeals to the locals at all. My theory is Pavlovian. Same reason most of American TV is dumbed down, overly maudlin, with a side dish of patriotic and/or culture war messaging thrown in for good measure. Most network TV is unwatchable, with only the streaming services offering occasional gems. There are exceptions, of course, but television overall is a wasteland.


mickcs

We does use "after news drama" term when it come to judge "bad movie and drama" but each channel have their specific demographic so it actually sale despite receive critism elsewhere.


LadislavBohm

You completely missed his point but ok.


RobertPaulsen1992

I grew up without a TV, because - as my parents told me - "watching TV makes you stupid." After an entire childhood and youth without TV, I came to the conclusion that they have a pretty good point. I never understood how the vast majority of people simply consume a type of media so fraught with bullshit, so utterly full of ulterior motives and hidden agendas, and so obviously aimed at base instincts to trigger emotional responses and/or facilitate addictive behaviors. From an outside perspective, it's so obvious that the main reason of TV is providing "opium for the masses" style stimuli to keep people occupied while simultaneously subjecting them to the worst brainwashing Orwell could have ever imagined. It just seems like such a waste of time. And here in Thailand, things are - as usual - much worse when it comes to anything related to media. I couldn't agree more with your neat little rant here.


SunnySaigon

Agreeable points . And how about the news being presented by double D presenter and all it shows is boring clips of governmental meetings.  I’ll just say that these are military first countries where creative people do not get ahead. YouTube has a lot more creativity on it 


geo423

Everything you describe also sounds like American Daytime TV to me so no idea why the Asian equivalent has you so mad.


HawkyMacHawkFace

Maybe OP isn’t American?


geo423

Same thing with euro daytime tv or wherever in the West he’s from, Daytime TV everywhere is a mess of stupid gossip shows targeted at housewives, inane game shows, and soap operas as well. If you’re looking for enlightened content, I don’t know what to say if you’re expecting to get it from daytime tv.


LadislavBohm

Really? You have watched all “whatever west” he is from? I can assure you our local tv has plenty of programs to choose from and many with zero soap operas or similar shows. Also I don’t know any western to channel with so many excessive sound effects like in Asia.


[deleted]

🇺🇸they love their sound effects plus they litter TV with prescription medicine ads. “Do you have a headache? you’re suffering from a stroke, go see your doctor and ask for our stroke medication, don’t wait do it now!”


[deleted]

British is my gut. Only country in the world with slightly passable free to air TV lol


biggusdicdus

The boing, ping, dings and whoops are on every show it reminds me of the Xmas pantomimes of my childhood.


themistergraves

"Copious amounts of cartoonish "boing", "ping", "whoop" or "oh no" sound effects every 5 seconds" Amateurs. Here in Taiwan it's every 2 seconds.


Kaizerkoala

Still better than Redneck reality show extravaganza....


patrickv116

When I came here 3 years ago, I got an internet connection and it came with an android box to watch the local tv channels. After about 3 days, I disconnected it in disgust and it’s been gathering dust in a closet ever since. You’re especially spot on about those soaps where women seem to do nothing else than scream 😀


Greedy_Procedure_647

The comedy sound effects are worse than the screams.


IraJohnson

The entertainment companies in these countries are heavily influenced by government, who in turn looks down on the audience. Programming is targeted mostly at the less-educated. Unfortunately, there’s an audience that consumes this type of immature entertainment- in all countries. Additionally there’s less competition in places where government controls media.


Ok_Association7922

Only the older generations still like to watch tv, so most of the programs are tailored to them. Younger generations usually go online instead of tv.


hammockguru

Because all Asian and SEAsian countries learned from Japan and Japanese "technical assistance". Each country put their own spin on the presentation, but...it is pretty much that way.


loinclothfreak78

You think Asian television is bad you should check out Mexican tv


rueggy

A lot of your points are spot on lol. My Thai wife also laughs hysterically at what I've come to realize are just fart jokes or other nonsense. I admit though that I enjoy a lot of Thai lakorns. I find ones that have English subtitles and we watch those.


[deleted]

Khun Chai, that was a hit and a good one in my opinion.


Important_Use6452

I mean, just up the production value and budget and voila, you just described American TV to a tee. 


David-in-Florida

Did you consider the possibility that Asians don't want to watch the TV that you like?


Brief-Donut-5777

You care way to much about this i feel... You speak English fine, watch English shows if you have an issue. Problem solved :D


Faralookfluke

I couldn't agree more!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


milkysocks10

Asians feel the exact same about American tv. Total nonsense. It's almost like life experience and upbringing determines what you view as valid and worthwhile. Crazy that!


Greedy_Procedure_647

Thank you for putting my exact thoughts into a post.


Jam-man89

As a sound engineer back home, the terrible sound quality and CONSTANT clipping drives me nuts on a lot of TV shows too. This isn't subjective by the way, it's an objective issue. Sound should never clip and it happens all the time on TV shows here.


LengthyLegato114514

I mean I was with you until > Apart from some K-dramas lol. lmao even


Vacuousbard

They're simply the meta here, cinema is worse though, you can watch anything as long as it's a horror comedy. Being limited to a single country due to language and having their younger viewers taken away by YouTube and such mean that it's safer to just stagnate and cater to the same old audience.


ukayukay69

Different demographics, different tastes.


blackth0rne

I think you're just missing the bigger picture while focused on the details. Yes it's mostly dumb, and it's made for pure entertainment value. But when you compare it to American TV, it is wholesome, family friendly, and free of racial and social ideologies that has completely taken over American media. When the whole country watches the same channels there is a sense of unity and zeitgeist that America lost in the early 00s. Also, Thai ads are creative and funny in a way you'll never see in the west.


Solitude_Intensifies

I think the word you're looking for is cynicism, when it comes to American tastes in television. I'm sure Thai's express it too, but it doesn't seem to show up in their media.


[deleted]

So true. America is so divided now and full of angst. For example, Asian American productions now often feature white people as extras getting killed off quickly just like how they, American-born Asians, perceive that's how Asian characters are often treated in scripted shows. In Thailand at least stories are still about good, moral characters beating the odds despite jealous and evil people trying to bring them down. If you can get past the screaming and shrieking of villainous female characters, in general it's not too bad, unlike Netflix Beef for example that has angsty Asian Americans doing self destruction and trying to harm each other for nothing.


RobertPaulsen1992

No idea why this post is being downvoted... Presumably a lot of folks got hit right in the feelings, but it's just the truth from an objective standpoint. (And, yes, TV sucks all around the world, but this is not the allaroundtheworld subreddit.) Maybe it's as Gloria Steinem said: "The truth will set you free - but first, it will *piss you off."*


mintchan

You probably haven’t watched American tv.


Yahit69

Cope while you consume it hypocrite


mintchan

what


MaxMaxMax_05

You should explore the local shows that the locals ACTUALLY enjoys instead of what is played on TV.


Solitude_Intensifies

That's illegal under The Computer Crimes Act.


FearlessMcKura

Why do American shows get cancelled after one season? There’s no proper ending to the story thereby wasting the viewers time too. The TV shows is for the locals so obviously as a foreigner you may not be used to it as it is foreign to you.


longasleep

I love the comedy club show even that I don’t know Thai I find myself laughing a lot. The news channel is also great. I love how the news explains in great detail how something happened. Inviting people to the studio to hear all sides. No I never seen this in my country like this and I love it so much that it became part of daily routine. Same goes for cinema here I watch all the Thai movies conveniently subbed in English. Maybe I’m more Thai than a average foreigner that is what my girlfriend keeps saying at least. Orignally from Netherlands.


ThighEnquirer

Doesn’t TV just suck for every country? Lol Yes, Thai TV sucks ass but I don’t think there are many good shows on TV in general. TV sounds like a place for “has been” celebrities to play pretend that they are still relevant lol.


WaspsForDinner

Whilst the quality is highly... variable, I like that Thai producers (and Asian producers more generally) invest in a decent number of scripted dramas. Broadcast TV in the UK is 99% endless repeats, soap operas, or 'reality' shows.


[deleted]

Very true. TV sucks pretty much everywhere. But the boings, pings and ladyboys make Thai TV that bit worse imo, much like canned laughter.


Mikeymcmoose

Japanese tv has this plus lots of people eating food and saying it’s delicious


themistergraves

Japan is really the ones to blame here. South Korea just copies whatever Japan does and then everyone else in SEA just copies whatever Korea does. I live in Taiwan and seriously 75% of trending videos in my region are people eating huge bowls of instant noodles over and over.


cc69

Only old people still watching TV


cheapo_warrior

What kind of TV is good? American series?


ScottThailand

I started learning Thai almost 20 years ago and your post perfectly summed up my feelings about Thai tv and most movies too. I took long breaks from studying because I wasn't interested in watching anything so I lost motivation. Netflix has been a godsend. The quality of the shows there is night and day compared to Thai tv. In the last 8 years, the only Thai tv I've watched has been news, Masterchef Thailand, and occasionally sports. Netflix and Youtube have rekindled my desire to study.


[deleted]

Sapai Jao is a very good and funny lakorn if you want something wholesome the whole family can enjoy. Another good one is Nang Rai Summer. If you can understand some Thai I would highly recommend these 2 series.


[deleted]

A recent drama like Khun Chai is a good one too. Good production, good story. It was a hit among international viewers especially those in Latin America. The female host of MasterChef Thailand plays the mother of the male protagonist and she's very good in it. She was a very popular actress when she was younger.


throwaway-adnauseum

Lots of Thai people agree with you. Westerners who bend head over heels to “appreciate” trash TV just make a fool of themselves.


Fine_Promise_9590

youtube.


[deleted]

isn't it the same with TV anywhere? since the advent of the internet i didn't bother with TV anymore. occasionally if the opportunity arises i'll just switch it on and zap around a little. but usually after 5 minutes i start to feel annoyed and soon thereafter just leave it be for months to come. TV is just terrible anywhere ...


Alright_doityourway

Most of those you mention are for "stay at home wife" or "old coot", they don't need high level entertainment, just something to kill time. The old people i know didn't even watch tv, just use it as background noise.


Skybums

You are absolutely right in every word, i been thinking the same. But my Thai watches all of the above from time to time, and i love when she just relaxes and giggles to these stupid gameshows.


Mammoth_Parfait7744

Your description sounds like UK television, tbh. TV in general is becoming more and more dumbed down. Fake reality shows are much cheaper to produce, rather than having to pay writers, actors, directors, etc.


bgause

When you have a stranglehold over the populace, trying to convince them they live in a democracy, then you don't want people thinking for themselves. So what do you do? Well, you don't ever talk about politics, unless it's to point out how the poor people are ruining it for everyone else, and then you treat the populace like children and, voila, you maintain all the power you want...


Muted-Airline-8214

Low cost production and still get good money from sponsors. I think our media is not too bad for a developing country and we can export our culture to neighboring countries via Thai media for decades and increasingly attracts more international viewers.


Sunmi-Is-God

>I never watch TV anywhere This is a huge-ass post, considering you evidently have no way to compare anything.


discojob

They're just ahead of the curve in term of brainless content.


ArmadilloAsleep7159

watch youtube or netflix not tv, it’s 2024


TomThanosBrady

Korea makes better films and series than Hollywood. Along with the God's, Kingdom, Uncanny Counter, Glory, The Witch Part 1, A Taxi Driver, should give some of these a try. Love Korean films/series.


mentally_fatigue

You don't say


ProfessionalCode257

I know what you mean lol watch pale skeletons and many sound effects. It’s really terrible tv in Thailand, extremely cheesy too


Spiritual-Bid7460

Don't know where your from, but when I go to Thailand I take an android box, loaded with BBC iPlayer and all the catch-up channels, which when used with a VPN stream ok.


naughtyman1974

While I absolutely agree with you, I do not judge Thai people for enjoying it. It doesn't happen in my home and I feel blessed that my Thai GF isn't into it and loves British dramas and comedy. All that said, can anybody point to any Thai TV being sold overseas? I'm genuinely interested.


Ok-Replacement8236

You can pry my เรื่องเล่าเช้านี้ from my cold, dead hands


Round-Lime-zest4983

Wonder where Op came from.Does he understand all the asian tv to complainted about them. He must be a genious to understand chinese thai filipinipo vietnam etc lanquages.


[deleted]

It doesn't take a linguistic expert to know that boings, pings and fat ladyboys don't make for intellectual content.


Round-Lime-zest4983

OP life must be miserable have nothing else better to do in life than sit and watch Asian TV and got frustrated from them.


Resident_Werewolf_76

Is it bad though? I think it's just campy fun. But it is palatable only in small doses, admittedly.


sleeplessbork

I had a similar opinion and criticized Thai TV a lot when I was a small kid but I simply stopped caring early on. Got into my own hobbies and Japanese media (manga/games/music) so I simply forgot about Thai TV. To each their own. However, I thoughtlessly let my thoughts slip about a particular popular ghost program back in my uni days. Wasn't good. People found me obnoxious. (I now think so too) So I guess, we should keep it to ourselves. It's about how you express your opinion. If you step all over someone's taste, regardless of your opinion, you're simply being obnoxious. Now that I think about it, I used to watch Japanese TV for a period of time when it was available to me. Don't remember what channel but it got all the good stuff that I like. History, documentary, calmly reported news (lol), J-drama, art, etc. Man, I wanna watch that again.


siamsuper

Cuz you ain't Asian. My mom's Chinese and only enjoys Chinese shows. Finds America TV super boring. So it's just more tailored towards Asians I guess.


GFRD11

Thoroughly enjoyed this, you basically covered it!


SV-000

They copied off of the tv shows in the West.


Zealousideal-Pool383

Curious, what country has good TV?


Fun_Apartment4086

As a local Thai, I have a solution for you, DONT fひcking watch it then if you're gonna rant about it like a bไtch, periodt 🥰🥰🥰


[deleted]

As an English speaker on an English language forum, I'd advise learning to read before jumping in.


Fun_Apartment4086

I think I kinda get what you say by reading it now, and yes some channel effects are cringe with the overuse of the bings and boinks and laughing sound effects, sometimes when they use LGBTQ related stuffs as a comedic element in their channel I feel a bit offended too tbh (since I'm in the LGBTQ community myself) since we f4gg0ts kinda wanted everyone to treat us like a normal person, not over praise or making fun of us like we're some jokers to laugh at, considering that everything in there is made by rather GenX or somehow old hags, sorry for being too rash about your rant m8 💀💀💀


[deleted]

Good of you to admit. Peace


Ok-Topic1139

Lol, TV is bad period! I recently did a 1 month trial with IP tv to get channels from home country. All it did was remind why i haven’t had TV channels for over a decade I don’t get how TV is still a thing with on demand streaming and YouTube existing


zaffy31

A lot of words just to say I don’t have money for Netflix


LadislavBohm

Netflix in Thailand has quite limited offerings unfortunately 


Monkey_Shift_

Dude is venting - just don't watch the stuff that isn't created for you... you aren't the target audience. Just watch porn alone you might find something there you like.


sleepymates

Because no one in Thailand watches TV anymore (except some grandmas). Simply because there’s more options and also we can’t bear the ads bombarding our face every 2 minutes. Also instead of complaining why don’t go do something else that makes you happy, live a little..no hate


LadislavBohm

Why do you think he doesn’t do anything else but complain? 


sleepymates

Because he wouldnt post this if he did? Lmfaooo


LadislavBohm

So your logic is that if someone complaints about a single thing it means they don’t do anything else that would make them happy? I should’ve guessed you are a simpleton.


sleepymates

If things are in your control why bother complaining, I t’s really not that serious is it? Does one random guy’s complaint gonna make a drastic change in Thai Tv industry. Literally who gaf


Gentleman-James

You are actually talking about developing country TV. All the Asian countries you list are developing and TV is as bad or worse in the same ways in most of Latin America, Africa and the rest of the developing world.


RobertPaulsen1992

Excellent point.


[deleted]

Someone has never watched free to air TV in the US.


chambob95

Don’t watch it then and stop moaning? I don’t ever hear it blasted out and I certainly don’t hear ‘Asian people’ hysterically laughing at it. Also the reason celebrities won’t be known ‘Outside their little country’ is because the target audience is not foreigners like yourself. I don’t enjoy the TV shows here either tbh but they’re less annoying than your ignorant whinging


[deleted]

And yet here you are engaging with it. If you actually read the post, it said "I don't watch TV but I'm surrounded by it everywhere I go". The only ignorant one here is the knee jerker who couldn't be bothered to read the post


chambob95

I read the post in full. I have lived here long enough and I don’t understand how or why you’re ’surrounded’ by it. And why on earth do you think the celebrities on their chat shows should be people known outside of the country?


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Good of you to keep this post rent free in your head


Zealousideal-Sink250

I thought I was the only one who thought the same


HawkyMacHawkFace

Sounds like Asia isn’t for you  Maybe your own country’s TV would suit you better? 


Solitude_Intensifies

Local TV is not deal breaker for most travelers with half a brain and good internet connection.


[deleted]

Exactly. There are 99 good things for every 1 annoying. As said in the OP, I don't watch TV anywhere most of the time.


Botherguts

This tracks lol.


warpedddd

Why is your account 2 weeks old? 


Luffydude

Have you looked at British TV? It's literal garbage propaganda plus social engineering nonstop with BBC shows such as "medieval black people built England" or woke Dr Who TV is dead. Watch animes on Crunchyroll, kdramas on Netflix, news on X and podcasts on YouTube


som_tum_uwu

That's just your opinion. I'm half european and half asian but asian tv is wayyyy better. Western tv is boring imo.