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Culture Minister Wants YouTube to Remove Clip Mocking the Sex Industry in Thailand
BANGKOK – The Culture Minister Sonthaya Khunploem said on Monday that the Culture Watch Center is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an effort to have the video removed from Youtube the world’s most popular video sharing website.
The government will also inform the United States embassy that the commercial spoof is tarnishing Thailand’s image and will ask the embassy to explain the situation to the producer of Saturday Night Live, Mr Sonthaya said.
Culture Minister Sonthaya KhunploemThe clip is a parody of a commercial for the Rosetta Stone foreign language learning programme. The spoof was produced by popular American late-night television show Saturday Night Live.
In the video, foreigners are interested in learning the Thai language so they know how to say things like, “How much?”, “Is that for the whole night?” or “How can I take off your clothes?” in Thai.
The parody has drawn many negative responses from both Thai and foreigners on YouTube.
Most Thai internet users were not impressed with the video, saying the joke is too harsh and not at all funny.
An internet user posted in Thai, “The Americans behave like this and this is why they’re bombing their country.”
“Even though it might be true, the producers should not offend Thailand this way,” another Thai commented.
As for foreigners, some commented that people should not take the spoof too seriously but most were disappointed with it.
