Hi-So Hypocrites As Shameless As Immoral Low-So Entertainers

[limbo]

Hi-so hypocrites as shameless as immoral low-so entertainers

 

 

of today, her video is still going viral on YouTube, with almost 15 million views. Meanwhile, her Turbo Music fan-club page on Facebook has had the “like†button clicked close to 200,000 times, and now she has joined Twitter, which has attracted more than 3,300 followers. The Ja Turbo phenomenon has simply reached a feverish level. Interestingly, the New Mandala website of the Australian National University (ANU) pointed out that Ja Turbo’s popularity on YouTube has already surpassed that of the Democrat Party in the last election; the party won approximately 10 million votes. Yet, her raunchy dances and tiny denim pants do not impress a certain segment of Thai society. They have called Ja Turbo a “whore†in the guise of a low-class entertainer.

Ironically, the disapproval of Ja Turbo among the Thai upper class has played a major part in boosting her popularity even further. One single event that shot Ja Turbo to instantaneous fame was when she appeared on a talk show hosted by the self-appointed representative of the upper class, Woody Militachinda, on September 4.

 

The interview was intensely discomforting. Woody acted as a typical stuck up Thai hi-so who proclaimed himself to be the defender of Thai morality. The way Woody communicated with Ja Turbo, the way he posed his questions and how he responded to her answers, all contained highly unpleasant value judgements on the part of the host. The show succeeded in unveiling a dark reality in Thai society: there remains an impenetrable barricade when it comes to “classâ€. This barricade is responsible for the current crisis facing the country today.

 

Woody exercised his “class superiority†and his supposed better upbringing in an attempt to disgrace Ja Turbo, who was a guest on his show. He asked insulting questions and made offensive remarks about her. These are some of Woody’s statements: “How can a song like this exist in this society?†“Is there really this type of girl, like you, in our society?†“Didn’t you feel ashamed when you lifted your legs in the air?†“Is your act some kind of low-class art?†“Are there parents out there who would tolerate daughters like yourself?†“Have you ever thought for a moment that you are committing something so immoral?†“Do you consider yourself a decent entertainer?â€

 

Woody’s questions may have been harsh. But his attitude towards Ja Turbo was even more callous. It seemed that he didn’t even want to breathe the same air as her let alone sit in the same room with her. He grilled her in front of Thai viewers, believing that his supercilious attitude would earn him an even higher place in a society where morality and ethics are seemingly the exclusive assets of the phu dee, or those of a “higher classâ€.

 

I see a different side of Woody, however. He is at best a cowardly Thai snob. Seriously, is Ja Turbo the first and worst Thai girl who supposedly acted indecently in public? In reality, there are plenty of so-called Thai phu dee ladies who sometimes act like “whoresâ€, too. They pose nude and touch their private parts fondly. Some record their own sex romps or their kinky parties. These pictures and video clips are deliberately released to the public. While they claim that they are custodians of Thai decency, they themselves are the ones who breach the sacred world of “Thainessâ€.

 

Why would Woody not invite those pretentious phu dee ladies to his show and interrogate them? Why would Woody, a supposedly highly moral person, allow those hi-so ladies to get away with disparaging the image of Thainess? Or is Woody a part of such a hollow “high societyâ€, and thus obliged to protect the nobility of its members even when they behave so badly? Why does Thai society at large become tolerant when those with status and power do immoral things? Is this about the persistence of double standards?

 

Somsak Onsri, CEO of Lok Klangkuen, who also appeared on Woody’s talk show that night, joined the host’s attempt to reinvent a certain image and persona of the Thai nation. He said, “Culture like this [Ja Turbo’s lewd dance act] is unwanted in Siam. This is not Thai culture.†Yet, Somsak refused to explain what the real Thai culture is. To interpret his comments, it seems that there is something moral and ethical about Thai culture – something that is so alien to Ja Turbo.

 

But if Thailand is the land of morality, as depicted by Woody and Somsak, why is our local sex industry so vibrant? Why have the Thai authorities not closed down so many brothels in Bangkok’s red-light districts? Is this because such businesses have rendered enormous benefits to the rich and powerful in the upper class?

 

Woody has invited a number of seemingly respectable personalities to his show in the past. At some points, he goes over the top to reiterate that he is one among them. For him to invite Ja Turbo, who is clearly living in a different environment from him, and brutally attack her “humannessâ€, he is nothing but a loyal pet of the condescending elitist class.

 

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a fellow at Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Follow Pavin at www.facebook.com/pavinchachavalpongpun.

 

 

 

The Nation 28/09/2011

 

And here's

 

BTW how can I add an embedded You Tube link?

[Flashermac]

Like this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvFpXi3Tvro&feature=youtu.be

 

 

BTW my idea of hi-so would exclude virtually every one of these self-important prats. I used to work and socialise with lesser royals (and one not lesser), as well as members of the old aristocratic families (formerly titled, before the 1932 coup). They are the ones who fit my idea of hi-so and they were not one of them snobbish. The prats who are the snobs tend to be the puffed up Chinese capitalists and khunyings who got their title because their husband was a general or corrupt political leader. They actually think being rich makes them hi-so. It doesn't. Hi-so comes from within and can't be bought.

 

These pompous egotists remind me of a Sloan I had to live with during my year first year in Thailand. He was so full of himself - for no reason that I can think of. (His family were middle class business people.) I mentioned it to some genuine UK upper class individuals (one of them titled). He said to me, "The Sloans put on the accent. We try to play it down."

[limbo]

So what do you think of the vdo and how can you embed it here, maybe a step by step approach?

[Flashermac]

So what do you think of the vdo and how can you embed it here, maybe a step by step approach?

 

 

It is a very raunch video and the song certainly would have been banned on the radio some years ago, if it hasn't been today. (Even "One night in Bangkok" was banned for a while.) Inviting the performer onto his show simply to humiliate her is very low class behaviour. But he is too ignorant to realise that.

 

Thai literature actually has long been sexist and usually rather obscene, so this over the top reaction is nonsense. In Sunthorn Phu's tales, the hero is always trying to shag the beautiful girl. In the Ramakian (Thai verson of the Ramayana), Hanuman, the white monkey king, is always grabbing the celestial maidens or whatever and banging them right on the spot. So a young singer does a silly raunchy song about feeling randy. Does she deserve to be stoned? (Wonder what the reaction would be if a male Thai had recorded it.)

 

------

Now ... adding a youtube video is easy peasy.

 

1) Click on reply.

 

2) Look for the "insert media" icon. (It looks like 3 picture, one over each other.)

 

3) Click the icon and paste the url where it shows you to.

 

4) Post the reply.

 

Try one and let's see what happens.

[limbo]

It is a very raunch video and the song certainly would have been banned on the radio some years ago, if it hasn't been today. (Even "One night in Bangkok" was banned for a while.) Inviting the performer onto his show simply to humiliate her is very low class behaviour. But he is too ignorant to realise that.

 

Thai literature actually has long been sexist and usually rather obscene, so this over the top reaction is nonsense. In Sunthorn Phu's tales, the hero is always trying to shag the beautiful girl. In the Ramakian (Thai verson of the Ramayana), Hanuman, the white monkey king, is always grabbing the celestial maidens or whatever and banging them right on the spot. So a young singer does a silly raunchy song about feeling randy. Does she deserve to be stoned? (Wonder what the reaction would be if a male Thai had recorded it.)

 

------

Now ... adding a youtube video is easy peasy.

 

1) Click on reply.

 

2) Look for the "insert media" icon. (It looks like 3 picture, one over each other.)

 

3) Click the icon and paste the url where it shows you to.

 

4) Post the reply.

 

Try one and let's see what happens.

 

Agree with you on the reaction and it's kind of hypocrite, to say the least.

 

Regarding the embedding, I tried exactly that but it didn't work, will try again at another time. Thanks

[Gadfly]

Perhaps Woody should invite Pavin Chachavalpongpun onto his show and interview him? Woody could interview Khun Pavin about his article. Perhaps we should start a campaign: "Woody - intervew Pavin". Khun Pavin is a decent guy, but he'd still end up tearing Woody a second a hole. Intellectually he could do laps around Woody walking on his hands, but would most "upper class" Thais understand this? I want to see this.

[Flashermac]

What kind of guy thinks he is hi-so when he calls himself Woody?

[Boo Radley]

Found a clip of the interview in which she doesn't look too happy. At one point the interviewer seems to ask her if she takes drugs or is a prostitute.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9JFpib107A

 

Apparently KAN HOO is an old Luk Thung song from 1999 first sung by Liw Rawitsara and the recent Turbo version is a cover version.

[Flashermac]

Not surprised at that. Quite a few luk thung songs are raunchy, as are the singers when they perform them. Ever been to a luk thung or mor lam nightclub? This is exactly the way the female singers dress and act. They did back in the 1970s and they still do today.

 

Too bad the gal didn't haul off and belt him. When he asked her if she took drugs, she should have asked him if he takes it up the arse.

 

Notice how the video is even censored on the show? I'm just old enough to remember when Elvis first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and he was blacked out on the TV from the chest down because he moved "obscenely". So here is douchebag Woody blathering on at the level US television was in the year 1956.

 

And look at Woody in his skin tight white outfit. Is the guy gay or simply from another planet? I knew he would be Chinese before I even clicked on the video. I just looked at his Facebook page. He lists himself as "public figure". Interestingly, he says not a word about his education. Thais who went to name universities - Chula, Mahidol, Thammasat, even Assumption - proudly say so on their page. So do Thais who study abroad. Not a word from Mr Stiffy. My suspicion is that he is a former Com Arts student at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and the CA students are the least academic students on that campus.

[Boo Radley]

Haven't been to a luk thung or mor lam nightclub but it's on my list of things to do.

Apparently in the original version the act was a lot milder and less raunchy, just consisting one of the dancers coming forward and sticking a cotton bud in her ear, leaving things a bit more to the imagination.