THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Are Thai soaps amateurish? Discuss online

Are Thai soaps amateurish? Discuss online

Thailand has 15 million Facebook users and they're all commenting on the latest episodes of the TV soaps, but you can't get away with it that simply if you're a "somebody' - like filmmaker Chookiat "Madiew" Sakveerakul.


Madiew was bitching recently about “Fah Jarod Sai” (“Where the Sky Meets the Sand”) on Channel 7. “The setting is Arabian, but the houses and set decorations are rather Roman, with nothing representing Muslim art. Oh well, this is Thai entertainment.” Adding that the dialogue must seem “alien” to Muslims, he judged the series below par. “These little details separate the professionals from the amateurs – those who just work day by day to earn their money.”
Several million people agreed and hit the “share” button, ensuring Madiew a deluge of criticism from the show’s several million fans. The director of the “Love of Siam”, “Home” and “Grean Fictions” used to make soaps for Channel 3, which, for some cynics, explained why he was assailing Channel 7.
Madiew pretended to be nonplussed. “I don’t take much notice because it’s so normal. The best I can do is to listen to them without hitting back.” Nor does he know Siam Sangwoributr, who directs “Fah Jarod Sai” and has been in the business a lot longer. Was Madiew being disrespectful to a senior?
“We’re all subject to criticism,” he replied. “Like my films – all the university students slam me when they don’t like what I do. This has nothing to do with age or seniority.”
Whatever, Madiew has no intention of changing the channel. He likes watching soap operas – all of them – and reserves the right to moan online.

Interest Piqued
A Day magazine has lucked into an interview with Spain and Barcelona football star Gerard Pique, which naturally gets his mug on the cover. He was in Thailand recently with Barca and the magazine staff kidnapped him. Not really, but they did get some nice titbits during an exclusive sit-down.
Pique said straight up that sacrificing some privacy is the price he has to pay for being a football hero. “Sometimes I go out with my wife [Shakira] and son and the fans will ask for an autograph, and I need to manage that. But I do understand that I’ve got so much from football and this is part of my job.”
None of the fans have been certifiably insane – so far, he said. “My fans in Spain are rather normal and some of them do respect my privacy. But during a tour, like in Thailand, I see many people screaming at us. I understand that they don’t have a chance to see us every week, so I really appreciate their love.”
Pique gets one month a year away from football. “I travel with the family and disconnect from everything. I think it’s good to rejuvenate after 11 months of hard work on the field.” His motto is “enjoy the moment”. “I play games, listen to music and watch movies,” he said. “Football is very significant in my life, but it’s not everything in life!”
 

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