After going through a host of Netflix shows over the past week I sat down to work in the living room whilst my girlfriend was watching Thai TV. She’d sat through Tiger King and Sunderland Til I Die, so I thought it was only fair to have a day where she controlled the remote.
It was the first time I’ve sat down for a prolonged period of time to see Thai TV. I mean I’ve watched some in waiting rooms and restaurants but never really concentrated on it for more than a few seconds. Overall, there were a few pleasant surprises and a few real shockers.
The Poor Sing For Cash
Probably the most shocking show of the day was a singing program where the winning contestant was given a cash prize. The issue I had was that all the contestants came on the show as they had severe money issues. Most of the show followed them around their rural homes and described the problems they faced. Caring for family members, unable to afford enough food, and living without many things most of us take for granted.
Tearful images of the contestants were shown and a live audience listened intently whilst a panel of judges probed deeper into the misery and hardship the contestants faced. Now, when it came to the singing part, all the contestants really weren’t good, but the singing quality is obviously not the focus of the show. I couldn’t work out if the judges and show thought they were doing a good thing by giving the winner cash or if they just though it was great entertainment. Either way, I sat open-mouthed shaking my head in disbelief that this show had been signed off.
Enjoyable News
Over the day we ended watching several news shows and, I have to say, I found them a lot more enjoyable than English language stations. Though, this probably had a lot to do with not being able to totally understand all the terrible things that were happening around the world. However, besides the big Covid-19 stories, there were a lot of local interest stories.
There was a report of a cat being rescued from a tree, a snake being removed from some screaming guy’s house, and a story about how people were hanging certain herbs outside their houses to protect themselves. It reminded me of the local regional news stations back home which don’t take themselves too seriously.
There was also the odd bit of English and loads of info-graphics which gave me just enough information without becoming too serious. I’d certainly have no problems having the Thai news on in the background again.
Great Game Shows
One of the highlights of the day was the game shows. Again, my limited Thai ability meant I didn’t understand everything but they were certainly fun and seemed similar in tone to Saturday night game shows back home. The only negative would be the almost constant slapstick sound effects which got a bit irritating after a while.
The first one we watched was called Da Vinci. Contestants had to look at images and use them to guess a phrase or saying. The second was Hollywood Game Night where two teams battled each other in a serious of silly challenges. I enjoyed them both and, if your Thai is above beginner level, I’d recommend checking them out.
Cooking Shows
Between about 10am to 2pm there were so many cooking shows on. However, there wasn’t a lot of cooking going on. They seemed to be more interested in just chatting about cooking.
It was mostly good looking people standing around the type of kitchen that I’ve never seen in Thailand and gossiping whilst making fried rice or some basic dish. It was pretty inoffensive and I guess there’s enough going on to keep the audience interested.
Drama!
Every commercial break was filled with an advert for a different drama. I actually used to watch a few UK soaps when I was younger and enjoyed them. However, having seen some dramas before whilst in waiting rooms and restaurants, I couldn’t sit through an entire episode here.
I couldn’t even tell you the name of the one I watched. Basically there was a family and they all seemed pissed off at each other as they went from luxury restaurant to their opulent house and finally onto their private jet. I was begging for a bit of Netflix after ten minutes…
Worth A Go
I get around 125 Thai channels for free with my internet and I’m glad I gave them a chance. Whilst I didn’t like everything (same as with UK TV) I did find some enjoyable shows and can see it being good background material, especially the news.
My level of Thai, somewhere between beginner and pre-intermediate, meant I struggled with understanding but I got through it with the help of my Thai girlfriend. If you find yourself getting bored with the same movies and streaming, give Thai TV a chance.
