Results 1 to 15 of 15
  1. #1
    Newbie

    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Last Online
    16-07-2019 @ 10:48 AM
    Posts
    2

    How Would You Handle This?

    I'm looking to the professionals for an answer:
    Recently I assisted with an English Camp as a volunteer. A Thai woman teacher who spoke excellent English led the class. I assisted as requested/necessary. All went well until the very end, when the teacher played a Thai song on the room's video player. The song was The Watermelon Song ( ). It's in Thai......and I can read the lyrics enough to see that they're suggestive, but not obscene by themselves. The video, on the other hand, is highly suggestive.
    Most of the students, ages 10-13, seemed to sing along with the Thai singer......and the song was a hit with older male students passing by on their way to lunch.
    When I got home, I read up on the song and found several school videos showcasing this song with students singing/dancing. I searched google to see if Thais objected to the music (in a classroom setting) but found precious few comments that were negative toward the music.
    I'm reaching out to other teachers to see how you would handle such a situation.

  2. #2
    Member
    Bettyboo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Last Online
    Yesterday @ 05:39 PM
    Location
    Bangkok
    Posts
    34,272
    None of your business; her country, her culture, she is the professional...

    Don't try to push your cultural norms onto a Thai professional adult.

    I hope that helps.

  3. #3
    En route
    Cujo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Last Online
    24-02-2024 @ 04:47 PM
    Location
    Reality.
    Posts
    32,939
    ^ That.

  4. #4
    . Neverna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    21,241
    Quote Originally Posted by kokesaat View Post
    I'm looking to the professionals for an answer:
    Recently I assisted with an English Camp as a volunteer. A Thai woman teacher who spoke excellent English led the class. I assisted as requested/necessary. All went well until the very end, when the teacher played a Thai song on the room's video player. The song was The Watermelon Song. It's in Thai......and I can read the lyrics enough to see that they're suggestive, but not obscene by themselves. The video, on the other hand, is highly suggestive.
    Most of the students, ages 10-13, seemed to sing along with the Thai singer......and the song was a hit with older male students passing by on their way to lunch.
    When I got home, I read up on the song and found several school videos showcasing this song with students singing/dancing. I searched google to see if Thais objected to the music (in a classroom setting) but found precious few comments that were negative toward the music.
    I'm reaching out to other teachers to see how you would handle such a situation.
    What's to handle? The English camp is over. Forget it.

  5. #5
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Last Online
    Today @ 03:55 AM
    Location
    Roiet
    Posts
    34,896
    Quote Originally Posted by kokesaat View Post
    How Would You Handle This?
    I would sing along with the kids and enjoy this typical fun Luk Tung song. Nothing in the vid at all suggestive.


  6. #6
    R.I.P. Luigi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Abuja
    Posts
    26,213
    Wait til you do a camp at a nurse's college and they put on that Itchy Ear song.

  7. #7
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Last Online
    Today @ 03:55 AM
    Location
    Roiet
    Posts
    34,896
    Quote Originally Posted by Luigi View Post
    Wait til you do a camp at a nurse's college and they put on that Itchy Ear song.
    Slighty "suggestive"



  8. #8
    Custom Title Changer
    Topper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Last Online
    Today @ 12:11 AM
    Location
    Bangkok
    Posts
    12,124
    Did you get paid?

  9. #9
    R.I.P. Luigi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Abuja
    Posts
    26,213
    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    Slighty "suggestive"
    A little bit.


    I remember she was on some evening TV chat show and the host used the most disrespectful language possible to her, telling her she's an embarrassment to Thailand etc, she calmly laid straight into him asking how many Mia Nois he has. None? Why not, you're rich, a bit famous, surely you have 5 or 6, that's Thai male culture.

    Fair to say she won the round.

  10. #10
    I am not a cat
    nidhogg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    18,317
    Nobody past a week in Thailand would "handle it". A non-issue.

  11. #11
    R.I.P. Luigi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Abuja
    Posts
    26,213
    Quote Originally Posted by nidhogg View Post
    Nobody past a week in Thailand would "handle it". A non-issue.
    Yeah, a mate was completely dumbfounded a few years ago, said he went to the end of year show at his kid's kindergarten, his kid's class were doing that Little yellow polka dot bikini song in bikinis, and the next class were doing that Mouln Rouge Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir? song in little black suspenders.



    I just said be thankful they weren't goosetepping through the auditorium in full SS Regalia singing Deutschland Deutschland über alles while pinning yellow stars on people.

  12. #12
    Newbie

    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Last Online
    16-07-2019 @ 10:48 AM
    Posts
    2
    Thanks for the replies. After reading up on the song, I guess it's a cultural thing. I'll add it to the list of 'things that might work in Thailand, but don't dare try this at home'
    Thanks

  13. #13
    I am not a cat
    nidhogg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    18,317
    Quote Originally Posted by kokesaat View Post
    Thanks for the replies. After reading up on the song, I guess it's a cultural thing. I'll add it to the list of 'things that might work in Thailand, but don't dare try this at home'
    Thanks
    Sounds like a plan.

  14. #14
    Thailand Expat AntRobertson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    41,562
    Quote Originally Posted by Luigi View Post
    A little bit.


    I remember she was on some evening TV chat show and the host used the most disrespectful language possible to her, telling her she's an embarrassment to Thailand etc, she calmly laid straight into him asking how many Mia Nois he has. None? Why not, you're rich, a bit famous, surely you have 5 or 6, that's Thai male culture.

    Fair to say she won the round.
    I might be mis-remembering it or conflating it with another instance but wasn't the host that chap 'Woody'?

    I think he came out as gay so technically she was wrong.

  15. #15
    R.I.P. Luigi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Abuja
    Posts
    26,213
    Does ring a bell.


    Woody, not the gay bit.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •