Big Trouble TV series now halted

**zubber** · 14-09-2009, 08:49 PM

Thai Officials Put 'Big Trouble' Series in Limbo

By Alan Morison
Monday, September 14, 2009
Phuket Jet-Ski Photo Album Above

THE SECOND episode in the controversial 'Big Trouble' television series is set to screen in Britain on Monday night - but Thai authorities are now preventing the eight-part series from being completed.

Producer-director Gavin Hill says the Thailand Film Office has sent a letter asking the British production company, Bravo, not to screen any more episodes.

Episode Three, being edited in Britain, is in rough-cut form. The show can only go on with permission from all the people shown on-screen.

That includes Winai ''JJ'' Naiman, the now-notorious Phuket jet-ski operator, who signed a release form so that his actions could be displayed to viewers with his approval.

Mr Hill said tonight's second episode does not reflect badly on Thailand. That was never the intention of 'Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand,' he added.

''I don't know what's going to happen now with the series,'' he said. The Thailand Film Office has ''pulled all the releases and permissions that are required to complete the series.''

He has been told there is the likelihood of a complaint being made to the British embassy. At least one volunteer expat tourist policeman in Pattaya had also expressed concern.

Episode Two, Mr Hill said, contained no more about jet-skis on Phuket and was about ''Brits behaving badly,'' with military police in pursuit of drunken sailors.

''In some ways, it's very positive for Thailand,'' he said. ''The young lady who was in trouble on Koh Phangan in the first episode is fined 50 pounds, she gets her bail money back, and she is allowed to go, with the only real penalty being an extra three weeks in Thailand.''

By coincidence, authorities on Koh Phangan have announced a plan to make the island, noted for expat full moon rave parties, drug-free as fast as possible.

Episode One of 'Big Trouble' screened last week, revealing footage of what appeared to be an extortion bid by ''JJ'' with a gun in hand, and it came just before a planned summit on jet-ski scams on Phuket.

Nationwide, crackdowns are underway on crimes against tourists at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok as part of a push against corruption by the Prime Minister.

The jet-ski crackdown on Phuket came after the Deputy PM met with the Australian ambassador. Other ambassadors later echoed their increasing concerns about jet-ski scams to the Phuket Governor, Wichai Praisa-nob.

Mr Hill was keen to make the point that the 'Big Trouble' jet-ski scandal coverage came about by chance. He still says that in fairness, there is no way of knowing whether the alleged damage to jet-skis in the show was genuine or not.

An incident involving ''JJ'' and US marines, posted this week on You Tube, was not used in the series because the show was being made for a British audience. Only the first-episode incident involving ''JJ'' and British marines was considered relevant.

If it screens tonight in Britain, viewers will also see inside Phuket prison, where a British national is interviewed about his experiences in being jailed for ATM offences.

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MediaWATCH: How Jet-Ski JJ Scammed US Marin

**Butterfly** · 14-09-2009, 08:53 PM

JJ out on bail, series stopped !!! it's business as usual in Thailand, in typical Thai style

**taxexile** · 14-09-2009, 09:00 PM

but Thai authorities are now preventing the eight-part series from being completed.

no surprise there then.

they dont like it up'em the thais.

**britmaveric** · 14-09-2009, 09:01 PM

^Tell TAT to stick it up their arse.

**dirtydog** · 14-09-2009, 09:01 PM

They have just made it more newsworthy by doing this, should be BBC prime time this time tomorrow, well done Thailand

**zubber** · 14-09-2009, 09:02 PM

Tony must have pulled a few strings in high places . scammers dont need any more bad publicity

**britmaveric** · 14-09-2009, 09:03 PM

Actually Bravo just hit a goldmine, see the adverts now.... The series Thailand tried to ban you from seeing.

**StrontiumDog** · 14-09-2009, 09:08 PM

Unbelievable. Lets deny reality.

**dirtydog** · 14-09-2009, 09:08 PM

Anybody think Gavin Hill might be blacklisted from Thailand

Probably be a book version brit

**britmaveric** · 14-09-2009, 09:11 PM

^imagine how much dosh will be made when they sell it for syndication?

**Butterfly** · 14-09-2009, 09:12 PM

worst possible timing to stop it now, the damage is done, it's too late, they are going to make it worse

it's a fucking PR disaster

**Nietzsche** · 14-09-2009, 09:12 PM

What authority does Thailand have over Bravo?

I suspect none.

There never was another eight episodes, I reckon.

**dirtydog** · 14-09-2009, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by G Hill

That includes Winai ''JJ'' Naiman, the now-notorious Phuket jet-ski operator, who signed a release form so that his actions could be displayed to viewers with his approval.

How dumb can people get

**britmaveric** · 14-09-2009, 09:13 PM

Funny thing is - apart from jetski sh*te it's shows thailand in good light, just muppet tourists causing their own headaches.

**bretby** · 14-09-2009, 09:14 PM

Drug free full moon parties

No jet-ski scams

Crimes and scams against tourists halted at Swampy and peach seat cushions being supplied for tourist`s bottoms to be more comfortable

No kickbacks, extortion, rip offs.....what will we have to moan about? might as well all go to Malaysia

**Bangyai** · 14-09-2009, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by taxexile

but Thai authorities are now preventing the eight-part series from being completed.

no surprise there then.

they dont like it up'em the thais.

Unless they're flat on their backs and getting well paid for it. In this case they've been well and truly rogered without the price of a khao phat to chew on.

**kingwilly** · 14-09-2009, 09:21 PM

*snigger*

ball's in your court now BBC

**Tug** · 14-09-2009, 09:28 PM

Bravo publicity coup no need to advertise TIT for TAT or it aint half rot at AOT is it on boob tube yet?

**Nietzsche** · 14-09-2009, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by kingwilly

ball's in your court now BBC

You think the BBC would lower themselves to this shit?

I might be proved wrong, but I doubt it.

**dirtydog** · 14-09-2009, 09:35 PM

^Slow news day tomorrow and they will, also the rescheduling of programmes this evening in the UK will cause some questions.

**DrivingForce** · 14-09-2009, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by zubber

Phuket Governor, Wichai Praisa-nob.

Is this intentional?? Did you edit this or is the real story printed exactly this way?? That's just too much irony to be believed..

On the OP the Thais really have an unhealthy self consciousnesses about looking at their reflection in the mirror don't they??

**Nietzsche** · 14-09-2009, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Slow news day tomorrow and they will

They won't.

They're soft as shit nowadays. You're more likely to see a story about some kittens being rescued from a flood, with a side-article related to climate change thrown in for good-measure!

I'm not joking. The BBC World thing you lot get is unbiased, but ours is shit.

the rescheduling of programmes this evening in the UK will cause some questions

I would expect more people are members of Thai forums than watch Bravo!

**Muadib** · 14-09-2009, 10:33 PM

If the BBC does not air the rest of the series, then they have spines as stiff as damp melba toast...

It's about time the truth found the light of day regarding the rip-offs and scams in the Land of Scams... If the series gets shit-canned, it will be business as usual...

**malako** · 14-09-2009, 10:37 PM

this story gets better and better

**Warwick** · 14-09-2009, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Muadib

If the BBC does not air the rest of the series, then they have spines as stiff as damp melba toast...

This is a Bravo program which airs on Virgin and Sky - nothing to do with the Beeb. The program was produced by Vera Productions which I think is part owned by Rory Bremner.

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