FLYING THAI FIGHTERS

AOL's "Videologist" pointed out a blossoming news story from Thailand dealing with the clash between the real world and Toobworld. According to a report in "The Guardian":

Trade unions representing flight attendants from the national carrier, Thai Airways International, and the private operator Bangkok Airlines are to make a formal complaint to the culture ministry about the show 'The Air Hostess Wars', the broadcast of which began last week.

The programme shows flight attendants scheming for the affections of a suave married airline captain, who embarks on an affair with one of them.

What the show needs is a special guest appearance by Patrick Stewart as himself, in which he's a passenger on a flight from Thailand. During the flight, he uses his mental powers to make the flight attendant's clothes fall off. She tries to cover it up, but it's too late: he's seen everything.

Noppadol Thaungthong is a flight attendant who is acting as a spokesperson for their union. And she said, "This soap opera is insulting and damaging to the reputation of flight attendants. It's all about sex and air hostesses beating each other up in the cabin because of love and jealousy. This kind of thing never happens."

I know I come off as the Ugly American here, but I don't think it helps the cause when your spokesperson has the last name of "Thaungthong".

She also claims that the series will dissuade people from flying or from entering into the profession. Both assertions don't seem likely to my way of thinking, but then I'm an optimist - I'm always hoping to see a good cat-fight while airborne.

'Air Hostess Wars' sounds like a Thai version of 'Mile High', a British series about Fresh! Airlines which ran a few years ago and which was shown here in America on BBC-America last year. I think some enterprising TV exec should get the rights to 'Air Hostess Wars' (That must be a catchier title in the native language!) and broadcast it here.

The best venue? Comedy Central - especially if they tweak it and re-dub it with totally different and outlandish dialogue a la "What's Up, Tiger Lily?"

Just sayin', is all.

(Two Thai sisters I know, Tippimart and Yupai, will probably hunt me down for posting this and do serious damage. One can only hope.....)

BCnU!
Toby OB

PS
My alternate post headings were:
"Mile High Thai"
"Come Thai With Me"
"Fly Thai"

UPDATE - CNN had a story on this topic and they said the translation of the title is "Battle of Angels", which is much better! [01/26/08]