Pattaya Officially Changes Name to The Infamous Seaside....

Funny...guess i'm the first to bag this one

From Thaivisa.com

THE INFAMOUS SEASIDE RESORT OF PATTAYA тАФ Known worldwide as a den of crime and vice, Pattaya municipal officials have decided to embrace its reputation by officially renaming the city тАЬThe Infamous Seaside Resort of PattayaтАЭ.

Explaining the decision, Mayor Tik Kunplome said, тАЬWe found that almost every international press report referred to us as тАШthe infamous seaside resortтАЩ. Rather than waste more money trying to brand our city as a family-friendly destination, weтАЩve decided that the moniker will help bring in more of those tourists to whom we cater best. LetтАЩs not pretend anymore. Sex, drugs, prostitution тАФ this shit sells.тАЭ

The mayor said to generate fresh international publicity for The Infamous Seaside Resort of Pattaya, police would raid go-go bars, briefly detain some of the townтАЩs best-known pedophiles, throw a few old foreigners off balconies, and ask the townтАЩs waxworks museum to resurrect its Hitler billboard.

-- NotTheNation.com 2011-07-29

:laughing3:

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Originally Posted by DamienZ

Funny...guess i'm the first to bag this one

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Congratulations, but It's not funny in the least.

IMHO

:occasion9:

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Originally Posted by DamienZ

Funny...guess i'm the first to bag this one

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Not quite, as the Not The Nation story is based on a New York Times piece already the subject of a thread here.

Thanks... NotTheNation are still putting out some funny stuff: www.notthenation.com

DamienZ, you should post a link back to the original content: http://notthenation.com/2011/07/pattaya ... f-pattaya/

Yes, I always seem to forget to posts links to web articles (my bad).

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Originally Posted by scottish-guy

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Originally Posted by DamienZ

Funny...guess i'm the first to bag this one

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Congratulations, but It's not funny in the least.

IMHO

:occasion9:

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Thanks for the pat on the back scottish-guy (BTW what is it for?).

What part of the satire did you not find funny in the least? This is a honest question, to which I hope you will respond if you choose.
Below is the link for the citations on the uses of satire which I found in wikipedia. I do think satire has it's uses (of which I am sure you are very aware of), but that is my humble opinion, nothing more.
Possibly the satirist who penned this bit at 'Not The Nation', consciously or unconsciously, was attempting a social commentary using satire? Maybe. In my short time on SGT, I have read far worse (and better) from veteran posters in regards to their personal opinions about various aspects of vacationing and living in LOS. That's what I dig about SGT, pretty much uncensored and the best of both worlds on a good day.
Thanks very much for your comment to the post.

From Wikipedia:

Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon.

Perception of satire
Because satire often combines anger and humour it can be profoundly disturbing - because it is essentially ironic or sarcastic, it is often misunderstood.
Common uncomprehending responses to satire include revulsion (accusations of poor taste, or that "it's just not funny" for instance), to the idea that the satirist actually does support the ideas, policies, or people he is attacking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire

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Originally Posted by DamienZ

What part of the satire did you not find funny in the least? This is a honest question, to which I hope you will respond if you choose.

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The reason I didn't find it funny was that the "humour" was unimaginitive and predictable.

I am well aware of what satire is, and as you say yourself:

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Originally Posted by DamienZ

.... satire is usually meant to be funny, ....satire often combines anger and humour ...

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Unfortunately, if the humour is stale and played out, then the satire loses it's effect and turns from being insightful and cutting, to just being an unfunny piece of writing.

In my opinion anyway.

:occasion9:

Hmm.
Point well taken.
Maybe I was giving the author of this piece more credit than due in respect to addressing some of the more subtle issues of Thailand's shadow economy .
Yea, so like a good Italian friend of mine once said.."everything you need to know is in the front of the store".
Thanks for your response.

NotTheNation puts out some fantastic satire, but I honestly think this was one of their weaker pieces. Still worth posting though... :happy7: