Newspaper Finds Truth, Rapes It
We all know, Thai newspapers are not for the faint-hearted. Gross front pages showing accident victims torn apart and blood all over are the order of the day. Because there’s a market appreciating violence.
But what about the essentially more subtle handling of violence per se? That’s why this ad below (click to enlarge) can probably only appear in Thailand: “If your boy is getting anally raped by his teacher, we’ll uncover the truth.”
Let’s play “where’s Waldo being violated?”, commented advertising copywriter copyranter. ”Bangkok daily newspaper Prachachat says that they “see through the truth.” Pretty disturbing visual, though it is Thailand.”
Says copyranter: “That’s one way to advertise your journalistic chops. But I want a full investigation! Is the boy doing it for a better grade? Is safe sex taught in this school’s health class? And why is the playground slide so damn rusty?”
Adds Gawker: “So, here is how a Thai newspaper promotes itself, with an ad showing – and I’m no expert, but – a teacher sodomizing some kid, it looks like? Tagline: “See Through the Truth.” Ummm … sure, whatever you guys want.”
Or simply … a golden Thai rule? Fuck the truth?
Or the usual – as a commenter on Gawker writes: “A pretty accurate representation of the reporter-editor relationship.”
Can’t show a nipple in Thailand. But sodomizing a schoolboy, hey it’s pedophiles’ haven.
In my opinion, in Thai culture the “truth” is not considered important – it’s the image, or façade. When you have some Universities seriously considering separate toilets for teenage katoeys then you know you have morality issues in society.
But in Thai culture it’s not acceptable to face the real issues such as marital violence, excessive drug use, widespread prostitution of the young, doing favors to get good grades, cheating, copying, kickbacks, etc. (because they don’t exist!).
Pedophilia is very common in Thailand, but not amongst foreigners and Thais. It’s prevalent between older men and teenage girls. Just ask the police who keep teenage brothels on the outskirts of Bangkok for trafficking 13-17 year old girls before they enter the bar trade when they are old enough to work legally.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by BangkokDan, Igor Christodoulou. Igor Christodoulou said: Hey @BangkokDan , this is seriously good laugh, and it`s politics too: Newspaper Finds Truth, Rapes It http://shar.es/mSyOH [...]
Everybody knows the truth exists, what they abuse is the fact that truth looks differently from different angles. Then they come up with any nonsense and claim “That’s what looks true to me.”
No comment on the ad, can’t get my head around it, it’s so bizarre.