Thailand

Outrage on Twitter as rape scenes continue to be portrayed in Thai soap operas

Published

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 11:28

PHOTO: Chiang Rai Times

It’s a debate that’s been raging in Thailand for years now, and yet, little appears to have changed. The portrayal of rape in Thai soap operas, done in a manner which critics say normalises sexual assault and victim blaming, is once more under fire. Thai PBS World reports that yesterday, the hashtag #ข่มขืนผ่านจอพอกันที (#NoMoreRapeOnScreen) became the fastest trending hashtag on Twitter, featuring in 275,000 tweets. Another hashtag, #BanMiaJumPen, was used in over 204,000.

The social media backlash was a result of a rape scene in the popular soap, Mia Jum Pen (“Wife on Duty”). In the scene, the rapist filmed his assault of a female character. In another scene, the victim, who has been hospitalised, is asked how many times she was raped, but the scene that has provoked the most fury is one that shows a male character’s “disgust” with the rape victim, when he thinks his wife was raped.

Angry Twitter users accuse soap opera makers of reinforcing victim blaming and rape culture in Thailand, a country where women are often blamed for men sexually assaulting them.

Amanda Obdam, Miss Universe Thailand 2020, also took to Twitter to vent her fury:

Outrage on Twitter as rape scenes continue to be portrayed in Thai soap operas | News by Thaiger

Meanwhile, others slammed the statement made by the soap opera’s producer, in which she tried to justify the scene.

“I want to show that being kidnapped or being abused is scary, therefore, women should learn how to be more careful and aware.”

Her words only served to fuel the Twitter fire, with netizens accusing her of victim blaming, instead of men being shown that they need to respect women. Some of the comments are below.

“It’s bad enough that Thai TV dramas are still full of rape scenes, the heroine falling in love with the hero after he raped her, “bad women” punished by rape.”

“The media is a significant contributor to the rape culture in Thailand. We’ve seen many Thai soap operas creating scenes where the male lead rapes the female lead. Although people have been calling for an end to such narratives, they are still everywhere, and those scenes imply that rape is somehow acceptable, because in the end, the male lead, who raped the female lead, will live happily ever after with her without being punished.”

Thai soap operas have long used rape scenes in their storylines, usually involving the lead male and female characters, with the female subsequently falling in love with her assailant. Critics say such depictions condone rape, which continues to be a serious issue in Thai society.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

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30 Comments

David

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 11:38 am

The handcuffs and cigarettes are blured yet we can watch this?! No thanks; turn the TV off.

Reply
- Issan John
  
  Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:15 pm
  
  You’re right, David, it’s crazy – blur out the cigarettes, drinks, guns and knives but rape’s fine 😮
  
  The problem is that the kids won’t “turn the TV off”, or if someone does they’ll watch it on their mobiles later. It’s the biggest “influencer” in their lives and no-one wants to risk changing that and losing the revenue from the ads.
  
  Reply
  - Dreamon
    
    Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 3:41 pm
    
    TV biggest influencer??? For kids lol you make me laugh out loud.
    You are the voice from another century, just update your OS.
    And go back to your Nazi cave.
    
    Reply
    - Issan John
      
      Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 6:40 pm
      
      Maybe once you get into this century you could learn to read, Dreamon.
      
      No, “TV” isn’t the biggest influencer for Thai kids, but the soaps are, regardless of the medium. I thought that was pretty clear, but … oh well, mea culpa.
      
      Reply
Brian

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 11:49 am

Eh, what’s the main demographic watching that stuff? I can practically guarantee it’s not men. If women want to destroy that kind of programming, it’s easy: stop watching it. Men aren’t particularly interested in “rape culture” because the vast majority of them have nothing whatsoever to do with it. The women watching that kind of show have much more to do with some rape culture than the average man. Take care of it yourself.

Reply
- Jesus Monroe
  
  Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:06 pm
  
  Once again Instead of asking the women to change their behaviour maybe the males I’m guessing who write and produce this crap should change…….
  
  Reply
  - EdwardV
    
    Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 2:46 am
    
    Just as a point of reference, the article makes it clear the producer of the show in question is female.
    
    Reply
- Issan John
  
  Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:09 pm
  
  What’s your “guarantee” based on, Brian?
  
  You honestly think that Thai “men” don’t watch the soaps? Seriously?
  
  Or kids and teenagers?
  
  Only “women”?
  
  Go into pretty much any mainstream Thai house across the country, any evening, and I can “practically guarantee” that if the TV’s on it’ll be on the soaps and it won’t just be “women” watching.
  
  Social media’s got it right – that’s what kids grow up watching every day, so it’s what they see not just as normal and acceptable but something to aspire to.
  
  The kids and teenagers are glued to it – and if they can’t get it “live” in the evening they’ll catch up on their mobiles during the day.
  
  Reply
  - Dreamon
    
    Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 3:40 pm
    
    You are the voice from another century, just update your OS.
    
    Reply
    - Issan John
      
      Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 6:42 pm
      
      So … Thai kids don’t watch the soaps … I see …
      
      Reply
  - Dreamon
    
    Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 4:31 pm
    
    Oh, you also know nothing about screenwriting and production, so shut that f.up for once.
    
    Reply
    - Issan John
      
      Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 7:17 pm
      
      Ummm ….. maybe your OS has confused you, as I’ve never suggested I know anything “about screenwriting and production”.
      
      I’m sure you’re an expert, though 😮
      
      Reply
      - preesy chepuce
        
        Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 12:41 am
        
        Please can you stop polluting this site with your dreary drivel.
- Ynwaps
  
  Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 2:25 pm
  
  Brian is right. Real men watch their soaps on pornhub
  
  Reply
Craig

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:09 pm

That’s how it is in SE Asia. One can turn the TV off and go to the bar to escape it…but then see plenty of women there making an income.

Reply
Konstantin

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:22 pm

Not only these scenes must be banned! In general, they demonstrate various behavioral scenarios, which are quite destructive, but they represent them as normal…That’s how they teach onlookers without stable critical thinking to obtain destructive behavioral inclinations, and that’s what leads to their degradation! Thus, they act and literally act against their own nation!
If so, then those so called actors and directors are cheap puppets, who being void of intelligence, become tools of villain influence in exchange for money and fame…cheap fame. TV AND MEDIA ARE RUBBISH, IN GENERAL.

Reply
Gosport

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:33 pm

Show your fingers in the producer venue. Thai is very easy thing to do.

Reply
Leon

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 2:05 pm

Women should learn to be careful? Why? Are men too dumb to control themselves? It shouldn’t be that hard to know that raping people is bad. Men are really pathetic. Always espousing women are “hormonal” and can’t control their emotions. Looks like projection to me.

Reply
- preesy chepuce
  
  Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 12:43 am
  
  There were statistics a few years ago that showed that 26% of men in ASEAN had no issue with rape.
  The question is, what is defined as rape. Choosing to get drunk, then regretting your decisions later, tends to muddy the waters.
  
  Reply
  - Issan John
    
    Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 1:38 am
    
    Generally speaking, p c, sexual penetration without consent.
    
    Sorry if that’s a bit “dreary” for you.
    
    Reply
Ynwaps

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 2:21 pm

Don’t watch it then. You don’t have free will or what?
Had a good laugh reading this

Reply
- Issan John
  
  Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 6:46 pm
  
  The problem, Ynwaps, is that Thai kids do watch it, despite what Dreamon says. They lap them up.
  
  Reply
- preesy chepuce
  
  Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 12:44 am
  
  there’s no such thing as free will, everyone is subject to drives they are not aware of – particularly Issan John.
  
  Reply
J West

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 2:24 pm

Thai soaps stereotype local culture. They are snippets and titillating fractured insight into extremes and the rare periphery. But… you know the old saying “ where there’s smoke, there’s fire”.

My experiences in Thai culture leave me convinced that at no level of society is the demeaning and brutalization of women acceptable. Shame on the directors and producers of this smut. What the offering(s) show us is their utter and complete lack of talent.

Reply
Arun

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 2:47 pm

Twitter should be seen as what it is, a destructive trojan horse that try to poison the mind of your children and ruin your culture. No one need lessons from an angry mob that follow foreign agenda.
Twitter = cancer culture

Reply
- Craig
  
  Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 10:27 am
  
  I kind of agree. It really depends on the person. The TV, iPhone, iPad, reading these “comments”, etc. all can be good or bad. It just depends if on how one looks at it. And that depends the person.
  
  Reply
Jim kelly

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 9:49 pm

Thailand television is quite frankly… “a total crock of shyte!” what’s more worrying is the Thai people thinking these ‘c’ class actors and actresses are ‘superstars!!” THEY’RE NOBODYS…THE LOT OF THEM! COMPLETE “FOREHEAD TROMBONES”!

Reply
- Craig
  
  Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 10:57 am
  
  I’d say it’s a lot more than just TV. 5555
  
  Reply
Simon wong

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 10:25 pm

They should stop all the rapes scenes, close all the bars and massage parlours, and stop cheating all the farangs and showing off in the social media….

Reply
harry1

Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 12:42 pm

if it common practice to show rape scene on tv,then it should be banned,but what l dont understand,you watch a old cowboy film,they blurr out the guns,yet in thai soaps they running around firing off guns, that are not blurred out ? when ex pm yingluck was in power,she should had promoted tolerance towards woman ?

Reply

Maya Taylor

A seasoned writer, with a degree in Creative Writing. Over ten years' experience in producing blog and magazine articles, news reports and website content.

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