PHUKET: Phuketwan is changing its policy on comments and the Editor won't be responding so often to readers in future.
When the first reader responses to articles were received back in 2008, not many news sites in Thailand allowed readers to add comments. Phuketwan was among the first, and certainly the first on Phuket.
Based on the bigotry and vitriol that was easy to find then on expat chat forums, the Editor opted to challenge some comments rather than let them pass as if they were thoughtful and fair.
He was determined especially to expose the Thailand ''haters'' by offering an alternative that wasn't built on mindless bias and poor judgement.
That was the era of the Doomsayers, the sorrowful expats who never could find anything positive to say, and who could not be persuaded to believe what the Editor knew - that their views were narrow and often wrong, and that change was inevitable.
Almost 60,000 comments and many thousands of retorts later, the Editor reckons he has achieved his aims.
The Doomsayers have disappeared and comments these days on Phuketwan and on sites elsewhere are better informed and sometimes even add value.
In 2014, even the expat chat forums in Thailand are mostly more civil and less inclined to tolerate the ''haters'' who waste time and energy pursuing onanistic agendas.
Phuketwan has even attracted additional readers because there were responses on this site. It's a rare thing anywhere to have an Editor respond so directly to readers.
Some egos have possibly been bruised in the process, although the Editor insists it's a mistake to confuse the online comments world with the real one.
However, the Editor regrets any harm done to the feelings of real readers.
He also insists that he is not a sociopath or a pedophile, he does not spend his nights in Patong, he seldom loses his temper, and his uncles are not named Thaksin or Suthep. The size of his testicles is, he believes, not especially relevant.
Phuketwan continues to welcome readers who wish to comment by adding value in essential information or their own experiences, and thanks all those who have already done so over the past six years.
If someone out there has missed the fun, here's one early example where the comments stream became almost as readable as the original Phuketwan article that went where others did not dare:
Phuket's Mass Circumcision: Photo Special
IT IS THE DAY the foreskins have to go. About 30 young boys are set for this once-in-a-lifetime occasion, under the knife.
http://phuketwan.com/entertainment/phukets-mass-circumcision-photo-special-12341/
Anonymous, please, please forgive us.
When the first reader responses to articles were received back in 2008, not many news sites in Thailand allowed readers to add comments. Phuketwan was among the first, and certainly the first on Phuket.
Based on the bigotry and vitriol that was easy to find then on expat chat forums, the Editor opted to challenge some comments rather than let them pass as if they were thoughtful and fair.
He was determined especially to expose the Thailand ''haters'' by offering an alternative that wasn't built on mindless bias and poor judgement.
That was the era of the Doomsayers, the sorrowful expats who never could find anything positive to say, and who could not be persuaded to believe what the Editor knew - that their views were narrow and often wrong, and that change was inevitable.
Almost 60,000 comments and many thousands of retorts later, the Editor reckons he has achieved his aims.
The Doomsayers have disappeared and comments these days on Phuketwan and on sites elsewhere are better informed and sometimes even add value.
In 2014, even the expat chat forums in Thailand are mostly more civil and less inclined to tolerate the ''haters'' who waste time and energy pursuing onanistic agendas.
Phuketwan has even attracted additional readers because there were responses on this site. It's a rare thing anywhere to have an Editor respond so directly to readers.
Some egos have possibly been bruised in the process, although the Editor insists it's a mistake to confuse the online comments world with the real one.
However, the Editor regrets any harm done to the feelings of real readers.
He also insists that he is not a sociopath or a pedophile, he does not spend his nights in Patong, he seldom loses his temper, and his uncles are not named Thaksin or Suthep. The size of his testicles is, he believes, not especially relevant.
Phuketwan continues to welcome readers who wish to comment by adding value in essential information or their own experiences, and thanks all those who have already done so over the past six years.
If someone out there has missed the fun, here's one early example where the comments stream became almost as readable as the original Phuketwan article that went where others did not dare:
Phuket's Mass Circumcision: Photo Special
IT IS THE DAY the foreskins have to go. About 30 young boys are set for this once-in-a-lifetime occasion, under the knife.
http://phuketwan.com/entertainment/phukets-mass-circumcision-photo-special-12341/
Anonymous, please, please forgive us.
You do realise though, the government officials, eg Police, Governor, Orbortor actually achieved very little, if not, making it worse in some cases.
Only a Coup made Phuket better and that is because no one wants to challenge the Army.
Posted by Tbs on August 24, 2014 15:04