Fighting In Flight
BANGKOK — A popular new Thai soap opera about love and infidelity in the skies has angered Thai Airways flight attendants who yesterday demanded that the show be cancelled for casting their profession in an unrealistic and immoral light.
The Air Hostess War, which broadcast its first three episodes last week, has captivated viewers with a story line that includes a dashing married pilot having an affair with a flight attendant, and love triangles that lead to fighting in the aisles and steamy sex scenes at stopover cities.
The soap opera, however, did not appeal to the Thai Airways International union, which issued a letter urging the Culture Ministry to order the show to be pulled from the air.
“This soap opera is insulting and damaging to the reputation of flight attendants,” said Thai Airways flight attendant Noppadol Thaungthong, leading the union’s action. “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.”
(Of course this sort of thing can never happen. What would Khun Noppadol’s wife think if such things can happen? So what really happens?)
Representations will also be made to Thailand’s Channel 5 television station — which broadcasts the show — and the chiefs of Thai Airways and the air force, said the union’s acting president Somsak Srinual.
The series could very well deter young people from entering the industry if they believe the lifestyle was so racy and emotionally draining, he added.
(On the contrary, Khun Somsak, I think this series could well attract more young, virile and happening youngsters to the profession than you can imagine.)
But Channel 5 says it has no plans to pull the soap opera but will consider suggesting that scenes found to be offensive be edited out, said spokeswoman Thawinan Kongkran.
“The producer says the soap opera reflects all sides of the profession,” Ms Thawinan said. “If some scenes are inappropriate, as the labour union says, we will ask the producer to change that.” — Agencies
