What’s On TV In Thailand – The Top 5 Shows On The Box
Living in the UK we’re heavily influenced by the television shows broadcast on our TVs, most of which are from Western perspective, but if you’ve ever spent time in hotel rooms around the world, you’ll know that tastes differ from country to country – and Thailand is a perfect example of that!
Where we know all the goings on in Coronation Street, what’s happening in numerous versions of CSI/SVU/and even M*A*S*H, and we’re up to date with a hundred or so reality TV shows, life in Thailand’s TV land is quite different.
Television started broadcasting in June 1955, with colour telecasts introduced in 1969, and there are six free to air television stations, but the most popular shows among the 66 million or so population are their soap operas.
1. Soap Operas
As in all countries, soap operas reflect aspects of life, and in Thailand these are shown every night on prime time TV, with many channels airing three soaps simultaneously using the most popular stars to gain the biggest viewer numbers. At the time of writing the top rated show in Thailand was Saneha Sanya Khaen, a soap opera loosely translated as Bittersweet Promise Of Revenge – and from what I could see it followed the format of most Thai soaps: baddies try to stop boy and girl getting together, a lot of melodrama ensues, boy and girl marry and live happily ever after! But with over 10 million people watching, it’s obviously a formula that works.2. Thai Boxing
Perhaps not surprisingly, Thai Boxing or Muay Thai is very popular on the box – and as a live sporting spectacular. Muay Thai gained international popularity this century thanks to an increased interest in martial arts, but in Thailand, the top professionals are like superstars and sitting down to watch a match with the family is a bit like us watching an international football match for all the fervour it creates.