‘As someone who is half Thai, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth the moment the Love Island personality began promoting her documentary, Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise’
Do you think the BBC and Zara McDermott determined they would be on the receiving end of so much backlash (again) for their recent documentary on Thailand? It’s easy to release a three-part series about the ‘dark side’ of any country, but it’s even easier to put more in-depth research into the delicate subject matter before confidently sharing it with the world.
As someone who is half Thai, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth the moment the Love Island personality began promoting her documentary, Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise. I immediately knew that so many crucial elements needed to explore a country’s underbelly would be ignored.
Within me was also a deep concern that the stereotypes about Thai people would only worsen. How many times can I be asked: “You’re from Thailand? Oh, ping-pong shows!” before I scream into the void from exhaustion?
Of course, it’s easy to walk down ‘Soi Cowboy’ and Khaosan road in hopes of creating a quick piece on the stereotypes of a beautiful country, but where was the research into why the sex tourism in Thailand boomed in the first place?
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While prostitution is one of the oldest professions in the world, the popularisation of sex massage parlours came during the Japanese occupation in World War II. When US servicemen used Thailand for ‘rest and recreation’ during the Vietnam War, amid a turbulent time of poverty, the number of sex workers catapulted.
Do we see the common denominator here? With Thailand being a Buddhist country with conservative views on sex, did they stop to think how this could impact the families of Thai women seen in the programme? And most importantly, why didn’t they focus on the true problem, the Western tourist’s morbid curiosity and depraved need to take part in it?
Yes, Thailand can be known for its rowdy nightlife, red light districts and sex work, but that’s only if you travel there with those goals on your mind. It was concerning to watch all the British and Western tourists diving nose-first into the country’s ‘dark side’ the moment they landed in Bangkok’s airport, when most people travel to Thailand for its food (and yes, there’s more to Thai food than Pad Thai) and culture.
Within 10 minutes of the first episode, Zara interviewed a few British tourists on the infamous Khao San Road (where only tourists visit, by the way). They all had the same tired answers. One lad said: “It’s like Benidorm on steroids! Cheap, cheerful and full of women. If you’re a single lad, get down here.”
Another confidently yelled out: “It’s £10,” while proudly discussing the easy access to sex workers. “£10 for the full night.” It wasn’t until he said: “It’s part of the culture, isn’t it?” that I went from falling asleep listening to the same-old narrative about Thailand to being infuriated by their insolence. It’s wildly offensive considering they didn’t even book their tickets to Thailand to experience the real culture.
Not long after, Zara made her way to a drinking road called ‘Soi Cowboy’ in hopes of speaking to a sex worker. Zara was surprised to see police patrolling the area and questioned why the women and bar owners were unwilling to participate in their self-serving series.
The reality star revealed the police threatened to arrest a few of the crew members. She said: “It feels very odd that the police aren’t unbiased in this situation. They’re on the side of the people doing the illegal activities. They’re on the side of these illegal bars.”
Isn’t that the issue in every country? When has anyone ever accused the police of being fair? Towards the end of the first episode, Zara stated Thailand is filled with ‘double standards’ as if we didn’t recently watch Keir Starmer claim there’s no ‘room for political violence’ after Charlie Kirk’s death, all while happily arresting peaceful protestors in England.
“I want a foreign boyfriend. I want to have a better life,” said one anonymous sex worker in the second episode. Meanwhile, the foreign tourists in the programme condescendingly talked about Thai women as they made jokes about their limited English (“We do boom boom”).
Many content creators based in Thailand took part in the programme, and most of them came out to slam the corporation, claiming scenes were staged and dialogue was edited to fit their narrative.
One man, who runs channel Mac TV Travel Learn Inspire, showed Zara around the red-light district in Pattaya, but since claimed producers “edited” his dialogue and “dramatised everything.”
However, the BBC ‘refuted any suggestion that this contributor was misrepresented and that any sequences were fabricated,’ saying: “He was fully briefed before participating, fully consented and understood the nature of his contribution and the series as a whole. Zara McDermott has explored a range of sensitive issues in multiple documentaries for BBC Three over the past five years.”
Mac claimed: “I made it very clear what I was going to say and what I wasn’t going to say. And they said, ‘Okay, don’t worry, it’s fine, we won’t ask you.’ That was complete lies, they asked me everything under the sun, but I didn’t give them the answers they wanted, and they started to get very frustrated and flustered.”
He also alleged that Zara, who has carved out a career as a documentary presenter since finding fame on Love Island, had “no opinions” of her own, and that all of her questions and points of discussion were fed to her by a producer.
“And while I was walking down the street, and talking to Zara, there were different points where they took my conversation from over here and took my conversation from over there, from different parts of the night, and they chopped up my voice and made me say things in sentences that I didn’t actually say. I thought that was really sneaky and deceiving that they did that,” he said.
Another British content creator, Emily Srichala, who speaks fluent Thai and has resided in the country for over a decade with her Thai spouse, apologised to locals after watching the series. In a social media video, she claimed the BBC emailed her in 2024 requesting to interview her and other Brits, which she agreed to as she assumed the series would be about Thailand’s rich culture. When she learned it was anything but positive, she was shocked.
The BBC reportedly asked about her lifestyle in Thailand, and Emily provided the perfect answer: “I told them I live like a local, I don’t live like a Brit.” She added: “They probably didn’t want me in the series because I didn’t say anything bad about the country.”
Viewers were just as dumbfounded, with one posting on social media: “Thailand, a country heavily reliant on tourism, deserves more responsible and balanced reporting.” Another said: “Her documentary on Thailand felt poorly handled. As an Asian viewer, I was repulsed by how judgmental and patronising it is.”
The incredible content creators I talked to also felt uneasy with the programme, with one shared her worries on how it could “harm the country’s reputation and negatively impact tourism, which is such a vital part of our economy.”
Patty, who is a Thai food reviewer based in London that goes by @londonfoodieexpat on TikTok on Instagram, told me: “Growing up in Thailand, I’ve seen how hard people work to move past old stigmas of being a ‘third-world country’ where people are out to scam tourists. While I don’t deny that there may be a small element of truth in what was shown, the documentary presented only about 0.1% of the reality — and it was far from a fair reflection of Thailand as a whole.”
Touching upon the ‘recycled narratives’, Patty – who showcases the best of authentic Asian food in England – added: “These narratives have been recycled for years. Thankfully, today’s audiences are far more discerning. People can see and share their own experiences instantly on social media.
“That’s why I believe this documentary won’t damage Thailand’s image — if anything, it has encouraged even more people to defend us. The overwhelming sentiment online is that Thailand is safe, welcoming, and full of warmth. I’ve been deeply touched to see so many voices around the world standing up for Thailand and recognising the kindness of its people.”
Meanwhile, one content creator pointed out how “many of the issues they showed tourists having were caused by unusual behaviour or bad decision making”.
Lukgate, who fell in love with the country when she first visited at 18 years old and lived there for over a decade, is a British digital creator and business owner who fully immersed herself in the culture and now speaks fluent Thai, earning the love and admiration of locals who were impressed with her dedication.
She, like many of us, was ‘disappointed and angry’ with the Dark Side of Paradise. Lukgate, who boasts over 50,000 followers on TikTok, told me: “Although the documentary wasn’t all negative, it took a narrow and oversimplified view. They should have given a wider perspective. It seemed to focus on shock value and dramatised the ‘arrest scene’, obviously they were going for clickbait.
“The choice of an ex–Love Island star as presenter lacked integrity, given the show’s own reputation for exploiting sexuality, glamorising toxic behaviour, and promoting unrealistic body ideals – basically terrible role models for young people. It appeared hypocritical for her, of all people, to pass judgment on women from disadvantaged backgrounds for the choices they have made to survive.
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“I laughed at the mediocrity when she said ‘I want to speak to a sex worker’ like it was some ground breaking moment that had never been done before. It was clear she hadn’t looked up prior investigations on Thailand.”
She went on to point out that the sex industry makes up less than 1% of the population, adding that Thailand is ranked and reported as one of the safest places for female travellers.
The ‘unimaginative’ and ‘well-worn narrative’ rightfully angered so many people, and the disappointment in the BBC probably won’t die down for many. “The piece did not present a progressive or original perspective, nor did it demonstrate the qualities of rigorous journalism. It relied on reductive stereotypes that constitute misrepresentation and, in fact, risk perpetuating offensive and dangerous misconceptions,” the creator continued.
“They also didn’t mention the rich and diverse culture, cuisine, creativity and craftsmanship Thailand offers. Plus what a sense of pride and care Thai people put into their country and hospitality towards others.”
My own mother, whom I rushed to call the moment the documentary dropped, was disappointed after learning about its contents, which spread across Thai social media like wildfire. In our bi-weekly hours-long debriefs, she mentioned: “It’s all about your intention. If you intend to come to Thailand to experience culture and nature, then you will see it.
“But if you’re heart is set on darkness, then that’s where you will end up. They shouldn’t have made the documentary… Their minds were already pre-set on the ‘dark side’.”
She went on to list everything she loves about the country that made her who she is today, from the mountains in Chiang Mai and the crystal clear beaches in Krabi to Bangkok’s bustling Chinatown as well as the country’s awe-inspiring temples.
If you really want to experience a virtual taste of Thailand with powerful storytelling, take an hour out of your day to watch the late Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, when he visited the northern city of Chiang Mai. The celebrity chef and documentarian provides viewers with a masterclass on how to understand other cultures all while showcasing culinary diversities.
He fully immersed himself into the Thai lifestyle, with the star drinking homemade liquor with farmers, flirting with the ‘Khao Ka Moo’ (Pork leg and rice dish) hawker stand auntie, and singing karaoke with locals.
While many worry about the damage the documentary could cause to Thailand’s tourism, I’m personally relieved to see the number of people banding together to share what Thailand is truly about. And please, next time you go to Thailand, respect the people and the culture.
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