HMS Bulwark in Phuket
Phuket jet-ski operator JJ Naiman apologised to the Thai people for disappointing them on national television tonight, but said he was tricked into appearing on the controversial British television series ‘Big Trouble in Thailand.”
The jet ski operator who was shown bringing a gun out on British Royal Marines from HMS Bulwark, who were on Phuket on R & R, said he had been misled into thinking the film was ‘good for tourism’.
And Channel 3 gave a sympathetic hearing to JJ’s claim that the gun incident was set-up. He claimed the producer filmed him with the gun separately and then introduced it into his confrontation with the Royal Marine, 21-yr-old Jack Tebbott.
Producer Gavin Hill reacted to the claim with mild amusement. “I do have problems with the way this show is being put together but the gun incident is quite clear. It is a rolling shot, there are no cuts except when JJ tells me to stop filming
“Perhaps he wanted to impress the Marines to show them, look I can use a gun too, but they definitely took it as a threat and have already posted their views up on the internet.
Royal Marine Police Sergeant Wright (right) confronts JJ
“JJ is talking to Tebbott when he sorts of jumps a little and heads towards his hut. I follow with the camera rolling thinking, well I hope he is not just going to take a pee, then he takes out the gun and brings it out.
“I think they thought, ‘Boy we are dealing with a loose cannon here, maybe a whacko!”
“If somebody wants to make an issue of this I think I am on pretty strong ground.
“We of course never told JJ we were making a film to promote tourism. We told him we were filming with the Thai police to show how Brits behave on holiday.
“Actually they day we met JJ he said he had just come out of jail for having no licences for his guns.”
The gun - don't those pale legs belong to Marines?
Footnote: The editors in London did however move sound from another part of the video and put it over the point when JJ arrived with the gun. Gavin Hill has complained about this.
Here are his comments:
No -(this refers to my question. Did I get it wrong, was this not rolling footage?) but good detective work going on there,(noticing the sound had been changed picked up by one website here (www.thailandlandofsmiles.com) which accords with what I told you about Vera moving the audio.
There is no cut from the moment JJ walks out of his hut-like place where he keeps his guns.
I tilted down with the camera when he said don’t film. After that there’s the effect of the TV going on the blink.
Why did they put that in? Because JJ goes and puts the gun back in his hut and everything fizzles out - that was the climax.
I can upload the video tomorrow - have it here, if that would help.
In terms of the link below you are right - there is no cut between JJ emerging with the gun, hidden behind his back and approaching the Marines, during which time I’m focused on the gun.
Anyway, the point is - in the midst of negotiations, whilst awaiting Tim, MP - JJ produces the gun and the Marines are justifiably rattled. They were, they said so at the time and have posted as much since. But they weren’t scared out of their wits because, I guess, they’re used to being around guns and I think they’re quite smart, level-headed chaps not prone to panic.
I was worrying at the time far more than the Marines were.
Hope this clears things up. The fact remains that Vera did over-sensationalize this clip by moving the earlier audio over to JJ approaching the Marines, gun in hand. I am troubled by this, but aside from dramatic effect I’m not sure it alters what was an unnerving and unpredictable situation with a drunken lout backed up by thugs, holding a man to ransom and demanding cash from him. The gun was an unnecessary addition and escalation to the proceedings and JJ only has himself to blame for that - whatever his motive was for bringing out the gun. And it’s the only moment where I’m filming without his consent - that said he was to cover it all with a blanket release form.
The real victim here-poor JJ. Well, at least this series is good for a laugh. (As in unbelievable behavior by JJ and his jet ski buddies.)
Another Thaksinism if ever I saw one! The two have a great deal in common! All excuses, no responsibility for anything serious!
JJ can say what he likes, the thais might believe him because they desperately want to but the rest of the world needs no further proof that he is dangerous, aggressive and a menace to fun loving tourists who come to Thailand for a dream holiday but are instead subjected to nightmares like JJ and his thai cronies.(Edited)
The ordinary ‘ Thai ‘ hasn’t a clue but the folks pulling the strings in this flim flam do and are trying their best to bury the fallout. Hopefully the Taunton boys, aided by Hill and your goodself, will ensure all the others in Iraqistan know about this (******* **** edited) and the local Old Bill for future reference and all the best endeavours of Channel 3, The Nation and the rest of the chicken-headed Chinese Thai Mafia will be wasted.
So what is the truth Andrew?
I guess Juthamas has a similar excuse regard the Bangkok Film Festival
Westerby: You lost me when you got to the Taunton Boys. Are they the Cosa Nostra of cider country?
Indeed, the Taunton Boys have the entire West of Somerset by the Quantocks! Almost as bad as the Wellington Boot Boys!
Andrew - I posted this response on another forum. Please share.
Pattaya Ghost – a lot less electrifying suits me just fine! And so I hope it will continue – there does not appear to be much merit in Thailand for exposing anything that is harmful to tourism. Shoot the messenger appears to be the creed. ‘Thai Cops’ aka ‘Big Trouble in Thailand’ was meant to be a pro-police series, along the lines of Bravo series: ‘Brit Cops: Zero Tolerance’ but set in Thailand, and the reality pioneer American series ‘Cops’ devised by Bertram Van Munster. It was not supposed to upset any (rotten) apple carts or lift any rocks that are better left un-lifted. I can’t begin to tell you what high hopes I had for ‘Thai Cops’ as a returning series and how I genuinely thought it could PROMOTE tourism to Thailand, and at the very least encourage some visitors to behave better here. The whole idea was a Cops show – in part also inspired by an incredible ob doc series I watched years back: ‘Shanghai Vice’. These days in order to get anything commissioned in the UK there MUST be British involvement. This series was EVENTUALLY commissioned because it had lots of that – Brits traveling further than ever to wreak havoc (well, some of them), blundering into difficulty in a very foreign culture without any real understanding or appreciation for where they are, Brits assisting the Thai police as go-betweens (where does that happen anywhere else in the world?) and a police force that I wouldn’t mess with, personally, and all against a wonderfully exotic and sunny back-drop. Even though it appears – inadvertently – that I have upset the Thai police. To think I could have made a Western-style ‘Cops’ series in Thailand … well, I must have been bonkers. I can’t begin to tell you what a challenge it was making this series for someone especially concerned – to the point of going out of his way – NOT to harm Thailand’s image.
Actually, I think ‘Thai Cops’ was an excellent opportunity for the Thai police to promote themselves to foreign visitors, but an opportunity partially missed. The over-reaction to the series is sad. It was simply a pro ‘Cops’ type show with an Eastern flavour. Alas, that ‘Eastern flavour’ has left a nasty taste in my mouth. I realise now I should have applied for a job with TAT instead and churned out those soft-focused, dreamy ads. Now, there’s nothing fake or set-up about those, is there? That’s the REAL Thailand. There are certain things that should be left ‘unseen’ in Thailand as I have learned. So, roll on a less electrifying Episode 3 which, I will admit, is fake – because I actively only included content which would NOT damage Thailand’s reputation abroad. And with regard to money this series has made, there is very little money in this kind of TV and that’s the truth. Certainly less money than JJ makes. It’s a small, low budget show airing on a channel few people watch. The viewing figures for Episode 1 were 113,000 in the UK – out of a country of 60-odd million. Now, Thailand’s reaction and the help of You Tube/internet etc have certainly boosted the show’s reach, but we are all Thai-centric. This isn’t ‘Survivor’ or ‘American Idol’ so I won’t be getting rich quick. And nor would I want to if there is a perception that showing reality (not in the TV sense) isn’t good for Thailand as I love this country. Someone made a comment about Michael Moore. I agree wholheartedly – he has done terrible damage to America’s image abroad and should be arrested and imprisoned immediately. A sure case of waterboarding if ever there was one. Meanwhile, JJ should be awarded a medal for services to Thai tourism while I’m put in stocks and pelted with coconuts.
The Royal Marines had a base there and may still have. Friday nights in Taunton could be a little fraught if the lads were out and about flexing their muscles.It’s a pity the good Sergeant didn’t let them off the leash when the opportunity arose. Difficult to see how JJ talking from his hospital bed could argue it was all a put up job…
Of course. Yes these Marines are based at Taunton
why is Gavin Hill apologizing ? he did nothing wrong, and should be proud of his work, those video footage are going to be a classic and legend eventually. JJ is one funny guy for sure
Are these the hard Lympstone Royal Marine Commando types (Like Prince Edward)?
Or the Pith Helmet wearing, RM bandsmen, flute playing ‘A Life on the Ocean Wave’, ‘British Grenadiers’ and ‘I like it baddy baddy bumbum’?
The show is very interesting and many lessons to be learned from it. I wondered how you got the Thai’s to participate and now I know. The show didn’t put Thai police into a bad light. Its a great concept. But really hard to pull off with all the corruption and prostitution. Particularly the prostitution puts Thailand in a bad light and there is no way around it if you are going to film in those cities unless it is made legal. There is talk of legalizing it. If they do you could give it another go. Or you could do series or film about Thai on Thai crime.
The ferang that held up a store on an island last year using a kiddies toy gun recently went down for 7.5 years. JJ (using a gun that actually works & for a much bigger prize) gets 20 mins on primetime national TV to “blame the Jew”?
Amazing Thailand!
Alass this will all blow over in a couple of weeks,
and jj will be back doing the same thing.
Vinai Naiman I beleive is the son of a Dutchman who owned the Lucky Star Bar on Patong Beach many years ago. His name was ‘Wim’ and his wife or Vinai’s mother was known as Anne.
Wim also ran on the then ‘infant’ Phuket Hash House Harriers and his Hash name was ‘Wim Womble’
If my fading memeory serves me right his son was refered to as ‘Vinnai the terrible’ he was a wild child in those days!
Obviously jet ski’s were more profitable than running around the hills of Phuket?
Sir Lance
Off thread a bit here but what happened to the farang knocked out in the Go-Go in Part 2? Does he reappear in Part 3 or is he dead? He seemed to be on the receiving end of a severe beating but only gets his Warhol 15secs.
The guy knocked out in Part 2 is fine and well. I know him and heard about the incident when it happened last year.
Had an interesting experience with hire shops today. I’ve got a premise in Pattaya with a convenient car park. today I had discovered somebody had left a car in my car park overnight.
Later in the evening, some boys turned up claiming to be from a local car rent business. He claims that the renter had called the shop to the effect that he’s lost and can’t get back to the shop and had left the key in the car. It looks like the car had a little dent, so this renter had wised up and had cut his loss to whatever he put down for deposit, the ’shop’ would have charged something like 100,000 Baht for sure.
As I called in our local cop to check out the guy that he’s a legit shop, I can’t help but think that the publicity going about at the moment makes this renter wised up, I hoped he didn’t leave his passport a s a collateral, having to cut short one’s holiday from this is awful.
So hopefully the program could have a positive effect with people become more ‘clued up’
Had an interesting chat with the cop afterwards about dodgy rental place in Pattaya, he said that he’s been called to ‘mediate’ such disputes often, at the shop always give him a little ‘tip’ of gratitude afterwards, after a couple more callout to the same jetski, he wised up and stop going. I’m sure there’d be other cops willing to take his place, after all, it’s easy money.
The uncomfortable truth is that The Police is the most organised bunch of people roaming the streets with guns and law on their side, when there’s opportunity and motive to make money there’s potential for abuse.
The nature of the Police here is well understood by the Thais and may explain their indifference to the problem, the truth is very shocking, short of overhauling the whole of police force from the very top down, change will be difficult.
JJ is definitely a scammer, that shouldn’t even be disputed.
Obviously what JJ did was wrong. However, he’s just the lackey. I’ve run into him a couple times at the old Galaxy and he’s not evil incarnate. He knows that if he gets hit by a bus today, he will be quickly be replaced by someone else tonight. As long as the money flows into Mr. Big that’s all that matters. Go up the chain, past the relatives of the cops that front for the cops, past the cops that front for a couple wealthy people and see where the tribute is paid. You may not like the answer.
In case any of you picked up on JJ’s latent anger and feeling of invulnerability, you can thank his parents for that. I’ll lave the treatise on his father to others.My impression is that inside he’s got a lot of anger about farangs and how his father treated him, his mother and other Thais. It’s made him more sensitive to how the junket tourists treat the locals. My opinion and that’s all it is, is that he can justify the ripoffs by saying he’s doing to them what they did to him. If you talk to him, I am certain that even the most insensitive of you, will see he does have some redeeming features. Believe it or not, he’s charming and farang girls proposition him. My gut feeling is that he is a dangerous guy because he’s carrying alot of pain inside - the lack of a real father figure and not being taught right from wrong when he was a kid, kind of pain. Western prisons are filled with people like him.
Ryan: I have to say I believe your post is spot on from all the indicators I have been given. JJ talks big. He likes to show he can sort out errant tourists. However it is also very clear that there are many people above him. For instance he says our bosses do not like us to bring guns down to the beach. If it’s something really serious they will deal with it, he says.