Hormones series 'to be re-edited'

Published: 25 Jul 2013 at 19.47

Online news: Local News

Thailand's controversial hit TV series Hormones may have to be re-edited after the National
Broadcast and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) deemed the shows content to be
obscene.
Hormones, produced by Grammy-owned GMM Thai Hub (GTH), has been broadcasted online and
on television. A total of nine episodes have been released since May 2013.
The plot revolves around a group of teens who face a variety of problems as they go through the
phase of being a Thai high school student.
The series acquired millions of fans over a short period of time with its explicit and accurate
depiction of issues young Thais face in real life, such as sex, drugs and gang violence.
Peeramong Manakit, a member of the NBTC board and subcommittee in charge of content and
programme slots, said Hormones put indecent thoughts and images into the minds of the
audience, violating article 37 of the Thai Public Broadcasting Act.
Mr Peeramong said scenes of students before and after having sex and of students purchasing
birth control pills from illegal abortion centres are some examples of parts from the show that need
revision.
He said the commission has to consider whether it should allow the Thai public to accept whats
portrayed by the series as reality or not.
A meeting between executives of Grammy and NBTCs board members to discuss the shows
content and broadcast channels was scheduled for Wednesday, but was postponed to Aug 5 on
Grammy's request.
The commission also requested the submission of original footage used in all of the nine
broadcasted episodes.
Jadet Chaowilai, director of the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation, opposed the
NBTCs decision, saying the commission is old-fashioned and in denial.
Hormones is helpful to society, he said. It aids teen and young adult audiences to better
understand sexual problems.
"In the Rang Ngao drama, [actresses] slapped each other but the NBTC did not take any action.
Now that there's a useful show, the commission gets all worked up about it," Mr Jadet said.
Series director Songyos Sugmakanan said he was concerned over the making
of Hormones because Thai society is very sensitive to this sort of material. Thailand is ruled by
adults who dictate right and wrong without providing any explanations.
"Banning movies or censoring violent media content does not solve issues. People need to be able
to think for themselves. I have put my thoughts into the show and am playing my part in being
responsible towards society," he said.

The father of a teenage actor in the show, on Thursday revealed his child was taking illicit drugs in
a photograph that leaked online on Wednesday night.
In the photo, the actor is using what appears to be homemade drug equipment.
The father said at a press conference that he had confronted his child after the photo surfaced.
The actor confessed to experimenting with illegal drugs once, he said.
He said the actor and his family feel very sorry. The incident happened because the actor was
young and inexperienced, the father added.
The actor was scheduled to appear at the press conference in person but did not show up.
Earlier, Play Channel, a subsidiary of GTH, a movie company that holds the actor's contract,
posted a comment in regard to the photo which contradicts the fathers statement.
It wrote that the picture was taken while the actor was shooting a television show called "Play
Gang Boy Meet Girl Special". The item that resembles drug equipment is actually a prop for the
show.
The actor plays a leading role in Hormones and has acted in many soap operas, movies and
music videos.
Checking your understanding
Question 1: What is this series about?
Question 2: Why the series need to be re-edited?
Question 3: Who expects that the series is useful? Why?
Question 4: Did the actor mentioned above really took illicit drugs? Explain.
Question 5: When was the first episode released?
Question 6: How many episodes have been released up to now?
Question 7: What did Jadet Chaowilai think about the commission?
Question 8: According to the passage, what is the charateristic of the Thai society to
some sorts of delicating materials?
Question 9: At last, when will the meeting between excutives GHT and NBTCs board
membered happen?
Question 10: How many ways are there can the audience watch the series? What are
they?