Soapie has hostesses in a flap

2008-01-21 11:10

Bangkok - A popular new Thai soap opera about love and infidelity in the high skies has angered Thai Airways flight attendants, who demanded on Monday 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 about a dashing married pilot having an affair with one of his tall, slim flight attendants. There are love triangles that lead to fighting in the aisles and steamy sex scenes at stopover cities.

The Thai Airways International union issued a letter on Monday urging the Culture Ministry to order the show to be pulled from the air.

'This kind of thing never happens'

"This soap opera is insulting and damaging to the reputation of flight attendants," said Noppadol Thaungthong, a Thai Airways flight attendant 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."

The letter says that young Thais aspiring to become flight attendants might be turned off from the profession after seeing the show.

"We are demanding that the station and the producers immediately stop airing this ugly soap opera," Noppadol said.

A Culture Ministry spokesperson said officials could not comment until seeing the letter, which was to be formally delivered by flight attendants later in the day.

Thailand's Channel 5, which broadcasts the show, says it has no plan to pull the soap opera but will consider suggesting that scenes found to be offensive be edited out, said spokesperson Thawinan Kongkran.

"The producer says the soap opera reflects all sides of the profession," Thawinan said. "If some scenes are inappropriate, as the labour union says, we will ask the producer to change that."

- AP