The government plans to ask YouTube to remove a video poking fun at the Thai sex industry.
The 90-second spoof on Rosetta Stone language software joked that buyers could learn useful phrases in Thai - but the Culture Minister was not laughing.
The clip is a parody of a commercial for the Rosetta Stone language learning software.
The spoof was shown last weekend on Saturday Night Live, a US weekly satire show.
In the video, foreigners show interest in learning phrases like "How much?", "Is that for the whole night?" or "How can I take off your clothes?" in Thai.
Culture Minister Sonthaya Khunploem said Monday the Culture Watch Centre is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to remove the video. The government will also tell the US Embassy the spoof is tarnishing Thailand's image and will ask it to explain this to Saturday Night Live's producer, he said.
The parody has drawn many negative responses from both Thais and foreigners.
Most Thai internet users were not impressed with the video, saying the joke is too harsh and not at all funny.
EARLIER REPORT
The government plans to ask YouTube to remove a video clip mocking the sex industry in Thailand.
The clip is a parody of a commercial for the Rosetta Stone foreign language learning programme. The spoof was produced by popular American late-night television show Saturday Night Live.
In the video, foreigners are interested in learning the Thai language so they know how to say things like, "How much?", "Is that for the whole night?" or "How can I take off your clothes?" in Thai.
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Sonthaya Khunploem (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)
Culture Minister Sonthaya Khunploem said on Monday that the Culture Watch Centre is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an effort to have the video removed from the world's most popular video sharing website.
The government will also inform the United States embassy that the commercial spoof is tarnishing Thailand's image and will ask the embassy to explain the situation to the producer of Saturday Night Live, Mr Sonthaya said.
The parody has drawn many negative responses from both Thai and foreign netizens on YouTube.
Most Thai internet users were not impressed with the video, saying the joke is too harsh and not at all funny.
An internet user posted in Thai, "The Americans behave like this and this is why they're bombing their country."
"Even though it might be true, the producers should not offend Thailand this way," another Thai commented.
As for foreign netizens, some commented that people should not take the spoof too seriously but most were disappointed with it.