Bokchoi

HOW THAIVISA TRASH THEIR CUSTOMERS. As a businesswoman in the Greater Mekong region and now Thailand I finally opted to leave ThaiVisa despite having a good relationship with everyone there. In this day & age of "mutual respect" comments I read on that website from "moderators & administrators" made me re-consider belonging to an outfit like that - even if only a once or twice a month reader. Below is an email exchange which supports the popular view that ThaiVisa "moderators/administrators" lack the depth, quality & caliber which professionals & business are looking for. Imagine writing an email to a businesswoman telling me that maybe I'm a "man" if I cannot laugh at moderator rudeness towards a male-customer who contributed a comment in the 'Ladies Forum'. the subject was "visas" - a very generic topic and not gender-based. Putting ThaiVisa behaviors in the public domain is important given its regular practise of publicly lashing out at hapless customers whilst hiding behind anonymity & a belief of safety in numbers ! Its in the public interest to be made aware of ThaiVisa moderator/administrator behaviors. Read on - Email One Bokchoi commences Emails to Thai-Visa Admin/Moderators on concerns of very public rudeness displayed to several customers. To: support at thaivisa Date: 30 December 2013 14:02 Good afternoon, Subject: Thai Visa Thread - MY OPTIONS AS A FARANG WOMAN MARRYING A THAI GUY. Complaint about Post No 9 Comments made by Moderator Boo I am a member of 3 or 4 forums/blog-sites mainly out of reading interest, given my business venture in the Greater Mekong Region and more recently Thailand. I appear at speaking engagements and even act as moderator for some TV (television) debates out of Singapore. So it is with some interest I began following how 'Thai-Visa moderators' respond to infractions. I enjoy reading contributions to Thai-Visa. I agree that some are off-subject or on-the-attack quite viciously. Deleting these comments is natural. Sadly, in the present thread what comes across is moderator comments some may say is a Thai-apologist style, as well as, on display is a need by moderators to protect a personal-Thai-narrative. I am not in a Thai nor farang relationship. I have no views one way or the other. I am a casual once or twice a month reader of Thai-Visa. Its often easier to say nothing about the quality of moderator comments esp. when one has been forewarned about the situation. Its also important to stress that Thai-Visa does have a handful of quality, mature, moderators who add much value to a debate / thread. In keeping with Rule 21 – I am writing to express serious concerns about verbal attacks on posts deemed unfit by some 'moderators' - whilst at the same time locking out comments which offend the moderators. I do it with some reluctance & respectfully. However after reading several threads and moderator attacks on contributors its important to provide this feedback and let things take their course. It does not seem okay for a moderator to be offensive in retorting to contributors whereas contributors are needed to toe the line – something readers notice time and again in Thai-Visa commentaries. Deleting a post & putting up a sign which guides people can be done in a civil manner like the thousand other websites & blogs do. In fact many moderators on Thai-Visa do it rather well. There's nothing productive or uplifting or enriching (to the mind or to the bank account) witnessing a 'moderator' use his/her title to verbally attack people as has happened on this thread. As human beings surely we are capable of better especially if we hope to moderate a topic and be respected for a job well done. It would help for people to ask themselves if he/she would reply in a particular style were there no anonymity. Hiding behind anonymity to deliver rude one-liners to helpless contributors is called “bullying” in some circles. Telling people that they are "tiny minded" or go down to "the pub where someone might give some poos" is a no-no-zone for quality moderators. This is only one example of low-calibre moderation I've witnessed on Thai-Visa. If you need more feedback one has only to google 'Thai Visa moderator'. Thai Visa is an informative blog ie: if one leaves out some moderator comments. As I said, I am providing this feedback reluctantly and respectfully. I have nothing to gain nor lose personally since Thai-Visa is a once or twice a month browse for me. Its hoped the feedback benefits the owners of this site who are no doubt intent on fostering a professional trustworthy brand image. Thank you, kind regards Bokchoi ++++++++++ On 30 December 2013 16:17, "Thaivisa Support" emails Bokchoi to justify public name-calling & rudeness displayed towards its customer(s) Hi Your post was edited for blatantly breaking forum rules. You did not receive a formal warning for discussing moderation publicly but you could have easily by a different moderator. Since you seem to be a man I can inform you that your objection was to moderation in the Ladies forum. A forum which attracts a very large number of aggressive and misogynist men. There are times when the female moderators patience runs out. I would suggest that you if have difficulties with this you stay out of the Ladies forum Kind regards, Linda Thaivisa Support Team +++++++ Bokchoi will have none of the excuses from Thai Visa and writes back. After this email Thai-Visa fell silent. No apologies for rude public behavior to customer’s was ever made. Email Two to: Thaivisa Support date: 30 December 2013 17:28 Hi, Thank you for your quick response. First and foremost I object to being called a "man" moreso since one of my lines of business in Asia is women's cosmetics and a second women's leather goods & accessories. Being feminine is something I take pride in !! It takes a very simple mind to suggest that "men will object to this post" and "women agree with this post". To educated professionals - rudeness to customers is plain rudeness and gender does not enter the equation. Also, "running out of patience" is not an excuse professionals use. Secondly, my email was "general feedback" ie: relating to several Thai-Visa threads/forums I've read. I went to great lengths to explain this. So my feedback is not about being edited. In fact being edited or even having a post deleted on Thai-Visa is quite inconsequential and really no big deal. Its not like its the end of the world or shrinks my bank balance. Providing honest feedback on moderator comments I've witnessed has been and remains the object of my communications. With respect - Blaming either Men or Women ie: Thai-Visa 'customers' of being "aggressive and misogynist" when they break a rule hardly sounds professional. In my Asian business staff who respond to customer feedback by blaming customers are usually exited. Calling people "tiny-minded" and suggesting they "go down to a pub for poos" hardly sounds like quality moderation. The example I refer to is just one thread. Venture into other threads and one will find similar moderator outbursts. People of quality do not hide behind anonymity to throw insults at 'customers' visiting their website or hope for safety in numbers when defending bad behavior. If my complaint was a solitary one I'd agree with your analysis. Reading google comments confirms my concerns about the quality of some Thai-Visa moderators. Thai-Visa is a great information forum and my once or twice a month visits I find enriching during coffee-breaks. On holidays for Christmas I've spent a couple of moments to write you feedback. In providing the above feedback I speak with respect and after carefully considering things. I do not mean to offend. kind regards, Bokchoi