Tinder ad slammed as an insult to Isaan women and Korat cuisine

Mahalin Paan, head of a women’s rights protection organization in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima, was dismayed at an illustration by the Tinder dating app company because it was degrading to women in the Korat province and downgrading the highly prestigious Korat’s dish (Pla Ra).

Tinder’s latest marketing campaign of that regarded as the top dating app in the world, the Thailand market now sees this application spread in almost every province. The campaign asks provincial visitors to not just find the special characteristics of the provinces but also uses Tinder as a great source, to connect with alluring people locally.

The advertisement of this project has its billboards on the main roads and city centers of each provinces. The internet in Thailand gave out one of such roadside billboards from the southern province of Songkhla on social media.

Call for removal

A tons of Thai netizens filled up the area behind the comment section with positive and funny comments, likes, comments and shares. Nevertheless, a group of women at Nakhon Ratchasima, which Korat is widely known for, stole the spotlight by disagreeing with their statements.

Likewise similar bills, popped up along the Friendship Road in the province of Pak Chong, Korat. It is a project of the province, which was set up by placing one billboard on the building on Pho Klang Road in the centre of the town.
Sledly, this sensation infers that “Korat stir-fried noodles (emoji indicates no) is delicious” and the emoji of heart eyes indicates that “Korat girls (emoji indicates yes)” is beautiful.

Chanyanut Surachat who acts for women’s rights security in Korat via an interview with Channel 7 TV correspondents told that there had been an advertising message, which she had seen dozens of times but could not get the point. After a careful watch over, she got to notice the ad to be the worst imagery of women belonging to Korat.

Chanyanut pointed out the shocking fact that the very word “delicious” which is peculiar to describing traditions and food-delight is now used to refer to females. In her view, the fact that they would use the surname of their husbands was an insult and a shame for the womens honor. This society offered her a way to express her dislikes of the broadcast, therefore, she sought for the booth to be taken off the road.

Suchitra urges the Tinder team to change their ad content, she says that people only should use their creativity, nothing at the cost of others. She stressed that the scope of her demonstration was not confined only to the community of Korat but rather it was a wider appeal which included all the provinces at large.

“Chanyanut noted the ad disrespected local women and clashed with her Pad Mee Korat dish’s image versus other noodles.”

Chanyanut says that the dish has zero bearing on this region and that can be found literally in province’s slogan. As for her, she said how the dish is tasty and to anyone that would visit the province should try.