Overview

• BBC Three’s Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise follows McDermott in Bangkok and Pattaya as she examines drugs, prostitution and the conduct of some young British tourists.
• Residents and business owners in areas such as Khao San Road call the depiction one-sided and warn it could dent perceptions of safety and harm tourism.
• The programme refers to Thailand as the “sex capital of Asia” and includes footage of British visitors soliciting sex for as little as £23.
• A YouTuber who appeared on screen claims producers edited his dialogue and staged scenes, allegations he described as the film being “full of lies.”
• The BBC rejects the accusations of fabrication and says contributors were briefed and consented, while McDermott says her aim was empathetic conversations with sex workers.