The BBC film crew stayed at Gecko Villa during the filming of the "Rice" episode of the Channel 4 series "Blood, Sweat and Takeaways."

Gecko Villa became part catering facility, part translation house and fixer, and accommodation provider to a rotating crew, who were either working or relaxing at the villa or out in the field filming.

The house rented by the British particpants in this reality TV documentary was located in a nearby village, and the rice paddies in which they were set to work were also in close proximity to  the villa.

Whilst viewers were entertained by the sight of a somewhat fractious group of young UK visitors trying to eke out a living in the rice paddies of Isaan, the local villagers found it a hoot to watch the tears and tantrums of large foreigners unable to work in the paddies, terrified of unseen spiders, complaining about the hot sun under which "farang" would normally sunbathe (whilst the Thais will cover up to avoid darkening the skin), or to keep up with their Thai counterparts. Only one of the participants earned their respect, throwing himself wholeheartedly into ensuring that the work required of them was completed whilst facing any hardship with a "stiff upper lip" attitude that the programme would seem to suggest has disappeared from English culture.

Yet the local villagers were also impressed that a reputed overseas news channel should deem their small rice farming village of interest to their international viewers, and thoroughly enjoyed watching themsleves in the programme on a DVD kindly sent to Gecko Villa by the production house, Ricochet.