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The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when
King Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พ� ...
's 1897 visit to
Bern german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...
,
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
was recorded by François-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populatio ...
, where it was exhibited. This sparked more interest in film by the
Thai Royal Family The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of th ...
and local businessmen, who brought in filmmaking equipment and started to exhibit foreign films. By the 1920s, a local film industry was started and in the 1930s, the Thai film industry had its first "golden age", with a number of studios producing films. The years after the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
saw a resurgence of the industry, which used
16 mm film 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical Film gauge, gauge of Photographic film, film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 mm film, 8 and 35mm movie film, 35 mm. It is ...
to produce hundreds of films, many of them hard-driving action films. The most notable action filmmaker in the 1970s was Chalong Pakdivijit. Known internationally as P. Chalong or Philip Chalong, Chalong became the first Thai director who could successfully break into the international market and made a profit with his 1973 action-packed film called 'GOLD'(S.T.A.B.). Competition from
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
brought the Thai industry to a low point in the 1980s and 1990s, but by the end of the 1990s, Thailand had its "new wave", with such directors as Nonzee Nimibutr, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
, as well as action hero
Tony Jaa Tatchakorn Yeerum ( th, ทัชชกร ยีรัมย์, , ; formerly Phanom Yeerum ( th, พนม ยีรัมย์, ); born 5 February 1976), better known internationally as Tony Jaa and in Thailand as Jaa Phanom ( th, จา � ...
, being celebrated at film festivals around the world.


History


The first Thai films

Auguste and Louis Lumière The Lumière brothers (, ; ), Auguste Lumière, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas Lumière (19 October 1862 – 10 April 1954) and Louis Lumière, Louis Jean Lumière (5 October 1864 – 6 June 1948), were French manufacturers of photography equipment ...
had a film exhibition that toured in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
in 1894, and on 9 June 1897, "the wonderful Parisian cinematograph" was screened in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populatio ...
, and is the first known film screening in Thailand. That same year, the film of the visit to Europe by King
Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร� ...
was brought back to Thailand, along with camera equipment acquired by the king's brother, Prince Thongthaem Sambassatra. ( th, พระองค์เจ้าทองแถมถวัลยวงศ์ กรมหลวงสรรพสาตรศุภกิจ) The prince, considered "the father of Thai cinema", made many films and his work was shown commercially. Japanese businessmen opened the first permanent cinema, the Japanese Cinematograph, in 1905. Japanese films were so popular that ''nang yipun'' became the generic term for all moving pictures. European and American films were called ''nang
farang Farang ( fa, فرنگ) is a Persian (and Southeast Asian) word that originally referred to the Franks (the major Germanic tribe) and later came to refer to White Europeans in general. The word "Farang" is a cognate and originates from Old ...
'' (after the nang drama (
shadow puppet Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated cut-out figures (shadow puppets) which are held between a source of light and a translucent screen or scrim. The cut- ...
plays) that were a Thai traditional art). Under another member of the royal family, Prince Kamphangphet, the Topical Film Service of the
State Railway of Thailand The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) ( th, การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย, abbrev. รฟท., ) is the state-owned rail operator under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport in Thailand. History The SRT was ...
was set up. The service produced many promotional documentaries for the railroad and other government agencies and became an important training ground for many filmmakers. One of the early works produced was ''Sam Poi Luang: Great Celebration in the North'' ( Thai: สามปอยหลวง), a docudrama that became a hit when it was released in 1940.The rise of Thai cinemas (ความรุ่งโรจน์ ของอุตสาหกรรมภาพยนตร์ยุคบุคเบิก)
Another of the first Thai films was ''Nang Sao Suwan'', or ''
Miss Suwanna of Siam ''Miss Suwanna of Siam'' ( th, นางสาวสุวรรณ; ), was a 1923 romance film written and directed by Henry MacRae, set in Thailand (then Siam) and starring Thai actors. It was one of the first feature films to be made in Thai ...
'', a
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
co-production with the Topical Film Service that was directed and scripted by Henry MacRae. It premiered on 22 June 1923, in Bangkok at the Phathanakorn Cinematograph. Unfortunately, ''Miss Suwanna'' has been lost over the years, with only a few still photos from it remaining. The first all-Thai feature was ''Chok Sorng Chan'' (''Double Luck''), produced by the Wasuwat brothers' Bangkok Film Company in 1927 and directed by Manit Wasuwat ( Thai: มานิต วสุวัต). That same year, a film company, Tai Phapphayon Thai Company, produced ''Mai Khit Loei'' (''Unexpected''). Seventeen films were made between 1927 and 1932, but only fragments have survived, such as a one-minute car chase from ''Chok Song Chan'' or a two- to three-minute boxing match from ''Khrai Di Khrai Dai'' (''None But the Brave''). Hollywood would also make movies in Siam during this time, including the documentary, '' Chang'', by
Merian C. Cooper Merian Caldwell Cooper (October 24, 1893 – April 21, 1973) was an American filmmaker and Academy Award winner, as well as a former aviator who served as an officer in the United States Air Force and Polish Air Force. In film, he is credited ...
and Ernest B. Schoedsack, about a poor farmer struggling to carve out a living in the jungle. In making the film, they were assisted by Prince Yugala Dighambara, grandfather of modern-day filmmaker Prince
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol ( th, หม่อมเจ้าชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล; ; born November 29, 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui ( th, มุ้ย), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and ...
. Robert Kerr, who served as assistant director to Henry MacRae on ''Miss Suwanna'' returned to Siam in 1928 to direct his own film, ''The White Rose''. It was shown in Bangkok in September 1928.


The Golden Age

By 1928, the first "
talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed befor ...
" were being imported, providing some heavy competition for the silent Thai films. In the tradition of the
benshi were Japanese performers who provided live narration for silent films (both Japanese films and Western films). ''Benshi'' are sometimes called or . Role The earliest films available for public display were produced by Western studios, portrayin ...
in Japan, local cinemas had entertaining narrators to introduce the films as well as traditional Thai orchestras that were often as big an audience pleaser as the films themselves, and but within two or three years, silent movies had given way to the talkies. The first Thai sound film was ''Long Thang'' (''Gone Astray''), produced by the Wasuwat brothers, and premiered on 1 April 1932. Considered an ideological film in the period of political reform, the film proved a big success and led to the building of the Sri Krung Talkie Film Company in
Bang Kapi Bang Kapi ( th, บางกะปิ, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bounded by other Bangkok districts (from north clockwise): Bueng Kum, Saphan Sung, Prawet, Suan Luang, Huai Khwang, Wang Thonglang, a ...
. It produced three to four films a year. In 1933, Sri Krung made the first colour Thai film, ''Grandpa Som's Treasure'' (''Pu Som Fao Sap''). This period up until 1942 is regarded by scholars as the "Golden Age" for Thai film. Among the hit films of this period was the 1938
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
, ''Klua Mia'' (''Wife-phobia'') by the Srikrung studio. It was shot on 35-mm colour stock. The stars were Chamras Suwakhon and Manee Sumonnat, the first Thai actors to be recognized as movie stars by having their names painted on their chairs while filming at the studio. As the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
loomed, and the country being led by a
dictatorship A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship are ...
under Field Marshal
Plaek Pibulsonggram Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram ( th, แปลก พิบูลสงคราม ; alternatively transcribed as ''Pibulsongkram'' or ''Pibulsonggram''; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. ( th, จอมพล � ...
film companies were pressed into service to make
propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...
films to whip up
nationalism Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: T ...
. Opposition politics found their way into film, too, with statesman Pridi Phanomyong producing '' King of the White Elephant'', in 1940. With all the dialogue in
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
, Pridi hoped to send a message to the outside world that he was unhappy with the militaristic direction his country was taking. The film depicts the story of an ancient Siamese king who only goes to war after he's been attacked.


Film dubbing

The advent of sound raised another problem for cinemas in Thailand: the language of the talkies. Soon a
dubbing Dubbing (re-recording and mixing) is a post-production process used in filmmaking and video production, often in concert with sound design, in which additional or supplementary recordings are lip-synced and "mixed" with original production so ...
method developed in which a dubber would provide a simultaneous translation of the dialogue by speaking Thai into a microphone at the back of the theater. The first Thai dubber was Sin Sibunruang, or "Tit Khiaw", who had worked for Siam Film Company and was the editor of the company's film magazine. Tit Khiaw and other talented dubbers became stars in their own right. They would perform all the roles in the films, both male and female, as well as such sound effects as animal noises, cars and gunfire. Also, there were film companies that could not afford to make sound films, and would make films with the intention that they would be dubbed at screenings by live performers reading from a script. These dubbed films proved as popular as the talkies, especially if the dubber was well known. Due to the extensive use of
16 mm 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educ ...
film in the 1970s, the technique has lasted up until recent years, especially for outdoor screenings of films at temple fairs in rural areas. Examples of a dubber at work can be seen in contemporary Thai films, '' Monrak Transistor'' (
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen fro ...
) and '' Bangkok Loco'' (
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
).


Post-war years: The 16-mm era

After the end of the Second World War, filmmaking got under way again in Thailand using surplus
16 mm 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educ ...
black-and-white stock from wartime
newsreel A newsreel is a form of short documentary film, containing news stories and items of topical interest, that was prevalent between the 1910s and the mid 1970s. Typically presented in a cinema, newsreels were a source of current affairs, inform ...
production. At least two Thai films were produced in 1946. One was an
action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include l ...
, ''Chai Chatree'' (''Brave Men''), directed by journalist-turned-filmmaker Chalerm Sawetanant. The screenplay was by writer Malai Chupinij, who would go on to script other films of the era, including ''Chao Fah Din Salai'' (''Till Death Do Us Part''). The other film noted by the National Film Archive for 1946 was an adaptation of a Thai folktale, ''Chon Kawao'' (''The Village of Chon Kawao''). The post-war boom in filmmaking really took off, however, with the use of 16-mm colour-reversal film, which was easy to obtain and make films with. The vividly coloured films were popular with audiences as well, prompting dozens of new filmmakers to enter the business.Thai films in 16-mm era
,Thai film foundation
Similar to the
dubbing Dubbing (re-recording and mixing) is a post-production process used in filmmaking and video production, often in concert with sound design, in which additional or supplementary recordings are lip-synced and "mixed" with original production so ...
of films during the pre-war years, some of these films used dubbers to provide dialogue and sound effects as the film was running, further adding to the entertainment value of the movies. From 1947 until 1972, 16 mm was the industry standard for Thai film production. The first hit of the era was 1949's ''Suparb Burut Sua Thai'' (''Thai Gentlemen Fighters''), which outgrossed
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
films at the local box office. That success prompted more enthusiasm for filmmaking, giving rise to the second "golden age" of Thai cinema.


Move toward 35 mm

At the height of the 16-mm era, cinematographer and director Rattana Pestonji sought to use 35 mm film and generally improve the artistic quality of Thai films. Most of his films are regarded today as masterpieces, including '' Santi-Weena'', which was the first Thai film to be entered into international competition, at the 1954
Asia Pacific Film Festival The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (abbreviated APFF) is an annual film festival hosted by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific. The festival was first held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1954. History The festival was first held in Toky ...
in Tokyo, and 1961's '' Black Silk'', the first Thai film in competition at the
Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
. Though Rattana made relatively few films, he worked tirelessly to promote the industry, and died in 1970 as he was to make a speech to government officials about setting up a national film agency.


The 1970s and '80s

Thailand saw an explosion of locally produced films during the 1970s after the Thai government imposed a heavy tax on imported films in 1977, which led to a boycott of Thailand by Hollywood studios. To pick up the slack, 150 Thai films were made in 1978 alone. Many of these films were low-grade action films and were derided by critics and scholars as "nam nao" or "stinking water". But socially conscious films were being made as well, especially by Prince
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol ( th, หม่อมเจ้าชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล; ; born November 29, 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui ( th, มุ้ย), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and ...
, a US-educated filmmaker and member of the
Thai Royal Family The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of th ...
, whose own family had been involved with filmmaking since the industry started in Thailand. Among Chatrichalerm's films during the 1970s was ''Khao Chue Karn'' (''Dr. Karn''), which addressed corruption in the Thai
civil service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
and was nearly banned by the military-dominated regime of
Thanom Kittikachorn Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn ( th, ถนอม กิตติขจร, ; 11 August 1911 – 16 June 2004) was the leader of Thailand from 1963 to 1973, during which he staged a self-coup, until public protests which exploded into viol ...
. Chatrichalerm also made ''Hotel Angel'' (''Thep Thida Rong Raem''), about a young woman trapped into a life of
prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
. He made dozens of films along these socially conscious lines through the 1990s, working up to his lavish historical epic, '' The Legend of Suriyothai'' in
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
. Another filmmaker active during this time was Vichit Kounavudhi, who made his share of action films as well as more socially conscious works like ''First Wife'', about the custom of men taking "second wives" or "mia noi" – a
euphemism A euphemism () is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one that is deemed offensive or suggests something unpleasant. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the user wishes ...
for mistress. Vichit also made ''Her Name is Boonrawd'' (1985), about
prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
around an
American military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
airbase An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military base by a military force for the operation ...
during the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietna ...
. Vichit's best known works are two semi-documentary films, ''Mountain People'' (''Khon Phukao''), an adventure tale about a young
hill-tribe Hill people, also referred to as mountain people, is a general term for people who live in the hills and mountains. This includes all rugged land above and all land (including plateaus) above elevation. The climate is generally harsh, with s ...
couple, and ''Look Isan'' (''Son of the Northeast''), about a family of subsistence farmers in 1930s
Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provi ...
. Also in 1985, director Euthana Mukdasanit made '' Pee Seua lae Dawkmai'' ('' Butterfly and Flowers''), highlighting hardships along the
Southern Thailand Southern Thailand, Southern Siam or Tambralinga is a southernmost cultural region of Thailand, separated from Central Thailand region by the Kra Isthmus. Geography Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, with an area of around , bounded ...
border. Not only did the film help expose urban Thais to regional poverty, the film broke new ground in its portrayal of a
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
-
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
relationship. It won the Best Film award at the
Hawaii International Film Festival The Hawai'i International Film Festival (HIFF) is an annual film festival held in the United States state of Hawaii. HIFF has a focus on Asian-Pacific cinema, education, and the work of new and emerging filmmakers. HIFF’s primary festival is ...
.


The Thai New Wave

By 1981, Hollywood studios were once again sending films to Thailand. Also,
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
(see also Media in Thailand) was a growing part of Thai culture. This was a low period for the Thai film industry, and by the mid-1990s, studio output was averaging about 10 films per year.Robert Williamson
Thai cinema: sustainable development or imminent decline?
,Thai film foundation
In the wake of the
Asian financial crisis The Asian financial crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of East Asia and Southeast Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion. However, the recovery in 1998� ...
in 1997, three directors of
television commercials A television advertisement (also called a television commercial, TV commercial, commercial, spot, television spot, TV spot, advert, television advert, TV advert, television ad, TV ad or simply an ad) is a span of television programming produce ...
Nonzee Nimibutr, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and Wisit Sasanatieng – were thinking that films needed to be more artistic to attract investors and audiences. The first breakthrough was in 1997, with Nonzee's crime drama, '' Dang Bireley's and Young Gangsters'' (''2499 Antapan Krong Muang''), which earned a record box office take of more than 75 million baht. Also in 1997, Pen-Ek's crime comedy, '' Fun Bar Karaoke'', was selected to play at the
Berlin Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
– the first time in twenty years that Thai cinema had had any kind of an international presence. Nonzee's next film, the ghost story '' Nang Nak'', was an even bigger success, earning 149.6 million
baht The baht (; th, บาท, ; currency sign, sign: ฿; ISO 4217, code: THB) is the official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 ''satang'' (, ). The issuance of currency is the responsibility of the Bank of Thailand. Society for Worldw ...
– the highest-grossing film at the time. Wisit, who wrote screenplays for ''Dang Bireley's'' and ''Nang Nak'', broke out with '' Tears of the Black Tiger'', a super-stylised western homage to the Thai action films of the 1960s and '70s. It was the first film to be included on the programme at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. There were also the Pang Brothers from
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, who came to Thailand to make stylish movies, starting with '' Bangkok Dangerous'' and the nod to
J-Horror Japanese horror is horror fiction derived from popular culture in Japan, generally noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre differing from the traditional Western representation of horror. Japanese horror tends ...
, '' The Eye''.


Thai independent film

With the New Wave directors achieving commercial and artistic success, a new crop of filmmakers has grown up outside the traditional and often restrictive Thai studio system to create experimental short films and features. The leader of this indie movement is
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
, whose
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
feature ''
Blissfully Yours ''Blissfully Yours'' ( th, สุดเสน่หา, S̄ud s̄aǹeh̄ā) is a 2002 Thai romance film directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. It won the prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Plot Min is an illegal Burmese immigrant living in ...
'' won the Un Certain Regard Prize at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. Featuring a risqué sex scene involving a Burmese man and a Thai woman in the jungle, the movie received only limited screenings in Thailand and a Thai-released DVD of the film was censored. Apichatpong's next film, ''
Tropical Malady ''Tropical Malady'' (สัตว์ประหลาด RTGS: ''Satpralat''; lit. "monster") is a 2004 Thai romantic psychological drama art film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film has a bifurcated structure; it is s ...
'', featuring a gay romance between an army soldier and a country guy, was a jury-prize winner at Cannes. It, too, only received limited screenings in Thailand. Other indie directors include Aditya Assarat (''Wonderful Town''), Anocha Suwichakornpong (''Mundane History''), Pimpaka Towira ('' One Night Husband''), Thunska Pansittivorakul (''Voodoo Girls''), Sivaroj Kongsakul (''Eternity''), Wichanon Somumjarn (''In April the Following Year, There Was a Fire'') and Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit (''36'').


Mainstream Thai cinema

With the emergence of GMM Grammy's own film studio, GTH and now GDH 559, Thailand's current mainstream film industry had made a slate of numerous commercially & critically successful films such as '' Fan Chan'', '' Shutter'', '' Kung Fu Tootsie'', '' Bangkok Traffic Love Story'' and Thailand's most successful and its highest-grossing film, '' Pee Mak'', which earned has earned more than 1 billion baht ($33 million) in revenue worldwide (mostly in Asia), and is currently the highest-grossing Thai film. Under GDH, formed after a internal company dispute it continued to produce a slate of successful films such as '' One Day'', '' The Promise'' and
Nattawut Poonpiriya Nattawut "Baz" Poonpiriya ( th, นัฐวุฒิ พูนพิริยะ, born 1981) is a Thai director, working extensively on television commercials and music videos, but best known for the films ''Countdown'', ''Bad Genius'' and '' One ...
's school heist thriller, ''
Bad Genius ''Bad Genius'', known in Thai as ''Chalard Games Goeng'' (), is a 2017 Thai heist thriller film produced by Jor Kwang Films and distributed by GDH 559. It was directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya, and stars Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying in her f ...
'' starring Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, which grossed around 112.15 million baht ($3.3 million). ''Bad Genius'' is currently registered as a national heritage film by the Thai Film Archive in its eighth annual listing, given its significance to the modern Thai film industry and contemporary Thai culture.


Censorship

All films,
VCD Video CD (abbreviated as VCD, and also known as Compact Disc Digital Video) is a home video format and the first format for distributing films on standard optical discs. The format was widely adopted in Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the ...
s and DVDs are placed under scrutiny of a censorship board. Until 2009, films were regulated by the Film Act of 1930. The first board of censors included both men and women and was drawn from the ranks of aristocracy, the civil service and the police. Each film passed by the censors had to include a stamp on each reel, and each item of printed advertising had to contain the stamp, too. The National Police was responsible for screening films and videos until September 2005, when the government's Ministry of Culture took over the function. Every VCD and DVD sold for home viewing must bear a stamp that it has passed the Censorship Board. On some VCDs and DVDs produced in Thailand, the censors sometimes take a hard line against depictions of
nudity Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to ...
,
sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, ...
,
smoking Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is typically breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have bee ...
, the presence of
alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of se ...
and
guns A gun is a ranged weapon designed to use a shooting tube (gun barrel) to launch projectiles. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns/cannons, spray guns for painting or pressure washing, p ...
being pointed at people, images that are forbidden on broadcast television. In other instances, violent acts might pass through uncut, but sex and nudity will be edited out. Before the digital age, scissors and
petroleum jelly Petroleum jelly, petrolatum, white petrolatum, soft paraffin, or multi-hydrocarbon, CAS number 8009-03-8, is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons (with carbon numbers mainly higher than 25), originally promoted as a topical ointment for its ...
were the tools of the trade for censors. Today the offending images are blurred out electronically. The effect of
pixelization Pixelization (British English, pixelisation) or mosaic processing is any technique used in editing images or video, whereby an image is blurred by displaying part or all of it at a markedly lower resolution. It is primarily used for censorshi ...
is so pervasive that the practice has been satirised in films, including
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
's action comedy, '' Jaew'' or '' M.A.I.D.'', as well as the
zombie A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in ...
comedy, '' SARS Wars''. Imported DVDs are generally not altered by the Thai authorities, though the Ministry of Culture's watchdogs do ban items, or at least strongly encourage retailers to not carry them. From the time the Ministry of Culture took over the censorship board until March 2006, about 40 VCD or DVD titles were banned, though a list of the banned items was not made available. In 2007, the independent film, '' Syndromes and a Century'' was to undergo cuts before public release in Thailand. The censors objected to depictions of a
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monk playing guitar, a physician kissing his girlfriend, some doctors drinking whisky in a hospital conference room and some monks playing with a remote-control flying saucer. Director
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
would not make the cuts and withdrew his film from release in Thailand. It had previously screened in other countries uncut. After the controversy over ''Syndromes and a Century'', the Free Thai Cinema Movement started to gain momentum in late April 2007. A petition signed by artists and scholars was submitted to the National Legislative Assembly, which was considering a new motion picture ratings system. The proposed system, passed by the
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distin ...
-appointed National Legislative Assembly proved controversial as well, as it would not imposes ratings structure but also keeps censorship in place. The 1930 Film Act was replaced in 2009 by a film-ratings system. The ratings system has six classifications – G for general audiences, P for "promote" as educational, 13+, 15+ and 18+ suggested viewing ages and the restricted 20- rating, which requires ID checks at the cinemas. A hidden seventh tier of the system is an outright ban by the Film and Video sub-committee.


Genres


Action

Action films are a predominant genre of Thai film. During the 1960s and '70s, when Mitr Chaibancha and Sombat Metanee were the leading action heroes, hundreds of hard-hitting, explosive features were made. In recent years, the martial arts films starring
Tony Jaa Tatchakorn Yeerum ( th, ทัชชกร ยีรัมย์, , ; formerly Phanom Yeerum ( th, พนม ยีรัมย์, ); born 5 February 1976), better known internationally as Tony Jaa and in Thailand as Jaa Phanom ( th, จา � ...
, '' Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior'' and '' Tom-Yum-Goong'', have put Thai action films on the international map. '' Kerd ma lui'' (''Born to Fight'') is in the same vein, and gives more exposure to action choreographer
Panna Rittikrai Panna Rittikrai ( th, links=no, พันนา ฤทธิไกร; ) or birth name Krittiya Lardphanna ( th, links=no, กฤติยา ลาดพันนา; , February 17, 1961 – July 20, 2014) was a Thai martial arts action choreog ...
, who toiled for decades making low-budget,
direct-to-video Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was ...
action films featuring dangerous stunt choreography. The culture of Thailand's B-movie stuntmen is further examined in the 2005 documentary, '' Crying Tigers'', by Santi Taepanich. Action comedies have also proven to be popular, including 2001's '' Killer Tattoo'' by Yuthlert Sippapak, who cast well-known Thai comedians, including Petchtai Wongkamlao and Suthep Po-ngam, in roles as bumbling hitmen.


Animation

Thai animation got underway after the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, when artist Sanae Klaikluen was asked by the Thai government to make a short
animated cartoon Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
that instructed Thai citizens to wear hats and farmers to wear boots. Sanae in turn influenced Payut Ngaokrachang, who made a 1955 short about a traffic cop called ''Haed Mahasajan''. Payut went on to make Thailand's first and only cel-animated feature film, '' The Adventure of Sudsakorn'', in 1979. Because of the labour-intensive work involved with animation, it was cheaper for studios to make live-action films, so animation was eschewed. But in recent years, Thailand's technology community has sought to make the country a hub for
computer animation Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes ( still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation ref ...
, with many animated television shows, commercials and video games being created in Thailand. In 2006, Thailand's first computer-animated feature film was released, '' Khan Khluay'', about King Naresuan the Great's war elephant. It is directed by Kompin Kemgunerd, on such
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
features as '' Atlantis: The Lost Empire'' and ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' and
Blue Sky Studios Blue Sky Studios, Inc. was an American computer animation studio based in Greenwich, Connecticut. It was founded on February 22, 1987 by Chris Wedge, Michael Ferraro, Carl Ludwig, Alison Brown, David Brown, and Eugene Troubetzkoy after their em ...
' ''
Ice Age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...
''. Although the work is being done on computers, Kompin has faced many of the same difficulties in funding and human resources that Payut faced.


Comedies

No matter what the genre of Thai film, most films – be they action, horror or romantic dramas – have some element of comedy. One of the classic comedies from the 1960s is called '' Ngern Ngern Ngern'' (''Money, Money, Money''). It starred Mitr Chaibancha and Petchara Chaowarat in a story about the nephew of an unscrupulous moneylender who takes sides with a group of debtors against his uncle. The remake of the film was done in the 1980s. In 2005, the comedy '' Luang phii theng'' (''The Holy Man'') starring comedian Pongsak Pongsuwan as a street hood who becomes a
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monk, was one of the top films at the domestic box office.


Crime

Most of the films by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang have been
crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
s, from his debut feature 1997's '' Fun Bar Karaoke'' to 2006's '' Invisible Waves''. A true-crime film, 2003's '' Macabre Case of Prom Pirom'' (''Keunbab prompiram'') by veteran director Manop Udomdej, about a 1977 murder-rape of a young woman in a rural village was controversial because the village where the case took place did not want the incident revisited. The film played at many overseas festivals, including the
New York Asian Film Festival The New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) is a critically acclaimed film festival held in New York City, dedicated to the display of Asian Film Culture. The New York Asian Film Festival generally features contemporary premieres and classic titles ...
. Another true-crime case about a cannibalistic serial killer in 1946
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populatio ...
was depicted in the 2004 film '' Zee-Oui''.


Gay films

Kathoey ''Kathoey'' or ''katoey'' ( th, กะเทย; ) is an identity used by some people in Thailand, whose identities in English may be best described as transgender women in some cases, or effeminate gay men in other cases. Transgender wom ...
(
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through t ...
people) or gay people are often featured as
comic relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic epis ...
or
villain A villain (also known as a " black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character ...
s in mainstream Thai films, but there have been a number of
films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...
that make gay people and kathoey the main characters. Transgender people and gay people are also known as "tdoot", originated from the title of the 1982 American film ''
Tootsie ''Tootsie'' is a 1982 American satirical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Dustin Hoffman. Its supporting cast includes Pollack, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durning, George G ...
''. One of the first was Youngyooth Thongkonthun's '' Iron Ladies'', or ''Satree lek'', based on a true story about a transgender gay men's volleyball team that won a national championship in 1996. It was a huge hit on the international festival circuit. The 2000 comedy spawned a sequel in 2003, '' The Iron Ladies 2'' ''(Satree lek 2)''. More loosely based on a true incident was the 2002 film '' Saving Private Tootsie'', which tells the story of a group of gay and kathoey entertainers who are lost in rebel-held jungle territory after their plane crashes. A squad from the Thai army, led by a gruff, homophobic sergeant played by veteran actor Sorapong Chatree, goes to the rescue. And the life of
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through t ...
Muay Thai champion Parinya Kiatbusaba (or Nong Tum) is related in 2003's '' Beautiful Boxer'', directed by Ekachai Uekorngtham. Unlike ''The Iron Ladies'', ''Beautiful Boxer'' was less comedic in tone. The 2003 film ''
Tropical Malady ''Tropical Malady'' (สัตว์ประหลาด RTGS: ''Satpralat''; lit. "monster") is a 2004 Thai romantic psychological drama art film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film has a bifurcated structure; it is s ...
'', directed by
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
, depicts a romance between a Thai army soldier and a local small-town boy. The narrative of the film then abruptly shifts in the middle to relate a folk tale about a tiger
shaman Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiri ...
, with the soldier alone in the jungle, haunted by the tiger-shaman's spirit. The film won a jury prize at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. Apichatpong also co-directed the low-budget digital movie, '' The Adventure of Iron Pussy'', with artist Michael Shaowanasai, who portrays a transgender secret agent. A musical, the movie also was an homage and a parody of the Thai films of the 1960s and '70s, with Shaowansai basing his character on the actress Petchara Chaowarat. In 2005, Thai film '' Rainbow Boys'', depicting a contemporary gay relationship, produced by Vitaya Saeng-aroon, saw a limited-release screening. Vitaya also produced the comedy-drama ''Club M2'', set in a gay sauna.The real pride in being gay
, ''The Nation (Thailand)''; retrieved 2007-11-17
And in 2006 there was '' The Last Song'', a remake of a 1985 Thai film about a transsexual cabaret dancer and her struggle to find acceptance and true love. '' Me ... Myself'' ( th, ขอให้รักจงเจริญ or ''Kaw hai rak jong jaroen'') is a 2007 Thai romantic drama film written and directed by actor-singer Pongpat Wachirabunjong. In the film, Ananda Everingham stars as a male dancer in a drag cabaret who must re-find himself after being struck by a car and suffering from
amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use o ...
. Another 2007 film, '' Bangkok Love Story'', directed by Poj Arnon, was critically hailed as a departure from the stereotyped view of homosexuals as transvestites. Gay Thai independent film producer similarly praised the film, saying director Poj Arnon was "brave enough to shake society up". In 2011, Thanwarin Sukhaphisit's Insects in the Backyard, a movie depicting the struggles of a family in which a transgender teenage son and daughter's lives are tormented by a lack of communication and an inability to communicate with their biological father to the point that they end up selling their bodies looking, very much in vain, for a way out of their own lives, became the first film to receive the Haw Heep rating, which banned the distribution and showing of the film. There is one scene which the national board of film reviewers deemed to be pornographic in nature and therefore determined in an impediment to national order. In 2012, Thanwarin's It Gets Better is marketed to a more mainstream audience, and was admitted by the film committee. The film portrays the story of a young boy whose father forces him to become a monk after he catches him wearing his mother's clothes and dancing around effeminately in his room. At first the boy resists, but is then captivated by the beauty of the monk who comes out of the temple, and so immediately changes his mind. The story runs alongside two other narratives, one of a man returned to Thailand to sell his father's business and the other of a woman whose purpose seems unclear throughout the story until the very end. We find out that the monk is the woman, who has come back to see her father but is killed by a thief before she can make amends with him. It turns out the bar/dance club was hers and her death is the reason for her son's return to Thailand; his father's identity was kept from him his whole life, but after he learns everything from his biological father's office, he goes to see his grandfather and the story ends.


Historical epics

Another staple of the Thai film industry, among the biggest was 2003's '' The Legend of Suriyothai'' by
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol ( th, หม่อมเจ้าชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล; ; born November 29, 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui ( th, มุ้ย), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and ...
, who had done research for many years to write the screenplay. With a huge budget, support from the royal family and the cooperation across the nation's film industry, this film is considered a true "national film". A follow-up epic is 2007's '' King Naresuan'', about 16th century ruler King Naresuan the Great, which topped the budget for ''Suriyothai'', and was shown in two parts. Other epics include '' Bang Rajan'' by Thanit Jitnukul, who has made several other historical battle epics, including '' Sema: Warrior of Ayutthaya'' and '' Kun Pan: Legend of the Warlord''. More recent history is depicted in '' The Overture'', covering the life of a palace musician from the late 19th century to the 1940s, and ''
The Tin Mine ''The Tin Mine'' ( th, มหา’ลัย เหมืองแร่ or ''Maha'lai muang rae'') is a 2005 in film, 2005 Cinema of Thailand, Thai biographical film, biographical Drama (film and television), drama film Film director, directed b ...
'', set at a mine in southern Thailand in the 1950s.


Horror

Many of the Thai early horror movies such as 1958 ''Mae Nak Phra Khanong'' and 1973 movie '' Krasue Sao'' (Ghosts of Guts Eater), th, กระสือสาว, featured Mae Nak and
Krasue The ''Krasue'' ( th, กระสือ, ), known as ''Ahp'' ( km, អាប) in Cambodia; as ''Kasu'' ( lo, ກະສື, ) in Laos; as ''Kuyang'' ( id, Kui'yang), '' Leak'' ( id, lei'yak), ''Pelasik'', ''Pelesit'', or ''Penanggalan'' in Indone ...
, ancient village
ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to r ...
s of Thai folklore that became very popular. Nonzee Nimibutr's '' Nang Nak'' in 1999 was a ghost story based on the same folkloric theme that had been depicted dozens of times throughout the history of Thai cinema and television. But it gave rise to a new crop of Thai horror and suspense films, including the Pang Brothers' '' The Eye'', Nonzee's pan-Asian compilation ''
Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
'', '' Bangkok Haunted'', directed by Pisuth Praesaeng-Iam and
Oxide Pang An oxide () is a chemical compound that contains at least one oxygen atom and one other element in its chemical formula. "Oxide" itself is the dianion of oxygen, an O2– (molecular) ion. with oxygen in the oxidation state of −2. Most of the E ...
and the 2004 box-office smash '' Shutter'' by Banjong Pisonthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom. In 2013, '' Pee Mak Phra Khanong'', another spin-off from ''Mae Nak'' folklore, became an instant hit throughout Southeast Asia, earning more than ฿1 billion. ''Pee Mak'' is currently the highest grossing Thai film in the history of Thai cinema. Examples of slasher movies include '' Art of the Devil'' and a 2005 sequel ( Long khong), as well as ''Scared'' and ''Narok'' (''Hell''), also in 2005. The horror genre also has spawned a number of genre-blending horror comedies, most notably the films of Yuthlert Sippapak, ''
Buppah Rahtree ''Buppah Rahtree'' ( th, บุปผาราตรี also ''Rahtree: Flower of the Night'' and ''Buppah Rahtree: Scent of the Night Flower'') is a 2003 Thai comedy-horror film written and directed by Yuthlert Sippapak. With its comic reference ...
'' (featured at the
Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
) and a sequel, and '' Krasue Valentine''. There has even been a
zombie A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in ...
movie, 2004's '' SARS Wars''.


Musicals

The biggest hit musical was 1970's '' Monrak luk thung'' (''Magical Love in the Countryside''), starring Mitr Chaibancha and Petchara Chaowarat. It was hugely popular, playing in cinemas for six months. As a result, a whole genre of luk thung musicals, rhapsodizing Thailand's rural life in
Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provi ...
was created. Another example was Dokdin Kanyamarn's 1971 musical comedy, '' Ai Tui'' (''Mr. Tui''), which starred Sombat Metanee and Petchara. In 2001 there were two movies that celebrated luk thung, the singing-contest comedy '' Monpleng Luk Thung FM'' ('' Hoedown Showdown'') and Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's, '' Monrak Transistor'', which paid tribute to the music of Suraphol Sombatcharoen. And in 2005, comedian-actor-director Petchtai Wongkamlao wrote, directed and starred in '' Yam Yasothon'', a colourful homage to the 1970s musicals. It was one of top films at the Thai box office.


Romance

Weepy, sentimental romance stories are audience favorites. Historically, Cherd Songsri's 1970s film '' Plae Chow'' (''The Old Scar'') is a classic tale of star-crossed lovers, and was one of the first Thai films to be a success internationally. During the 1980s, ''Baan Sai Thong'' based on the novel ''Kor Surangkanang'' was a popular hit."Thai govt pins border hopes on soaps"
, The Nation (retrieved January 2, 2007.
More recent examples include '' The Letter'', in which tissues were actually handed out at the cinemas. Childhood romance was a hit with 2003's '' Fan Chan'', which was made by six directors. One of the six, Komgrit Treewimol, went on to make the college-age romance, ''
Dear Dakanda Dear(s) or The Dears may refer to: Organizations * Duearity – a Swedish medtech company which trades on Nasdaq First North under ticker symbol DEAR. Manga * ''Dear'' (manga), a 2002–2007 Japanese manga series by Cocoa Fujiwara * '' DearS' ...
'', a hit in 2005, but took three years to completely write, cast, film, and tweak. Today, the romcom genre dominates the Thai cinema industry with the majority of the films are produced and distributed by GMM Grammy's GTH and GDH 559 with films like ''
Hormones A hormone (from the Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are required fo ...
'', ''
Hello Stranger "Hello Stranger" is a 1963 hit single by Barbara Lewis, which spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in ''Billboard'', crossing over to #3 on the pop chart. Original version "Hello Stranger" was written by Barbara Lewis herself, ...
'', '' I Fine..Thank You..Love You'', ''
Heart Attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...
'' and under GDH '' One Day'' by
Banjong Pisanthanakun Bangjong Pisanthanakun ( th, บรรจง ปิสัญธนะกูล) is a Thai filmmaker and screenwriter. He saw early success with his first two films, '' Shutter'' (2004) and '' Alone'' (2007), both horror films that he co-directed ...
.


Teen

As a genre, teen films arose in the 1970s, with director Piak Poster's '' Wai Ounlawon'', about a young man whose courtship of a teenage girl puts him at odds with the girl's irascible father. That young couple, portrayed by the original actors, were revisited 30 years later as embattled parents in the 2005 sequel, '' Wai Ounlawon 4'' ('' Oops ... There's Dad''). Music was an important component of the teen films, with a musical interlude featured prominently in the film and a soundtrack album that would be a popular hit. This was the case with both '' Wai Ounlawon'' and its recent sequel. Another noteworthy film of this genre is '' Fake'', which was the debut film by Thanakorn Pongsuwan. The film's modern, visual style offers a sharp-focus snapshot of the city of Bangkok and a plausible account of the mating game in its current forms.


Short films

In the burgeoning independent film movement, many
short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
s are being produced and featured in festivals. ''Graceland'', a film by Anocha Suwichakornpong, about an
Elvis impersonator An Elvis impersonator is an entertainer who impersonates or copies the look and sound of American musician and singer Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators, commonly known as Elvis tribute artists (ETAs), work all over the world as ent ...
, was featured in the
Cinéfondation La ''Cinéfondation'' is a foundation under the aegis of the Cannes Film Festival, created to inspire and support the next generation of international filmmakers. It was created in 1998 by Gilles Jacob. Since then it has developed complementary ...
competition at the
2006 Cannes Film Festival The 59th Cannes Film Festival was held from 17 to 28 May 2006. Twenty films from eleven countries were in competition for the Palme d'Or. The President of the Official selection Jury was Wong Kar-wai, the first Chinese director to preside over th ...
. It was the first Thai short film selected at Cannes. Short-film festivals in Thailand include the
Thai Short Film and Video Festival The Thai Short Film and Video Festival ( th, เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น) is an annual film festival held in Bangkok, Thailand, devoted to short film, student film, animation, experimental film and documentary films. E ...
by the Thai Film Foundation and the Fat Film Festival by Fat Radio. Thai short-film programs are also put together for the
Bangkok International Film Festival The Bangkok International Film Festival (BKKIFF) ( th, เทศกาลภาพยนตร์นานาชาติกรุงเทพฯ) is an international film festival held annually in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2003. In addition to fi ...
and the World Film Festival of Bangkok. for the past two years CNXWOOD Studios has co-sponsor a Film Festival, in the northern city of Chiang Mai in conjunction with Creative Kingdom Animation Studios Film. Pen-ek Ratanaruang's ''Twelve Twenty'' (30 min) was made as part of the Digital Short Films by Three Filmmakers project for the 2006 Jeonju International Film Festival. The film stars Ananda Everingham, has an appearance by American bilingual actor Erich Fleshman, and was shot by Christopher Doyle. The short film is shot in a minimalist style and slowly moves along the encounters of a man and a woman on a long-haul flight, where they spend the next 12 hours and 20 minutes reading, drinking, eating and watching movies and sleeping by each other's side without talking. In 2007, Digital Forum by Thai Film Foundation, Festival for a digital long-film


Foreign co-productions

While Thailand has a relatively vibrant filmmaking scene, Thai production companies rarely does co-productions in the country though there has been an increase in the number of Thai-foreign co-productions since the 21st century. Notable films include the Hong Kong-co production The Pang Brothers' '' Bangkok Dangerous'', ''Suddenly It's Magic'', although a Cinema of the Philippines, Filipino production, had starred popular Thai actors Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, the internationally co-produced film by
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
, ''Memoria (2021 film), Memoria'', and
Banjong Pisanthanakun Bangjong Pisanthanakun ( th, บรรจง ปิสัญธนะกูล) is a Thai filmmaker and screenwriter. He saw early success with his first two films, '' Shutter'' (2004) and '' Alone'' (2007), both horror films that he co-directed ...
's ''The Medium (2021 film), The Medium'', co-produced by Cinema of South Korea, South Korea's Na Hong-jin.


Festivals and awards


Film festivals

The
Thai Short Film and Video Festival The Thai Short Film and Video Festival ( th, เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น) is an annual film festival held in Bangkok, Thailand, devoted to short film, student film, animation, experimental film and documentary films. E ...
was first held in 1997. The Bangkok Film Festival was started in 1998, and was eventually supplanted by the
Bangkok International Film Festival The Bangkok International Film Festival (BKKIFF) ( th, เทศกาลภาพยนตร์นานาชาติกรุงเทพฯ) is an international film festival held annually in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2003. In addition to fi ...
, which started in 2002 and is organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The World Film Festival of Bangkok, sponsored by the Nation Multimedia Group, began in 2003, and it is held annually in October. In 2007, Digital Forum was begun in Bangkok as an outgrowth of the Thai Short Film and Video Festival, to showcase feature-length independent digital-video productions. Also in 2007, the inaugural Phuket Film Festival was held. In 2008, the annual Phangan Film Festival (PFF) was established on Koh Phangan, with a focus on spiritual and environmental indie films from around the world. In 2009, PFF's sister event, the annual Samui Film Festival (SFF) took place for the first time on Koh Samui.


Film awards

The first film awards in Thailand were the "Golden Doll" awards given by ''Tukata Tong'' magazine. The awards were first given in 1957. The statuette at first was a Thai dance, Thai classical dancer and later it was modelled after Phra Suratsawadi, the Thai-Hinduism, Hindu god of art. King Bhumibol Adulyadej handed out the awards in 1965 and '66. The ''Tukata Tong'' awards were discontinued after eight years due to organizational problems, but were revived in 1974 by the Association of Entertainment News Journalists of Thailand. The Thailand National Film Association Awards are organised by the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations. The name of the award is the Subhanahongsa Award. There is also the Bangkok Critics Assembly, which gives awards chosen by a panel of around 20 members, the Starpics Awards, given by ''Starpics'' magazine and the Kom Chad Luek Awards, given by ''Kom Chad Luek'' newspaper.


Key figures


Actors

* Mitr Chaibancha – legendary Thai leading man of the 1960s and '70s, died while filming a stunt * Sombat Metanee – record-breaking Thai leading man from the 1960s and '70s *
Tony Jaa Tatchakorn Yeerum ( th, ทัชชกร ยีรัมย์, , ; formerly Phanom Yeerum ( th, พนม ยีรัมย์, ); born 5 February 1976), better known internationally as Tony Jaa and in Thailand as Jaa Phanom ( th, จา � ...
– contemporary Thai action star, known for his hard-hitting stuntwork in '' Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior'' and '' Tom-Yum-Goong'' *Mario Maurer – young actor of Chinese and German lineage, widely known in Asia for his performance in ''The Love of Siam'' * Sunny Suwanmethanont – contemporary Thai actor of French and Singaporean descent, widely known for his roles in '' I Fine..Thank You..Love You'', ''
Heart Attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...
'' and ''Happy Old Year''


Actresses

* Petchara Chaowarat – iconic leading lady of Thai films in the 1960s and '70s * Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying – contemporary young Thai actress, widely known for her roles in ''
Bad Genius ''Bad Genius'', known in Thai as ''Chalard Games Goeng'' (), is a 2017 Thai heist thriller film produced by Jor Kwang Films and distributed by GDH 559. It was directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya, and stars Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying in her f ...
'' and ''Happy Old Year''


Cinematographers

*Ampornpol Yukol *Charnkit Chamnivikaipong *Phuttiphong Aroonpheng *Sayombhu Mukdeeprom – internationally known Thai cinematographer who worked with
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
and Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.


Directors

* Aditya Assarat – director of ''Wonderful Town'' and ''Hiso'', won a Tiger Award at the 37th International Film Festival Rotterdam * Anocha Suwichakornpong – director of Mundane History', won a Tiger Award at the 39th International Film Festival Rotterdam *
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
– avant-garde director, won three prizes at
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
, including Palme d'Or in 2010 *
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol ( th, หม่อมเจ้าชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล; ; born November 29, 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui ( th, มุ้ย), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and ...
– veteran director, maker of '' The Legend of Suriyothai'' and socially conscious films from the 1970s to the '90s * Cherd Songsri – one of the first Thai directors to make films with international audiences in mind *Nontawat Numbenchapol – director of ''By the River'', won a Cineasti del Presente - Special Mention Award at the 67th Locarno International Film Festival * Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit – director of ''36'', won a New Currents Award and FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Award at the 18th Busan International Film Festival * Nonzee Nimibutr – among the first directors in the late 1990s to re-energize the Thai film industry * Pen-Ek Ratanaruang – his films are frequently shown at major international film festivals * Rattana Pestonji – pioneering director; first Thai director to have a film in an international competition * Sivaroj Kongsakul – director of'' Eternity'' (ที่รัก), won a Tiger Award at the 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam * Thunska Pansittivorakul – director of ''Voodoo Girls'' *Wichanon Somunjarn – director of ''In April the Following Year, There Was a Fire'', nominated for the Tiger Award at the 2011 International Film Festival Rotterdam * Wisit Sasanatieng – director of '' Tears of the Black Tiger'' and ''Mah Nakorn, Citizen Dog''; also a noted screenwriter


Film editors

*Patamanadda Yukol – eldest daughter of
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol ( th, หม่อมเจ้าชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล; ; born November 29, 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui ( th, มุ้ย), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and ...
; worked with her father on '' The Legend of Suriyothai'' but is more noted for her work with Pen-Ek Ratanaruang on '' Fun Bar Karaoke'', '' Monrak Transistor'', ''Last Life in the Universe'' and '' Invisible Waves'' *Lee Chatametikool – worked with
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
on ''
Blissfully Yours ''Blissfully Yours'' ( th, สุดเสน่หา, S̄ud s̄aǹeh̄ā) is a 2002 Thai romance film directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. It won the prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Plot Min is an illegal Burmese immigrant living in ...
'' and ''
Tropical Malady ''Tropical Malady'' (สัตว์ประหลาด RTGS: ''Satpralat''; lit. "monster") is a 2004 Thai romantic psychological drama art film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film has a bifurcated structure; it is s ...
''


Producers

*Adirek Wattaleela – often credited simply as "Uncle", headed the now-shuttered Film Bangkok production house, which was behind such hits as '' Bangkok Dangerous'' and '' Tears of the Black Tiger''; also a director, screenwriter, editors, and comic actor *Duangkamol Limcharoen – with Nonzee Nimibutr and Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, she founded the Cinemasia production marque and helped foster a trend of pan-Asian film production in Thailand; died in 2003 *Mingmongkol Sonakul – independent director and producer; has handled Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's works including ''Invisible Waves'' and ''Twenty Twenty''; worked closely with GTH on such projects as ''Alone (2007 film), Alone'' *Prachya Pinkaew – also the director of ''Ong-Bak'' and ''Tom-Yum-Goong (film), Tom-Yum-Goong''; his Baa Ram Ewe production marque is seen on many Thai films *Somsak Techaratanaprasert – chief executive of Sahamongkol Film International; behind many hit films, including '' Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior'' *Soros Sukhum (known as Thongdee) – independent producer; partner of Song Sound Production and Mosquito Films; regarded as one of the most versatile and important independent producers working in Thailand; supports the new generation of Thai filmmakers including Aditya Assarat, Sivaroj Kongsakul, Anocha Suwichakornpong Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, and Lee Chatametikool


Screenwriters

*Kongdej Jaturanrasamee – writer on such films as '' Tom-Yum-Goong'' and ''Noo Hin: The Movie'' *Prabda Yoon – worked with Pen-Ek Ratanaruang on ''Last Life in the Universe'' and '' Invisible Waves''


Notable Thai films

*1923 - ''
Miss Suwanna of Siam ''Miss Suwanna of Siam'' ( th, นางสาวสุวรรณ; ), was a 1923 romance film written and directed by Henry MacRae, set in Thailand (then Siam) and starring Thai actors. It was one of the first feature films to be made in Thai ...
'', though a
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
co-production, it's generally regarded as the first Thai film. *1927 - ''Chok Sorng Chan'' (''Double Luck''), the first all-Thai production. *1940 - '' King of the White Elephant'', an English-language historical epic with an anti-war message, produced by Pridi Phanomyong. *1954 - '' Santi-Weena'', the first Thai film to be entered in overseas competition (1954
Asia Pacific Film Festival The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (abbreviated APFF) is an annual film festival hosted by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific. The festival was first held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1954. History The festival was first held in Toky ...
in Tokyo). *1961 - '' Black Silk'', the first Thai film in competition at the
Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
. *1970 - '' Monrak luk thung'', starring Mitr Chaibancha and Petchara Chaowarat, was a hugely popular luk thung musical. It played in cinemas for six months. *1973 - ''Khao Chue Karn'' (''Dr. Karn''), directed by
Chatrichalerm Yukol Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol ( th, หม่อมเจ้าชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล; ; born November 29, 1942), or usually known by his nickname Mui ( th, มุ้ย), is a Thai film director, screenwriter film producer and ...
, it was nearly banned because of its controversial look at corruption in the Thai civil service. *1977 - ''Plae Kao'' (''The Scar''), directed by Cherd Songsri, it was the most successful Thai film at the box office of its day; also a prize-winner at the Three Continents Festival in Nantes, France. *1979 - '' The Adventure of Sudsakorn'', the first full-length Thai
animated cartoon Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
feature, directed by Payut Ngaokrachang. *1985 - '' Butterfly and Flowers'', an award-winning depiction of poverty along the
Southern Thailand Southern Thailand, Southern Siam or Tambralinga is a southernmost cultural region of Thailand, separated from Central Thailand region by the Kra Isthmus. Geography Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, with an area of around , bounded ...
border, directed by Euthana Mukdasanit. *2000 - '' Tears of the Black Tiger'' (''Fah Talai Jone''), directed by Wisit Sasanatieng, it was the first Thai film to be included in the Cannes Film Festival programme. *2001 - '' The Legend of Suriyothai'', Chatrichalerm's epic was the biggest film ever made in the Thai film industry. *2002 - ''
Blissfully Yours ''Blissfully Yours'' ( th, สุดเสน่หา, S̄ud s̄aǹeh̄ā) is a 2002 Thai romance film directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. It won the prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Plot Min is an illegal Burmese immigrant living in ...
'', directed by
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul ( th, อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; ; ) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, ...
, won the Un Certain Regard Prize at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. *2002 - ''Butterfly Man'', directed by Kaprice Kea, won two awards, Best Actress Napakpapha Nakprasitte, Best Cinematography Mark Duffield at the Slamdunk Film Festival in 2003. *2003 - ''
Tropical Malady ''Tropical Malady'' (สัตว์ประหลาด RTGS: ''Satpralat''; lit. "monster") is a 2004 Thai romantic psychological drama art film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film has a bifurcated structure; it is s ...
'', by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, was awarded a jury prize in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival. *2004 - '' The Overture'', by Ittisoontorn Vichailak, was awarded several awards in Thailand and was the country's official selection for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. *2006 - ''Dek hor'', by Songyos Sugmakanan, was awarded Crystal Bear Award at the
Berlin Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
. *2007 - ''Wonderful Town (film), Wonderful Town'', by Aditya Assarat, was awarded a Special Jury Award at the Las Palmas Film Festival and won Tiger Award at Rotterdam International Film Festival. *2008 - ''Ploy (film), Ploy'', by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, was premiered during the Directors' Fortnight at the 2007
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. *2010 - ''Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives'', by Apichatpong Weerasethakul is the first Thai film to be awarded Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the first Asian film since 1997. *2013 - '' Pee Mak Phra Khanong'', by Banjong Pisanthanakun. Pee Mak has earned more than 1 billion baht ($33 million) in revenue worldwide (mostly in Asia), and is currently the highest-grossing Thai film of all time. *2017 - ''
Bad Genius ''Bad Genius'', known in Thai as ''Chalard Games Goeng'' (), is a 2017 Thai heist thriller film produced by Jor Kwang Films and distributed by GDH 559. It was directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya, and stars Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying in her f ...
'', by Nattawut Poonpiriya. Bad Genius has made 112.15 million baht ($3.3 million), making it the highest-grossing Thai film of 2017.


See also

* Lakorn


Further reading

* Richardson, Thomas (1994)
A conversation with Khun Dome Sukwong
(archivist at Thai Film Foundation), Cornell University (retrieved via Internet Archive). * Stephens, Chuck (May 30, 2003)

''The Guardian''. * Chaiworaporn, Anchalee (April 11, 2006
"New Thai Cinema"
"Fipresci". * Williamson, Robert (March 11, 2005)
"Thai cinema: Sustainable development or imminent decline?"
Thai Film Foundation. * Pansittivorakul, Thunska (April 29, 2006)
"A Conversation with the editors of Bioscope Magazine"
. ''Criticine''. * Pansittivorakul, Thunska (April 29, 2006)
"A Conversation with Kong Rithdee"
. ''Criticine''. * Hunt, Matthew (October 2012
"Thai Movie Censorship
"Encounter Thailand".
Introduction: Considering Thai National Cinema
a 351-page article from Murdoch University


References

* Boonyaketmala, Boonrak (January 23, 2006
"The rippling waves of new cinema"
''International Herald Tribune''/ThaiDay. Retrieved March 17, 2006. * Chaiworaporn, Anchalee
"A Brief History of Cinema in Thailand"
FIPRESCI, updated April 11, 2006. * Fleshman, Erich (2005)
A Brief History of Thai Cinema
', ''Notes from Hollywood.'' Retrieved December 23, 2005. * Richardson, Thomas (1993)

(retrieved March 19, 2007). * Rithdee, Kong (2005)
Fallen idols
', ''Bangkok Post.'' Retrieved December 23, 2005. * Sukwong, Dome and Suwannapak, Sawasdi. ''A Century of Thai Cinema'', Thames and Hudson, 2001. *


Notes


External links


Top 10 Thai Movie List
reviews and previews of the top 10 Thai movies recommended for foreigners
Thailisting
List of movie showtime listing in Siam area.
Thai films
at the Internet Movie Database – Links to index of the Thai-language titles
Thai Film DatabaseThailand box office results
at Box Office Mojo
MovieSeer
– English and Thai movie listings and synopses
Thai Film Foundation
– National Film Archive companion website
ThaiCinema.org
– Thai and English news and reviews

– At the Pantip.com portal; to navigate to different years, change the date in the URL.
Chalermthai archives
– Pantip.com's Thai movie synopses and photos
Deknang
– News, forum and galleries
CinemaThai
– English-language reviews and photo galleries

– Images and English-language content

a
Hong Kong Cinema – View from the Brooklyn BridgeCriticine Thailand
– Thailand page of Southeast Asian Cinema journa
Criticine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinema Of Thailand Cinema of Thailand,