''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' (, English title: ''Good Morning, Luang Prabang'') is a 2008

romantic drama film Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...

directed by Sakchai Deenan and starring

Ananda Everingham Ananda Everingham (; born 31 May 1982) is a Thai actor and model. Working primarily in Thai films, he is best known for his lead role in the 2004 horror film, '' Shutter''. Biography Ananda Matthew Everingham is the son of a Laotian-born moth ...

and Khamly Philavong. It was the first commercial film shot in

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

since the country adopted communism in 1975.

Plot

Sorn (Everingham), a Thai photographer visiting Laos, falls in love with his beautiful Laotian tour guide, Noi (Philawong). The film features several tourist sites in Laos.

Cast

as Sorn *Khamly Philawong as Noi

Production

Director Sakchai Deenan claimed the plotline was inspired by a visit to Laos in which he fell in love with a Laotian woman and imagining her as a tour guide. He deliberately created a simple plot "so it would not be too hard to get approval from the Lao government." Previously, the only Laotian films were propaganda and patriotism related, produced by the government. A government member oversaw the production of ''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' so that it portrayed Laotian culture in a positive manner and cut any scenes that the Lao government may perceive to be controversial.

Release

The film premiered on May 24, 2008, at one of Laos' two theaters (both located in its capital,

Vientiane Vientiane (, ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Laos. Situated on the banks of the Mekong, Mekong River at the Thailand, Thai border, it comprises the five urban districts of Vientiane Prefecture and had a population of 840,000 ...

) and was released in Thai on June 5. Open-air screenings occurred throughout Laos, including the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage city of

Luang Prabang Luang Prabang (Lao language, Lao: wikt:ຫຼວງພະບາງ, ຫຼວງພະບາງ, pronounced ), historically known as Xieng Thong (ຊຽງທອງ) and alternatively spelled Luang Phabang or Louangphabang, is the capital of Lu ...

. Upon its release, it was the first Laotian private film, authorities seeing ''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' as the start of a new source of income. The aim of the film was also to encourage bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Laos.

References

External links

* 2008 films Laotian drama films 2008 romantic drama films Thai multilingual films 2008 multilingual films 2000s Thai films {{2000s-romantic-drama-film-stub