THE PEOPLE & CULTUREARTSPopular Thai cinema ballooned in the 1960s and ’70s, especially when
the government levied a tax on Hollywood imports thus spawning a
home-grown industry. The majority of fi lms were cheap action fl icks that
were often dubbed nám nôw (stinking water), but the fantastic, even non-
sensical, plots and rich colours left a lasting impression on modern-day
Thai fi lmmakers, who have inserted these elements into modern contexts.
Thai cinema graduated into international fi lm circles in the late ’90s
early ’00s, thanks in part to director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and his gritty
and engrossing fi lms, including Ruang Rak Noi Nid Mahasann (Last Life
in the Universe; 2003). Apichatpong Weerasethakul is Thailand’s lead-
ing cinéma-véritéédirector and continues to receive accolades at Cannes,
most recently winning the Palme d’Or for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Re-
call His Past Lives( 2010 ).
Thai cinema remains largely escapist fare though there are oftentimes
sociological commentaries rather than overt political messages. A fi lm-
festival favourite,Mundane Historyy (Jao Nok Krajok; 2009), directed by
up-and-comer Anocha Suwichakornpong, is a family drama about a para-
lysed man and his friendship with his male nurse. The plot is nonlinear
and a critique of Thailand’s stratifi ed society. Other trends in Thai cinema
include movies dealing with homosexuality, including the critically ac-
claimed The Love of Siamm (Rak Haeng Siam; 2009), directed by Chukiat
Sakveerakul, which was Thailand’s submission to the Oscars that year.
The big studios like to back ghost stories, horror fl icks, historic ep-
ics, sappy love stories and camp comedies. Elaborate historical movies
serve a dual purpose: making money and promoting national identity.
Criticised as a propaganda tool, the Legend of King Naresuannepic, which
comprises four instalments, focuses on the Ayuthaya-era king who re-
pelled an attempted Burmese invasion. Each chapter (three have been
released so far) has been a box-offi ce winner.
Despite more daring storytelling, Thai cinema censors are still dedi-
cated to their jobs and often ban or cut out scenes that contain objection-
able subject matter. In 2007 the fi lm board introduced a rating system
(fi ve levels indicated by appropriate age of viewer) that takes some of the
guesswork out of what is allowed.
Literature
The written word has a long history in Thailand, dating back to the 11th
or 12th century when the fi rst Thai script was fashioned from an older
Mon alphabet. The 30,000-line Phra Aphaimani, composed by poet Sun-
thorn Phu in the late 18th century, is Thailand’s most famous classical
literary work. Like many of its epic predecessors around the world, it
tells the story of an exiled prince who must complete an odyssey of love
and war before returning to his kingdom in victory.
Of all classical Thai literature, however, Ramakiann is the most perva-
sive and infl uential in Thai culture. The Indian source,Ramayana, came
to Thailand with the Khmers 900 years ago, fi rst appearing as stone re-
liefs on Prasat Hin Phimai and other Angkor temples in the northeast.
Eventually the Thais developed their own version of the epic, which was
fi rst written down during the reign of Rama I. This version contained
60,000 stanzas and was a quarter longer than the Sanskrit original.
Although the main themes remained the same, the Thais embroidered
theRamayanaawith more biographical detail on arch-villain Ravana
(called Thotsakan, or ‘10-necked’ in the Ramakian) and his wife Montho.
Hanuman, the monkey god, diff ers substantially in the Thai version in
his fl irtatious nature (in the Hindu version he follows a strict vow of
chastity). One of the classic Ramakiann reliefs at Bangkok’s Wat Pho de-
picts Hanuman clasping a maiden’s bared breast as if it were an apple.
Thai
Movies» (^) Fun Bar Karaoke
(1997), directed
by Pen-Ek Ratan-
aruang
» (^) Yam Yasothon
(2005), directed
by Petchtai
Wongkamlao
» (^) Fah Talai Jone
(Tears of the
Black Tiger;
2000), directed
by Wisit Sasana-
tieng
» (^) Mekhong Sipha
Kham Deuan
Sip-et (Mekong
Full Moon Party;
2002), directed
by Jira Malikul
Recom-
mended
Fiction
» (^) The Lioness in
Bloom: Modern
Thai Fiction about
Women (trans-
lated by Susan
Fulop Kepner)
» (^) Four Reigns
(Kukrit Pramoj)
» (^) Bangkok 8
(John Burdett)
» (^) Fieldwork: A
Novel (Mischa
Berlinski)