Thailand Voice

Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s Nymph ( Nang Mai ) was in the world competition at the Miami International Film Festival , which wrapped up on Sunday. The competition was won by Brillante Mendoza’s Lola , which was awarded the grand prize of $25,000 from the John S. and James … Read full story >>>

First video: “Red shirts” gather ahead of Thailand election rally BP: There is no voiceover. The video is from Friday, March 12 and shows the red shirts outside the 11th Army Regiment. You can see the soldiers inside cheering the reds and even … Read full story >>>

A romantic drama about social-class conflict in 1970s Thailand won six out of 11 categories in the Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards (ชมรมวิจารณ์บันเทิง), which were announced last night at the Royal Thai Army Auditorium. October Sonata won best picture and writer-director Somkiat Vituranich won the director and … Read full story >>>

Having lived in Bangkok now for seven years, some places in this city no longer seem as novel or as exotic to me as they once did. An exception to that is The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. When… Read full story >>>

Matichon reports Chalerm as stating that a source telephoned to tell him that a war room has been set up in London to destroy Thaksin, but it is not the government. They have 3 plans: 1. There will be an incident at Ratchawithi in order to suppress … Read full story >>>

Slice ( Cheun ) and October Sonata ( Ruk Te Ror Koi ) are tied with nine nominations each in the 11 categories to be awarded by the Bangkok Critics Assembly (ชมรมวิจารณ์บันเทิง). Both are up for best film. Kongkiat Komesiri is nominated for best director and shares a screenwriting … Read full story >>>

The recovery. A big word in Asia… When the US and Europe are walking like old men… Asia seems to be ahead . Look at exports figures from Thailand : recovery indeed ! But thanks to only one factor : China. China displays arrogant… Read full story >>>

Directed by Songsak Mongkolthong, Pornchai “Mr. Pink” Hongrattanaporn, Seree Phongnithi Starring Mintada Wattanakul, Wasu Sangsingkaew, Krit Sriphoomset, Suwikrom Amaranan Released in Thai cinemas on February 4, 2010; rated 15+ Wise Kwai’s rating: 3/5 Light almost to the point of being forgettable, the portmanteau romance My Valentine is kept pumping by a cartoonish energy and the wild … Read full story >>>

Today is Chinese new year, a big deal in Thailand where everyone seems to have Chinese blood in the family. The Missus’s maternal grandfather is the China-link in the family, so I’m told. For our little circle, Chinese New Year meant a visit to the local … Read full story >>>

How convenient that Chinese New Year falls on the same day as Valentine’s Day this year. Red decorations can be used to symbolize either holiday and Thais will only have to wear red on one occasion instead of two separate days. The only problem… Read full story >>>

A Thai film made in Africa, a strong statement about censorship, another film that was almost censored and yet another that tested the limits of Thailand’s ratings system, works by world-famous filmmakers and a bevy of short films await audiences at … Read full story >>>

Singer, actor, screenwriter, director and producer Surin Charoenpura, better known by his stage name Ruj Ronnapop ( รุจน์ รณภพ) , died on Sunday at age 78. He was the father of three actresses: Mai Charoenpura, “Sai” Inthira Charoenpura and Vipvadee Charoenpura. Born in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ruj Ronnapop’s career spanned five decades. His … Read full story >>>

It’s film-festival season in India. In the second of two reports, Lekha Shankar looks at the Kerala International Film Festival’s retrospective for Pen-ek Ratanaruang, who’s had a busy year on the festival circuit with his latest feature, Nymph . Story by Lekha J. Shankar With no sleek multiplexes, no … Read full story >>>

It’s film-festival season in India. In the first of two reports, Lekha Shankar looks at the retrospective for Nonzee Nimibutr and the other Thai films in the lineup of Goa’s International Film Festival of India. Story by Lekha J. Shankar India’s biggest film festival… Read full story >>>

THAI TAKES By PHILIP GOLINGAI SO what is really happening (politically) in Thailand?” a visiting American academician specialising in South-East Asian politics asked me. Instinctively, I glanced to my left and then to my right. It was a habit I picked up whenever… Read full story >>>

The title poses a big question and one you might burn off a few calories thinking about. Most Thai ladies in their late teens to early thirties have the kind of bodies men lust after and western women long for, but how do … Read full story >>>

Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story ’s four-week hold on the top spot of the Thai box office was broken over the weekend by the Hollywood disaster flick 2012 , which had lines of people snaking through the lobby of the giant Paragon Cineplex. As the thunderous… Read full story >>>

Red Eagle ( Insee Daeng ) is Wisit Sasanatieng’s reboot of the movie series of the 1950s and ’60s that starred Mitr Chaibuncha . Ananda Everingham is now in the lead , and you get a glimpse of him in the red mask of the… Read full story >>>

Bangkok Adrenaline ( อะดรีนาลีน คนเดือดสาด , or Adrenaline Kon Deuat Sat ) was released in Thailand in May , and despite it being a movie starring foreigner stuntmen, it was dropped into local cinemas in a localized version that had only a Thai-dubbed soundtrack and no English subtitles. … Read full story >>>

In a German blog I found the reference to the new Google Guru, which is only available in Thai (and now also in Arabic). I took a look for questions concerning Tambon or Amphoe, and among several questions “How many Amphoe in Province XYZ”, one question around Amphoe was really interesting. อำเภอในประเทศไทยมีกี่ชั้น… Read full story >>>

Marwaan in IPS: A trade deadlock between Thailand and the Philippines that was to have been resolved during the 15th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders, which ended in Cha-am on Sunday, is still in want of a solution, according … Read full story >>>

The American Film Market gets under way today in Santa Monica, California, and several Thai films are scheduled for screening . Among them is a horror feature that I’ve never heard of, Reality Shock . According to 24 Frames per Second , it is directed by Kapol Thongplub ( The Letters of Death ) and is… Read full story >>>

Here in Thailand we have just celebrated Loy Kratong Festival, I have written a more in depth post about what this festival means and you can read about this here if you like. The traditional reason for celebrating this festival is to thank the Goddess of the Waters, Mae Khong… Read full story >>>

The first story is of Dr. Pornthip being arrested for spreading rumors that everyone will eventually die. The best part is the last paragraph. The second story is about a raid on the WHO. WHO is a UN organization so they … Read full story >>>

Announced yesterday were two new car license plate backgrounds, one for Chiang Mai province and one for Nakhon Ratchasima. Both provinces had a picture license plate before. The most interesting is the one for Chiang Mai. Sadly the 2004 announcement of the original design… Read full story >>>

Prachatai: Another question that arises is how the authorities were able to identify both of them, when the webmasters of both political websites have said that the authorities never asked them for the IP numbers of the accused. This is reminiscent of the recent arrest of Nat Sattayapornpisut, where … Read full story >>>

Bangkok residents woke up to something extraordinary this morning: chilly weather. Okay, so today’s low temperature was still a rather comfortable 64 degrees Fahrenheit, or 18 degrees Celsius. And yes, temps are still climbing up to 80 degrees F (27 degrees C) during the day. But still. But still . This is tropical Thailand, don’t forget, where… Read full story >>>

For his new installation Suicide Mind, Pornpraseart Yamazaki has painted in his own blood on paper and ceramics. His works on paper, large reproductions of Thai and American banknotes, are hung on the walls, while on the floor are ceramic tiles painted with flower patterns. In the centre stands a vase of dead … Read full story >>>

Like Bangkok’s streets, it’s gridlock at the top of the Thai box-office chart, with GTH’s Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story ( Rot Fai Faa … Maha Na Ter ) stuck at No. 1 for a third consecutive week. Surprisingly, it tops Michael Jackson’s This Is It , which is the No. 1 movie… Read full story >>>

Continuing my reviews on Ubon Ratchatani Gold Courses I now bring you the course at the Wing 21 Air Force Base in Ubon. (สนามส่งเสริมกีฬากอล์ฟสวัสดิการ กองบิน 21) Location wise for me it is brilliant as it is just a 4 minute drive at 5.30 am from my house or just 1 … Read full story >>>