Thailand Voice

Three years in production , Kantana’s historical epic Kon Tai Ting Pandin ( คนไท ทิ้งแผ่นดิน ), a.k.a. The Edge of Empire , is set for release on April 10. There’s a website that may or may not be up and running when you click … Read full story >>>

Written, produced and starring martial-arts actors and stuntmen, Bangkok Adrenaline will be released on DVD in the U.K. on March 22 by Optimum Home Entertainment. Amazon.co.uk has it . Directed by Raimund Huber, the story involves a group of foreigner backpackers who… Read full story >>>

Kevin Bacon has joined the cast of Elephant White , the English-language action drama being directed by Prachya Pinkaew and starring Djimon Hounsou. The addition of the Footloose star is according to The Hollywood Reporter . Hounsou, most recently on the Bangkok big-screen in the supernatural action… Read full story >>>

One local administration using the internet, and especially the Google tools, to a great extend is the provincial administrative organization (PAO) of Nakhon Phanom ( องค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัดนครพนม ). The chairman of the PAO (นายก อบจ.) Somchop Nitipoj (สมชอบ นิติพจน์) has his own blog , as… Read full story >>>

First, to quote Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, The Nation: “As the scientific testing proves, they don’t work, and we must rely on results that are in line with tests in foreign countries,” he told reporters yesterday. “It’s too risky to continue using Read full story >>>

Though Asian films are in the spotlight this year, the Berlinale has been quiet for Thai films. It’s the accompanying European Film Market where the Thai action is. Sahamongkol Film International is there with a big crew headed up by… Read full story >>>

He was captured. He was tortured. He was destroyed. But when a tyrant rules the land, he must come back. With more fury, more force, more vengeance. It’s the teaser for Ong-Bak 3 . ( Via EvilDollaR ) ATTENTION: This is a post from Wise Kwai’s Thai Film Journal. … Read full story >>>

A panel discussion on “Thai Political Situation: Wherefrom and Whereto?” Presented by the Royal Thai Embassy and the SOAS Thai Society Location: Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS Date and time: Friday, 29 January 2010, 17.30-20.00 Panelists: Professor Suchit Boonbongkarn, Professor Duncan McCargo, Professor Peter Leyland ,and Professor Borwornsak Uwanno Moderator: H… Read full story >>>

Earlier this month, Federico Ferrara, better known as Khi Kwai, put on his website a 150-page book about Thai politics entitled “Thailand Unhinged” (as blogged about here). Federico has found a publisher so the book is no longer available for a free download. The book has already been published now and you see details … Read full story >>>

Banharn Silpa-archa, the “owner” of Chat Thai Pattana Party, has been in the news lately for engineering the charter amendment to make for a single-constituencies system. But when he appeared on TV this morning, Banharn wanted to make sure that he didn’t draw too much attention of the Election Commission because he … Read full story >>>

The Nation: He [Fourth Army Area chief Lt-General Pichet Wisaijorn] said he wanted academics to look at the big picture and pay attention to the opinions of the officers on the ground. The device gave them confidence to do their jobs in the area, he said. The … Read full story >>>

The Action Company, which released 5 Taew back in late 2008, helps get 2010 off to a bang with gritty, hard-hitting action in See Sing Confirm ( สี่สิงห์คอนเฟิร์ม ). The action-comedy is about a boy (Richard Ghiani) who witnesses a friend being abducted by a child-labor gang. He then gets three of … Read full story >>>

In reaction to a lack of Asian films on one most-pirated list , Wildgrounds has compiled a ranking of the eight most-pirated Asian films of 2009 . At No. 2 is Tony Jaa’s Ong-Bak 2 with 41,793 downloads. It’s between John Woo’s Red Cliff at… Read full story >>>

The horror! The horror! Teaser art has cropped up for Fireball Begins , Thanakorn Pongsuwan’s prequel to his Muay Thai basketball action drama . “In the anarchy of war, a new form of combat is born.” Fireball Begins will trace the origins of this hybrid bloodsport back to the Vietnam War … Read full story >>>

Avudh in The Nation on the oppostion Puea Thai party’s plan on launching a censure debate against the government: The list indicates a three-pronged strategy – to isolate and undermine Kasit’… Read full story >>>

Much has been made about the speed of the Thai-Cambodia ’spy’ case. BP has little doubt that the engineer’s case was deliberately put in fast gear by Hun Sen for maximum political impact, but this thing also happens in Thailand. Read full story >>>

The mounting tension between Thailand and Cambodia is providing a distinctly unfriendly and unneighbourly backdrop for next month’s Southeast Asian Games in Laos, the motto for which is ‘Generosity, Amity, Healthy Lifestyle’ (see the official website here ). Of course, this is why… Read full story >>>

Directed by Manop Udomdej Starring Sophita Sribanchean, Kessarin Ektawatkul, Jacqueline Apithananont, Saranyu Wongkrachang, Pete Thongchua Released in Thai cinemas on November 5, 2009; rated 18+ Wise Kwai’s rating: 2/5 When he set out to make Vanquisher , director Manop Udomdej might have had a globe-trotting, labyrinthine, intrigue-filled political thriller like … Read full story >>>

Directed by Pleo Sirisuwan Starring Narathit Namkang, Pimpawee Kreuangsai Released in Thai cinemas on October 29, 2009; rated G Wise Kwai’s rating: 2/5 An labored exercise in anti-climax, The Scout ( Bit Pi-pop Ta-lu Lohk , บิดพิภพทะลุโลก ) is a kid-friendly adventure yarn about children who enter an ancient… 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 >>>

Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning opens in U.S. cinemas this Friday, October 23, and to celebrate, distributor Magnet has posters signed by star and director Tony Jaa to give away to U.S. readers of this blog. They went to the first two people from the U.S. to e… Read full story >>>

AFP quotes Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group: ‘Every time we can get a list of Southeast Asians in schools in Pakistan it’s the Thais that outnumber the Malaysians or Indonesians,’ she told the Foreign Correspondents Association in Singapore… Read full story >>>

Hammer & Sickle, one of four side panels of the monument, sculpted by Corrado Feroci, did he deliberately sneak communist imagery in? Democracy Monument was built in 1939 in the middle of the military dictatorship of Field Marshal Phibun Songkran to celebrate the … Read full story >>>

Meeting number 32 of board 1 from July 28 2009 with 15 TAO upgraded to subdistrict municipalities. Khilek ( เทศบาลตำบลขี้เหล็ก ), Nam Khun district, Ubon Ratchathani province, effective July 25 2009. The TAO was created in 1996, covers 73 km², 13 villages and 7,998 citizen. Ta Kao ( เทศบาลตำบลตาเกา ), Nam Khun district, Ubon Ratchathani province, … Read full story >>>

Directed by Thanapon Maliwan Starring Pairote “Mike B.” Boongerd, Inthira Charoenpura, Russell Wong, Patharawarin Timkul Released in Thai cinemas on October 8, 2009 Wise Kwai’s rating: 3/5 Skilled martial arts are stylized with moody slow-motion in The Sanctuary , an archaeological action drama starring stuntman-turned-leading man Pairote “Mike B” Boongerd and Hong… Read full story >>>

You don’t often see Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva in such a jovial mood. But then, that’s because he sneaked into a friend’s house yesterday for a quick lunch. Patee Sarasin, Nok Air’s chief executive, didn’t say what prompted the PM to… Read full story >>>

The Bangkok Post has an interesting report on the ghost town newish capital of Burma: Thousands of civil servants had to move from Rangoon to Naypyidaw when General Than Shwe announced the transfer of the capital in 2005. Almost four years later, this soulless city still lacks … Read full story >>>

Prachya Pinkaew and Panna Rittikrai, the director and action choreographer and producers behind Ong-Bak , Tom Yum Goong , Chocolate and other Thai action flicks, are set to make their English-language debut with City of Angels . The action thriller will star Hong Kong’s Robin… Read full story >>>