Thailand Voice

With the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival going on, festival director Chi-hui Yang is interviewed by New America Media. They ask him: What’s next for Asian film? They also get his answer on what happened to Asian films at the Oscars , but more importantly, what’s he … Read full story >>>

This weekend the only topic in Thailand is the big rally of the red shirts protesting against the government, so I can’t resist and post something vaguely related to the political troubles in Thailand of the last 4 years. Last week the website 2bangkok.com… Read full story >>>

The SET was up 0.7% on news that pro-democracy supporters were about to set forth on the campaign to bring down the tyrannical , unelected, military-supported and deeply-hated Abhisit regime – OK, let’s not have any more stupid stories (yes… Read full story >>>

Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s latest feature Unreal Forest will screen in Milan at the 20th African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival . Via production company Extra Virgin , there’s a trailer for Unreal Forest at YouTube and it’s embedded below. It’s part of the Forget … 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 >>>

The psychological condition of hikikomori is the major plot point in Who Are You? ( ฮู อาร์ ยู ), the upcoming thriller from writer Eakasit Thairatana ( 13 Beloved , Body #19 ) and director Pakphum Wonjinda ( VDO Clip , Scared ). Sinjai … 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 >>>

Let’s say grace… At last, a thai official dares to speak the truth… and even more striking… the president of Thai Airways dares to speak the truth about the national carrier ! Fasten your seatbelt. And look for your life jacket. The newly appointed head of Thai Airways … Read full story >>>

With the Science Film Festival going on in Bangkok right now — yes, yet another film festival — one of the entries that caught my eye is A Mirror of a Living Train Market ( กระจกสะท้อนวิถีชีวิตชาวตลาดรถไฟ ), a five-minute documentary produced by the MCOT… Read full story >>>

Sulak Sivaraksa is a Thai intellectual who is probably much better known in intellectual circles outside of Thailand than inside Thailand, for his role on the lecture circuit in the '70s and '80s in particular. BP has blogged on some of his views on lese majeste (LM) here and here. … Read full story >>>

Today, my cabbie drove like a maniac. He constantly changed lanes as he swerved to avoid motorcyclists, and he turned the corners super fast and sharp every time causing the tires to make loud squealing noises. As we flew through the streets of Bangkok, the monk pendant in the front of the… Read full story >>>

The 7th World Film Festival of Bangkok thudded to a mellow bass-heavy end on Sunday night, with the outdoor screening of Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae , a documentary on the artists of the Jamaican musical genre that built the bridge from the frenetically upbeat ska to the laid-back reggae. Directed by Stascha Bader… 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 >>>

No easy days these days for any color in Thailand. Events are unfolding quickly with new angles and aspects each time you check the newswires. A Thaksin interview by the Times Online’s Richard Lloyd Perry was quickly denounced by the government as offensive to the monarchy – and for good reasons. Thaksin himself quickly … Read full story >>>

With a fresh dose of bright red CGI blood to go with the catsuit-clad, cleavage-baring female swordfighters, Sahamongkol Film International has debuted the official trailer for Vanquisher ( Suay … Samurai , สวย…ซามูไร ). Directed by veteran helmer Manop Udomdej, this… Read full story >>>

Thanit Jitnukul and Phranakorn Film are really doing it. They are making Bang Rajan 2 ( บางระจัน2 ), a sequel to the hit 2000 historical battle epic. A teaser is up at YouTube , and it’s embedded above. I think it needs a buffalo. (Via Deknang / Popcornmag… Read full story >>>

Chang Noi looks at the symbolism of Sondhi L’s hat and his use of the term “jek” in their latest op-ed piece in The Nation . Key excerpt: But this phase ended when Thaksin began to fade away as a serious threat, and when the army withdrew to … Read full story >>>

A recent post at Twitch reminded me just how long Thanapon Maliwan’s upcoming archaelogical martial-arts action adventure The Sanctuary has been kicking around. It started life in 2006 as Dead End , was abandoned when financing plans fell through. Star Mike B. took a detour with the Malaysian-… Read full story >>>

Despite the long warning period and the, according to rumour and speculation only so don’t sue me, occasionally less than zealous approach to rooting out wrong-doers by some of our boys in brown, 300 illegal taxi drivers, touts and sundry others have been arrested in a … Read full story >>>

Poj Arnon’s sequel to his 2007 horror-comedy Haunting Me is coming up sooner than I’d like, which means there’s now a trailer to avoid seeing when I head out to the cinemas in the coming weeks. Set for release on October 1 by Phranakorn, Hor Taew… Read full story >>>

I’ve been dabbling in sustainable living lately. Didn’t know that was the term for it until I did some searches on Google. Specifically I’m looking into whether I could eat insects to survive. So far, the answer is yes. BUT, I’ve not attempted to actually survive off them… Read full story >>>

US Senator Jim Webb gave a press conference here in Bangkok yesterday after the completion of Webb’s visit to Myanmar. During the trip, the Virgina Democrat met with the recently-convicted Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as the country’s top general, Than Shwe . Webb also secured the release of American John … Read full story >>>

There’s now an official international trailer for GTH’s upcoming horror omnibus Phobia 2 ( 5 แพร่ง , Haa Phrang or literally “five crossroads”). It follows the Thai trailer that was posted a few days ago. Are you sure you want to watch it? If you are, Read full story >>>

The problem with the ” Suthep is a traitor ” or that ” Suthep is about to betray Abhisit ” meme is that it is overblown, but this does not mean that there is not real tension within the Democrats. First, when they were in opposition there were plenty of shadow cabinet positions to go … Read full story >>>

Making action films in Thailand can be dangerous. In Chocolate for example, star Jija Yanin took a sock to an eye, and a stuntman fell off a building and had to be hospitalized. Of course it’s all caught on film and used as part of the… Read full story >>>

Twitch has the first look at the teaser for Slice , the upcoming crime thriller by Muay Thai Chaiya director Kongkiat Khomsiri with a script by Tears of the Black Tiger director Wisit Sasanatieng . An equal fusion of gore and police procedural, … Read full story >>>

As I get ready to head out to watch Jija Du Suay Dua today I wanted to share a few more images and sounds from the actress and the movie. First, in looking through the production stills from the film, I came across a familiar name on the … Read full story >>>

The other weekend I ventured to a free concert and some big stars, country stars were on show. The first big star who is number 1 in the country charts at the moment is Ying Titikarn. This lady is gorgeous and she also has a great voice. The sound of her… Read full story >>>