Parody Tests Thaksin's Sense Of Humour

[george]

Parody tests Shinawatra's sense of humour

BANGKOK: -- Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Thursday denied ordering police to interrogate the producers of a film comedy in which look-alike actors poke fun at him and his family.

The movie Oakark The Great Guy has generated controversy because of the striking resemblance between Thaksin and the actor playing the character known as "Raksin".

The name of Raksin's son in the soon-to-be-released movie, Oakark, is similarly close to the nickname of Thaksin's real-life son, Oak.

But critics questioned the movie makers' choice of a well-known Thai comedian who has Down's Syndrome to play the part of Oakark.

'I don't take it so seriously'

On Wednesday Special Branch police interrogated the movie's producer, Jaroon Watthanasin, chairperson of the Bangkok Studio, and visited the home of the director.

Thaksin insisted he had not ordered police to put pressure on the filmmakers and police refused to say where the order came from.

"I don't take it so seriously," Thaksin told reporters on Thursday when asked about the controversy. "I have a lot of national business to attend to."

Thaksin, who is notoriously thin-skinned about criticism, said people used his name in all kinds of fraudulent ways and the public should not be taken in.

Jaroon was quoted by The Nation newspaper as saying police had grilled him about the sources of his finance and demanded to see bank loan documents related to the movie.

"From what I gather the police wanted to know whether someone with a malicious intention to discredit the prime minister is behind the project," Jaroon said. "I know it was their duty, for national security's sake, so I complied."

-- Sapa-dpa 2004-06-11

[george]

Police visit prompts filmmaker to cave in

BANGKOK: -- The producer of a comedy film whose lead characters are apparently modelled after members of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family bowed to pressure and agreed to modify the movie's script by removing the role of the prime minister's son.

Instead, the Oakark role, played by Sayan, a popular comedian with Down's syndrome, will become a nephew of "Raksin", Jaroon Wat-thanasin, the producer, said yesterday.

"Oakark will become a son of Raksin's younger brother, instead of Raksin's son as in the initial script. But this change will affect the movie's tone because we won't see the love of the parents' toward their son," Jaroon said.

On Wednesday, a Special Branch police officer went to question the film's director, Somjai Sukjai, better know as Der Doksadao, about the movie. On Tuesday, the owners of the Joke Council television programme, from which Somjai hired politician look-alikes to perform in the movie, said they would withdraw their actors if the script were not changed.

Somjai said yesterday he agreed to change the script after people from the Joke Council told him certain senior employees wanted it altered.

He said he did not intend to ridicule or satire Thaksin's son, whose nickname is Oak.

"I simply wanted Sayan to have development in his acting," Somjai said.

"If I had wanted to ridicule the prime minister's family, I would have had Oakark's role taken by someone who resembled Oak."

For his part, the prime minister said yesterday that no one had ordered the Special Branch police to question Somjai. Thaksin said he himself was not serious about the movie.

"Even my son laughed when learning about it," Thaksin said.

"But I am in this position on behalf of the entire country. If I am made fun of, the country may also look funny. Think about it."

Kasem Sirisamphan, a well-known academic, said nobody should interfere in the filming of the movie, which is titled "Yodchai Nai Oakark" ("Oakark, the Great Guy"), as it was merely meant to be a comedy.

Lt-Colonel Jirapong Jitthampong, deputy commander of Special Branch Police's Division 5, said he went to interrogate Somjai about the movie after learning from news reports that the movie could damage the image of the prime minister's family.

"I was simply carrying out my responsibility with no one ordering me to do so," he said.

Special Branch Police commissioner Lt-General Prung Boonpadung said Jirapong went to interrogate Somjai as part of his duty and found no ulterior motive in the moving making.

"We didn't interfere and didn't ask the film maker to change the script at all," Prung said.

Down's Syndrome comedian stands above the furore

Amid the uproar over authorities' reactions to a planned comedy that pokes fun at the prime minister's family, the man at the centre of the controversy, a subject of curiosity, sympathy and in some ways, inadvertent prejudice, couldn't care less.

In fact, 40-year-old "Sayan" wasn't even aware that a plan to make him star as a character based on Thaksin Shinawatra's son in the movie "Yodchai Nai Oakark" (Oakark the Great Guy), had unsettled the first family so much that police have bullied filmmakers into dropping the idea.

Perhaps the good thing about having Down's Syndrome is a lack of bitterness, even if state authorities prevent you from making a living out of an uncovered talent for comedy. And you are not let down when you turn your handicap into an asset that inspires others, only to still be treated with disdain by senior people in the country.

"He wasn't quite aware that he was becoming the movie's main star," said Kanokwan Buranont, an actress who is the wife of the film's director, Somjai Sukjai. "When we told him he would be a film star, he just nodded and murmured 'Yeah, yeah'."

"Yodchai Nai Oakark" does not make any direct references to Thaksin, but its characters bear an uncanny resemblance to his family. In the movie, the father is called "Raksin" and played by a Thaksin lookalike, and the son, played by Sayan, is called "Oakark". The nickname of Thaksin's son is "Oak". Raksin's wife is "Khunying Or", pronounced with a high tone, while the nickname of Thaksin's wife is Or, pronounced with a low tone.

On Wednesday, Special Branch police officers questioned Somjai and film producer Jaroon Watthanasin. Sayan must have been aware that something was wrong when the uniformed strangers began grilling his adopted father, because he frequently patted Somjai on the back over the past two days.

Sayan, who might yet be given a smaller role in the film, is a world apart from Oak, or Panthongtae, the heir of the Shinawatra business empire. Having an IQ equivalent to that of an eight-year-old child, he has been earning Bt15,000 a month as a cafe comedian, thanks to Somjai's discovery of his unconscious ability to make people laugh.

Before being picked up for adoption by Somjai, Sayan was a source of laughter in his small neighbourhood.

"He just had a hilarious character," recalled Kanokwan. "He made neighbours laugh."

Sayan lived near a comedian in Somjai's team who was impressed by the mentally retarded man's gift for comedy. The comedian introduced Sayan to Somjai, who at first embraced him as a friend, but not as a fellow professional.

One night, when there were just a few customers at the cafe where Somjai's team was playing, Sayan was sent onto the stage for the first time.

"There was nothing to lose," said Kanokwan. "But believe it or not, he drew a lot of laughter. It convinced us that he could do it."

Despite criticism that he was exploiting a mentally handicapped man, Somjai trained Sayan and made him a permanent member of his team. The efforts paid off and Sayan became a household name and a familiar TV personality. He has been given minor roles in TV dramas and movies.

"We employed no special technique," Kanokwan said. "We just encouraged him and spent as much time as possible with him. He had a very stiff tongue at first, but we managed to make him pronounce words more clearly. To make him remember things, we need to keep repeating what we say or do to him."

Sayan was taught to keep his salary in a green can. He gives the money to his parents, who come to visit him regularly. "He's been supporting his family. What else could you ask of a man?" said Kanokwan.

--The Nation 2004-06-11

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Most world leaders learn to live with satire about themselves and their families. It seems that Cheerless Leader is also bereft of a sense of humor.

[Aikido]

dont realy see the prob most world leaders not to mention the most famous also ave i ques of 8 yr olds.

you ever hear the saying many a true word spoken in jest.

[meadish_sweetball]

dont realy see the prob most world leaders not to mention the most famous also ave i ques of 8 yr olds.

you ever hear the saying many a true word spoken in jest.

In fact, the jesters were commonly the only people in the Dark Ages at European courts who were allowed to poke fun at the royals - and under dictatorship, satire reaches its finest moments, as evidenced in the former Eastern bloc, etc.

Cheerleaderless Toxic Moonface should learn how to crack a little giggle at his own expense. It'll do him good, and after all, he is the Prime Minister of Thailand... LOS.

[Darknight]

But I am in this position on behalf of the entire country. If I am made fun of, the country may also look funny. Think about it."

Don't worry Tax, you're doing a great job of it ALL by YOURSELF......

[lungbing]

If the lad who was to play the PM's son now has to play the part of the PM's brother's son, surely this opens a host of new parts for him. Now he can also be cast as Chief of Police, or as General of the Army, or even Head of all Armed Services.