This may be of some interest, and it hasn't quite reached traditional media yet

A French television production company has booked out an entire island in the Mergui Archipelago for a couple of months early next year.

Cast and crew will travel to MacLeod Island, in the southern end of the Mergui Archipelago, and arrive at the Myanmar Andaman Resort.

From there they will commence shooting on a Survivor styled reality TV show.

Not too much detail available yet, but I took an interest when I heard this as I have spent a good portion of my working life in these stunning islands.

Will be great for promoting the Mergui Archipelago as a potential destination, and Myanmar in general.

Wonder what the show will end up like?

SVB

I heard on the coconut radio that the series is called 'Surrender'.

I heard on the coconut radio that the series is called 'Surrender'.

HA!

Just to keep it interesting they will have a strong resistance movement to claim victory later.

Day one: Replace all Frenchies with UK and American players. Continue until elimination. Replace finalists with Frenchies again and claim victory.

Wonder if this will be the logo?

Wonder if this will be the logo?

WIth the big ears are you sure those are not African elephants

The interesting part is that they got a filming permit. I don't know how many international movies (Hollywood and otherwise) are being shot in Thailand per year right now, but Myanmar with its unspoiled nature and cheap labour (lots of labour and extras are needed to make a movie) could become a serious competitor for location.

The interesting part is that they got a filming permit. I don't know how many international movies (Hollywood and otherwise) are being shot in Thailand per year right now, but Myanmar with its unspoiled nature and cheap labour (lots of labour and extras are needed to make a movie) could become a serious competitor for location.

I have to agree - as the largest country in South East Asia, it would make a prime filming location. Low labour costs would be a benefit, as long as you found the technical expertise (or brought it with you)

Interestingly, the permits are not that difficult through the Ministry of Information.

Even back in 2004, myself and some close friends managed to get permits for a whole production crew and cast to come to the islands for 6 weeks and shoot a documentary. This was for a location that was impossible to get permission to visit, let alone do a film shoot.

We had to pay for, and take a minder with us - but he was happy for the experience and the only issue that he voiced concern with was when we discovered illegal poachers on Lampi Island...and arrested them.

Youtube link for SVB's post.

http://www.youtube.c.../secretislandtv

And thinking about it. Being on Lamphi with SVB and Fletcher with the fear of a killer Bull elephant somewhere on the prowl was and still is one of the highlights of my life living in Burma.

Edited October 12, 201213 yr by phazey

Bump...

I was curious as the whether the series went ahead or not, and recently contacted the chap who was supposed to be hosting the French show on an island he looks after in the Mergui Archipelago.

He advised that they eventually decided not to go ahead with the production in Myanmar as they couldn't secure permission for filming by helicopter.

Then I stumbled across this...

Death ends Survivor show

March 27, 2013 by AFP
Filed under Cambodia, News

PHNOM PENH, 27 March 2013: Filming of the French version of the hit reality TV show “Survivor” has been cancelled after a contestant died of a heart attack on a tropical Cambodian island on the first day.

French broadcaster TF1 said it had axed the 2013 season of the show, called “Koh Lanta”, after 25-year-old Gerald Babin fell ill on Friday during filming on Koh Rong off Cambodia’s southwest coast.

Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the TV crew had planned to spend five months in the kingdom.

Full article can be seen here: http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2013/03/death-ends-survivor-show/#more-55170

I just saw this thread and wondered whether it was the French lad dying and remembered it was Cambodia

Terrible.

I am a huge fan of the US version of the show