The Thai Govt Should Join The Cultural Bandwagon: Editorial

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EDITORIAL
The govt should join the cultural bandwagon
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- With the success of Thai films abroad, the authorities should take the financing and promotion of artistic products much more seriously

The tremendous success of "Pee Mak" is a promising sign for the Thai film industry. The film is set to earn over Bt500 million, closing in on the all-time local box-office record of Bt550 million set by "The Legend of Suriyothai". The film has also been well received elsewhere in Southeast Asia, with full houses reported in Indonesia in particular. The warm welcome in the region for the latest hit from Thailand has again reminded our filmmakers that the industry has opportunities outside its homeland.

To date, several Thai films have been well received in the region, and a few, such as action movie "Tom Yam Goong" and the comedy "Iron Ladies", have became popular outside Asia. Thai horror-comedies and romantic comedies have fans multitudes of fans in Hong Kong. Regional audiences are also now familiar with Thai stars.

Film creativity is something that Thailand has never lacked, with awards from Cannes also to our credit. In the art-house genre, Cannes award-winner Apichatpong Veerasethakul is a homegrown creative superpower. The Thai film industry might experience slumps at times, but the industry has been on the rise since the arrival of young-blood directors like Wisith Sasanathieng, Nonzee Nimitbutr, Pen-ek Rattanaruang, Prachya Pinkaew, Jira Malikool and Yongyoot Thongkongthun in the early 2000s.

Now veterans, they were pioneers of new ideas in Thai films. They should be credited for taking our cultural products abroad. Wisith made Europeans love his period cowboy drama, while Prachya's "Tom Yam Goong" made Tony Jaa a worldwide stunt hero. On the comedy side, Jira and Yongyoot drew attention that landed them chances and a reputation in the region in the horror and comedy genres. Their success inspires more creative-minded people to get into the industry.

With the foundation that the veterans laid, Thai films have earned a place in the region and are now poised to go beyond, with new opportunity arising in the Chinese market. There are a number of promising signs. At the start of the year, the hit Chinese comedy "Lost in Thailand" grossed more than US$200 million and significantly increased interest in Thailand among Chinese tourists. It has also made the Thai government realise that cultural products can be potential exports.

To Thai filmmakers, the success of "Lost in Thailand" signals an important fact - that a low-budget film can become a blockbuster in China. Before its success, Chinese filmgoers preferred big-budget films, and there was rarely a chance for a modest-budget film to top the box-office ratings. "Lost in Thailand" cost only 3 million yuan (about Bt140 million) to make.

Thai filmmakers usually make low- to moderate-budget films, and when compared to Hollywood or Chinese filmmakers, they are encouraged to make the most of their strengths in content and creativity. Perhaps the timing is right now, with the Thai Embassy in Beijing catching on to the trend and starting to build bridges for Thai filmmakers. The embassy held its first Thai film festival in Beijing this week. It brought Thai stars and other industry people, including National Film Association of Thailand president Visute Poolvoralaks, to meet Chinese authorities. Thai envoy to Beijing Wiboon Khusakul said the festival would help cement relations between the two countries after the success of "Lost in Thailand".

China is one of the most important markets for Thailand, since it is plausible for Thai filmmakers to connect with Chinese audiences, who love the looks of Thai stars. The challenge is that Thai films have to compete with Hollywood, with the foreign-film quota per annum in China just 34 movies. Visute said co-production should be one of the answers to cope with quota and censorship obstacles.

The bridge is being built in China, and the Thai government should really consider a similar pattern as spearheaded by Beijing. The film industry has urged the government to offer strong support. One of the models being cited is the way South Korea's government supports its local film industry, not only financially but also in promotion overseas.

The Thai government must act now if it wants to take cultural products seriously, because export earnings can ride along on the success of "Pee Mak" and "Lost in Thailand". The government can make the movies' journey abroad smoother. As for Thai filmmakers, they know they must remain "themselves" and sell their uniqueness instead of emulating Hollywood to compete with the heavyweights. Success in overseas markets now rests upon good cooperation between the Thai government and film industry.


-- The Nation 2013-04-24

[Locationthailand]

The first thing to do is get the Film Office out of their anal retentive bureaucracy. Film Offices around the world promote filming whereas Thailand (from experience) puts walls up all the way to frustrate and stagnate production through over zealous adherence to 'perceived' protectionism. The second thing is to have the Government offer tax incentives (offsets) such as refunds of taxation from VAT, Withholding Tax etc., which has been promised for 13 years so far and still nothing.

Malaysia is building huge studios which Pinewood have now pulled out from and they at least understand the value of film production in horizontal markets such as tourism - essential to both Malaysia and Thailand. But despite many proposals made to Thailand on the matter the ego maniacs advising and bribing the Film Office/Govt, nothing has changed or will.

Thai films are 'out there' but non use of English holds them back. Large markets such as Europe and US don't like subtitles and voice overs do not work particularly well thus sales at box office don't happen except in boutique theatres.

There are some great filmmakers here, even Palm d'Or winners at Cannes meaning they are recognised by their peers as the best in the world. So who will get the Govt to sit down and understand the 1.6Bn Baht it presently generates can easily top 20Bn within a few years if they make some very small changes?

Edited April 24, 2013 by Locationthailand

[SlideRiceFC]

While the writer of this piece did make mention of some creative talent I don't think the success of Pee Mak in itself indicates anything. I went and saw it with my gf since she was dying to see it and her as well as the rest of the audience were practically peeing themselves laughing out loud throughout the entire movie. One of the biggest moments was when Mario Maurer's character comes home from the war to see his wife who was pregnant with child when he left. She tells him that she named the baby his favorite name...*suspenseful pause*...Dang. So, basically the same as if in an American movie the wife named the kid Bob. Afterwards my girlfriend looked at me like she felt sorry for me and asked if I didn't understand the movie. Don't get me wrong, the film had it's moments as far as a check-your-brain-at-the-door comedy goes, but the humor was typical Thai poo-poo wee-wee humor that I don't think will have the same impact on audiences outside of Thailand. I was disappointed as I think it was directed by the same guy that did Hello Stranger which I've seen multiple times and it always got a laugh out of me. I think Thailand just misses the boat by not understanding audiences outside of Thailand or knowing how to promote their films.

[bigbamboo]

Maybe not. The last time the authorities got involved in something like this the result was a massive fraud committed by the TAT boss and her daughter which still hasn't been cleared up.

[greg71]

This Pee mak movie is i think the 3rd or 4th time this so called movie has been made in the last 15 yrs .So much for being creative force ,rehashed crap again.

[noitom]

Chinese audiences "who love the looks of Thai stars." If they don't mind saying so themselves.

[Locationthailand]

Maybe not. The last time the authorities got involved in something like this the result was a massive fraud committed by the TAT boss and her daughter which still hasn't been cleared up.

That was only 1.6M USD. Not worth chasing her for that...

[Markaew]

This report makes me feel all warm and... oh wait.... I pissed myself.

I'm getting a bit tired of the fantasy that is projected about how great Thailand is going to be in the AEC.

This is just feel good, we are wonderful, we are the best!

Edited April 24, 2013 by Markaew

[Markaew]

"To Thai filmmakers, the success of "Lost in Thailand" signals an important fact - that a low-budget film can become a blockbuster in China."

Of course it's a blockbuster in China. It's building the confidence up for the Chinese to take over Thailand economically. Viewing these movies the Chinese must be thinking, "This will be easier than we thought".

[noitom]

The Chinese have their eye on Thailand folks they are so attractive.

[bigbamboo]

"To Thai filmmakers, the success of "Lost in Thailand" signals an important fact - that a low-budget film can become a blockbuster in China."

Of course it's a blockbuster in China. It's building the confidence up for the Chinese to take over Thailand economically. Viewing these movies the Chinese must be thinking, "This will be easier than we thought".

I wonder if we'll ever see a Thai film entitled 'Lost in The Hague'.

That would be a blockbuster in Cambodia.

[kirk0233]

While the writer of this piece did make mention of some creative talent I don't think the success of Pee Mak in itself indicates anything. I went and saw it with my gf since she was dying to see it and her as well as the rest of the audience were practically peeing themselves laughing out loud throughout the entire movie. One of the biggest moments was when Mario Maurer's character comes home from the war to see his wife who was pregnant with child when he left. She tells him that she named the baby his favorite name...*suspenseful pause*...Dang. So, basically the same as if in an American movie the wife named the kid Bob. Afterwards my girlfriend looked at me like she felt sorry for me and asked if I didn't understand the movie. Don't get me wrong, the film had it's moments as far as a check-your-brain-at-the-door comedy goes, but the humor was typical Thai poo-poo wee-wee humor that I don't think will have the same impact on audiences outside of Thailand. I was disappointed as I think it was directed by the same guy that did Hello Stranger which I've seen multiple times and it always got a laugh out of me. I think Thailand just misses the boat by not understanding audiences outside of Thailand or knowing how to promote their films.

Saw it and thought it was stupid.

[DocN]

And because they are so proud and Thai- movies are so great, they just banned a documentary on the Thai/Cambodian- border conflict!

Way to go!

Nothing but hot air!

[Thai at Heart]

They did.

They just banned a movie to protect national something or other.

Stick to ghost movies and slapstick. It's what the Thais want, but not sure about the rest of the world.

[noitom]

"To Thai filmmakers, the success of "Lost in Thailand" signals an important fact - that a low-budget film can become a blockbuster in China."

Of course it's a blockbuster in China. It's building the confidence up for the Chinese to take over Thailand economically. Viewing these movies the Chinese must be thinking, "This will be easier than we thought".

Great observation! And further to your point, when the Chinese start to run low on women as they already are, they will replay the Thai flicks and see how easy it would be to walk in to Thailand and "take over" Thai women.