Thai film on monks banned

[soalbundy]

To Jaywalker

Many countries have a Ministry of Culture.

Yes true but they also have a culture.

[zaphod reborn]

Yes, mustn't allow anything that would disrespect the monkdom.

[reptile91602]

If seeing the truth of what exist within a religious framework causes people to loose faith in the religion there wasn't much to that religion to begin with. So if that were true i would think movies depicting suicide bombers related to Islam would have destroyed the islamic faith by now. It doesn't seem to have much effect now , does it?

[Crazy chef 1]

"THE CULTURE Ministry Ministry of Truth issued a ban on the screening of "Arbat" yesterday,"

What country besides Saudi or Kuwait has a ministry of culture?

Didn't the great leader just say that Thailand was slap full to the brim with freedom of speech a few days ago?

It about time America and EU and Europe learn that they need a Culture Ministry of Truth

I remember a few years back a certain European country had such a ministry....later they burned books...

[Lupatria]

Once again they handle things in Thai style by shooting the messenger. No matter if there are cops, VIP’s, influential persons or politician involved in wrongdoing and misconduct, it is always the one who report about it taking the blame.

Uncounted times I read about drinking, stealing, drug dealing, raping monks with no response from the Ministry of Culture. Your moral stinks!

[northernphil]

Even Australia has a Minister of Culture , Sir Les Patterson, a fine up standing bloke And I'm a pom.

[chilli42]

How sad for Thailand, the people in charge of running the country continue to live in the distant past. It's abundantly clear to anyone who reads a newspaper or watches the news that this film in no way exaggerates the depravity that exists. I wonder what chance there is of attaining a heathy society if people hide from and don't discuss the problems.

[Bangkok Barry]

I guess they can release it on dvd and people can buy it from overseas sources, and it will become available for download. Banning anything these days is so last century, but the dinosaurs who make these decisions haven't a clue about the modern world we live in.

[HerbalEd]

Don't want to confuse the people with the truth.

[american12bthai]

WHen the world sees how thais are "Buddhist", people will convert to other religions. tourist coming to thailand is whats really tainting the thai image. if the tourist dont come to thailand, then there would be no image to destroy.

i honestly dont remember when Buddah was ok with sharing the "one truth" with hindu gods, brahmin, and voodoo and witchcraft. If a palm reader tells a thai to change their name they do it. ... thats a totally weak ass culture.

Half of my family is buddhist and the other half is christian. Half of my family asks for handouts and free money, the other half is hard working. What am i implying exactly?

[jaywalker]

To Jaywalker

Many countries have a Ministry of Culture.

...... Yeah, I get it. That was not my point though.

My point was how many have a Ministry of Truth that bans films and masquerades as a Ministry of Culture?

[Haus23]

it's actually a horror movie.. like it's very fictional..

I see no harm in showing it..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY1FPFov3hg

[kkerry]

A few months down the track it will be shown at some overseas film festival and probably win an award...

[Baerboxer]

Even Australia has a Minister of Culture , Sir Les Patterson, a fine up standing bloke And I'm a pom.

Yogurt has more culture than Australia!

But Sir Les is on the mark!!

[Tonawatchee]

Did you know that Thailand is the only country who has a Ministry of Corruption.........I think it has something to do with the Police & Politician Corruption Union.

How many countries have a museum devoted to corruption? Corruption seems to be celebrated in many different ways here.

[scottiejohn]

"THE CULTURE Ministry Ministry of Truth issued a ban on the screening of "Arbat" yesterday,"

What country besides Saudi or Kuwait has a ministry of culture?

Didn't the great leader just say that Thailand was slap full to the brim with freedom of speech a few days ago?

The UK!

The UK has a Ministerial Department for Culture, Media and Sport

[stickylies]

Buddhism in Thailand. lol. Circus with mostly clowns imo.

[teatree]

and when you censor something like this..it only heightens ones curiosity to want to see it..therefore making more popular...

Actions backfiring

Also known as the 'Streisand Effect'.

Tell someone that they can't watch something and you just make them want to see it all the more.

Edited October 13, 2015 by teatree

[MockingJay]

Shoyte!!! Finally a movie depicting the truth about a good percentage of Thai monks being nothing more than "orange robed fakes" and they ban it!

Why? Because it could make Thais lose faith in Buddhism...

Well, I'd say that a large chunk of them has lost faith already or never truly had any because the ability to read newspapers alone would have taught them about what many "monks" do in their "free time"... The culture minister should be more than happy already about the fact that the producers did not include the dog raping monk who died during or shortly after misconduct in a temple in Thailand.

There's a very graphic report about it online with photo, but I won't list it here. You'll find it easily with Google.

[webfact]

Arbat film producer agrees to make changes to the film



BANGKOK: -- Sahamongkol Film, producer of the controversial horror film, Arbat, has agreed to make changes to the movie but will maintain its “core elements” as much as possible, said the film-making company in the social media.

Screening of the film for the media which was earlier scheduled on Tuesday was cancelled and the planned public screening starting Thursday was postponed indefinitely.

The film censorship board of the Culture Ministry found the film to be blasphemous to Buddhism and could lead to conflicts in the Thai society. The board also asked the filmmaker to revise the film contents if it wants to screen the film.

The film’s young director, Ms Kanittha “Fon” Kwanyu, defended that she had no intention whatsoever to defame Buddhism and would like to use the film to tell the people that sin and merit are actually within all of us.

Sahamongkol Film has the right to appeal the censorship board’s decision in 15 days.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/arbat-film-producer-agrees-to-make-changes-to-the-film


-- Thai PBS 2015-10-13

[MockingJay]

it's actually a horror movie.. like it's very fictional..

I see no harm in showing it..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY1FPFov3hg

Haus23 - you simply can't fight Thai hypocrisy with logic.

Thanks for sharing the trailer link!

[LarryBird]

America's fault.

[MockingJay]

Looking at the trailer, I can't understand why they have banned it. To me it looks like the main actor (monk) is involved in misconduct with a 15 year old girlfriend and gets his karmic punishment. The story - in the contrary to the reasoning of the minister - shows nothing more but what happens if a monk isn't truthful and pure-hearted. In my opinion the screening would have the effect that a few misconducting and also some future monks would reconsider their actions and their attitude towards Buddhism in general. Adding the fact that this movie is a piece of horror fiction, I see no harm being done. The producers and financiers of this movie must be boiling up with rage right now and right they are!

[Enoon]

It's been banned because it is feared by "interested parties" (not just the General) that it nibbles at the authority of the established "church" of Thailand. That church is a fundamental pillar of the mechanism that controls the country. There are a couple of programmes shown on TV, at the same time every night, that highlight this.

It functions (and behaves) in the same way that the Pre-Reformation Catholic church did in Europe.

Then along came Luther, and the Modern West was born.

[stickylies]

as clearly explained in God Is Not Great, there is no "Eastern Solution"...

[Briggsy]

It is a longstanding position in Thailand that monks, police, civil servants, military, teachers, etc. are not to be portrayed in a way that shows them doing wrong in fictional works, such as movies, tv, etc.

This policy reflects the "fairytale culture" that pervades the instructing of people here. They are given a fairy tale in which the people holding power are good and baddies are always from outside governmental structures. (The Sangha is regulated by the Thai government and can be certainly considered as within the government fold)

[bim]

I lost my faith in Buddhism when you see some of cruelty to each other and animals and yet still attend their temples as good Buddhists. Same with all religion I suppose. Doesnt need a film to put me off.

[stickylies]

"fairytale culture" ... a bit like 25 yo bargirls loving 55 yo farang ;-)

[AlQaholic]

How can you loose faith in something that is not a religion?

[Jingthing]

How can you loose faith in something that is not a religion?

Don't be daft. Of course Buddhism is a religion.