Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Several Thai novels and short stories translated by Marcel Barang, including stories by
Chart Korbjitti and two-time SEA Write winner Win Lyovarin, can be downloaded as e-
books at
www.thaifiction.com
.
Cinema
Thailand has a lively homespun movie industry, producing some very competent films in
various genres. The most expensive film ever made in the country, not to mention the
highest grossing, was director Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol's epic
Legend of Suriyothai
(2003), which tells the story of a 16th-century warrior princess. But what has propelled
Thai viewers to forsake Hollywood imports are generally action flicks such as
Ong Bak:
Thai Warrior
and the follow-ups including
Tom Yum Goong,
directed by Prachya
Pinkaew.
Thailand has cropped up in various foreign film festivals over the years, with several
critically acclaimed art-house movies. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's clever and haunting movies,
such as
Last Life in the Universe
and
6ixty9ine,
have created a buzz on the film-festival
circuit. Apichatpong Weerasethakul leads the avant-garde pack with his Cannes-awarded
Tropical Malady
and
Blissfully Yours
.
The Thai government is now actively touting Thailand as a location for foreign film-
makers. The most famous film to be made here in recent years was
The Beach
(2000).
Based on the Alex Garland novel, it was filmed at Maya Bay on Ko Phi-Phi, Phuket, and
several jungle locations near Krabi and Khao Yai National Park. The film caused contro-
versy for allegedly damaging the environment in Maya Bay, which was also a location
for the 1995 pirate stinker
Cutthroat Island
. Other famous films made here include the
James Bond romp
The Man with the Golden Gun
(1974), which was filmed in Ao Nang
Bay,
Good Morning Vietnam
(1987),
The Killing Fields
(1984),
The Deer Hunter
(1978),
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
(2004) and
The Hangover II
(2011).
Music
Traditional Thai music may sound a little strange to visitors, as the eight-note Thai
octave is broken in different places to the European octave. Thai scales were first tran-
scribed by Thai-German composer Phra Chen Duriyanga (Peter Feit), who also com-
posed Thailand's national anthem in 1932.
The classical Thai orchestra is called the
Ъèe·pâht
and can include anything from five
to 20 musicians. The most popular stringed instrument is the
ja·kêh,
a slender guitarlike
