Showing 1 - 10 of 14
Our newest mission is to love the bomb
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 08/07/2017
» Like all soap addicts, I caught glimpses of the debut episode of the television series Love Missions last week. Not a strand of hair misplaced despite his dangerous expedition, Capt Purich (played by Sukollawat Kanarot) enters a red zone to battle terrorists after they've abducted foreign delegates from a conference in Bangkok. "This act of terrorism has a big boss behind it," intones the captain.
Army take on Lahu killing chills to bone
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 25/03/2017
» This is the quote of the week, a line that should be emblazoned on T-shirts with the boldest font and distributed to all conscripts. Defending the hotly contested extra-judicial killing of the Lahu activist, 3rd Region Army chief Vijak Sriribunsop said: "Firing one shot at him was reasonable. If it were me, I might have put the [machine gun] on automatic mode."
Going S44 cold turkey is going to hurt
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 27/08/2016
» There's a Thai phrase, fon lai chang, the rain that chases out the elephant. But the heavy rain on Wednesday night managed to chase out something bigger than an elephant: the Bangkok governor. I hear people popping champagne corks.
Force-fed film belongs deep in dark vaults
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 13/12/2014
» Strange things have happened at the cinemas. First, Hitler showed up in a Thai short film sponsored by the government (meaning by taxpayers), the radioactive gatecrasher into a party of virtuous citizens. Second, another Thai film featuring, among other things, a joke about the anal cleft — it's funny as long as it's not your anal cleft — is raking in a huge amount of money at the multiplexes, likely surpassing the 100-million-baht mark as you're reading this, which is after just four days of release. Cinema enlightens, even in the dark forest of swastikas and bodily bergschrunds.
Memories are the first victim of 'happiness'
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 04/10/2014
» October is here. Along with the monsoon and beclouded mood, the month has always been marked by the political remembrance whose toxic vapour still leaves a nasty taste in the mouth even of those who didn't live through it.
Nationalism loses out to Hello Kitty
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 30/08/2014
» Two headlines caught my attention over the past week. First, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha wishes to see more movies that promote Thai values and historical education. Second, Hello Kitty is not a cat.
Anger must not give way to bloodlust
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 12/07/2014
» The strangest thing I saw online this week was someone calling for a Buddhist theocracy — in Thailand. For Buddha’s sake, that’s rich. I thought Buddhist fundamentalism is a fad confined to certain parts of Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The benevolent lotus has been plucked from the serene pond and cast into the fires of rage and vengeance. Ta tor ta, funn tor funn — an eye for an eye — that’s the message of the week. If someone slaps you on one cheek, don’t offer him the other: you cut off his head in the town square and hold it up as the blood-lusting crowd cheers.
Open up to spur cultural revolution
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 21/06/2014
» Alarmed by the sight of zombies stampeding to get free tickets to see the film Legend of King Naresuan 5, former Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat, of the Democrat stripe, lamented aloud about the need for a “cultural revolution”.
Footie ecstasy prescription won't last long
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 14/06/2014
» Tell me, what’s happiness? Football, of course. Not playing it, not qualifying for it, but consuming it. Precisely, happiness is watching the 64 matches of the highest-level football played in the far-flung Amazonian longitudes, the broadcast signals being sucked live from space to the tubes of 65 million Thais at the expense of — a bargain, I believe — 427 million baht paid for by tax money from the public purse straight to a private firm. They should make it a policy to distribute ecstasy pills to accompany our late-night viewing, just to be certain maximum happiness is achieved, sustained and thanked for.
Thaksin worse than Hitler? Give us a break
News, Kong Rithdee, Published on 18/01/2014
» It is a mighty stretch of the imagination, isn't it? It is a form of extremism, and extremism is what we're dealing with these days. Above all, it's history being twisted and trampled, all for the sake of bombastic triumphalism and jubilant schadenfreude.