Showing 1 - 10 of 327
Very soft Thai power in the making
Life, Published on 20/09/2023
» Since the recent return of Thaksin Shinawatra after 15 years of self-exile to Bangkok and the parliamentary selection of Srettha Thavisin as Thailand's 30th prime minister on the same day, politics and culture have unfolded with drama and excitement.
Decoding the truth
Life, Tatat Bunnag, Published on 08/03/2024
» Netflix's latest docu-series American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders plunges viewers into a labyrinth of intrigue and political machinations that span the 20th century. Directed by Zachary Treitz and anchored by investigative journalist Christian Hansen, the four-part series is a gripping exploration of conspiracy theories and a quest for truth.
Poor Barbie... Oppenheimer's the bomb
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 08/03/2024
» The annual guessing game to read the minds of inscrutable Oscars voters is here.
Getting soft power right
Life, Published on 08/01/2024
» After three months in office, the Srettha Thavisin government has raved on about populist policies in the guise of digital wallets and soft power projects that will create income to boost our declining economy. With optimism, we learned that Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai party leader and head of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC), has drafted a budget of 5.1 billion baht to boost festivals and creative industries. It is welcoming news to hear this government is priortising art, music, literature, design, fashion, film, food, games, sports and festivals as essential sources for the creative economy. Where this enormous chunk of budget will come from, like digital wallets, remains to be seen.
2023 ROUNDUP A vintage year for Thai cinema?
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 25/12/2023
» There were cheers of jubilation and gasps of disbelief as Thai cinema found itself awash with excitement in 2023. This has been the most successful year for mainstream Thai movies in a decade, a box-office triumph far exceeding all expectations. To many, the 2023 coup de theatre calls for celebration. "We are back!" cried optimistic pundits. But also: "Really? Is it just a one-time cinema party and can we keep the ball rolling?"
Brave new art world
Life, Punsita Ritthikarn, Published on 12/01/2022
» With his lifelong passion for politics and social justice, digital illustrator and charcoal drawer Kasidith Nuchjarearn created a non-fungible token, or NFT, that reflects on how society lacks sympathy but is full of corruption.
Discovering the origins of the kingdom
Life, Tatat Bunnag, Published on 28/07/2021
» Season 2 of Kingdom ended in quite a shocking fashion, leaving all of us global fans wanting to find out more about all the unanswered questions. Especially when we got a glimpse of South Korean megastar Jun Ji-Hyun, who plays the mysterious character Ashin, at the end of the season.
A long crusade against healthcare woes
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 16/04/2021
» Colectiv, a Romanian documentary film nominated for two Oscars, watches in terror as the Romanian healthcare system practically collapses before the camera. The film elicits a series of gasps, as one shocking revelation leads to another, and another: procurement frauds, bureaucratic incompetence, corruption, nepotism, murder, mass bribery, healthcare mafia, maggots crawling on the head of a patient -- a living patient -- and finally, an election whose preposterous results ring too many familiar bells.
A Thrilling Quest for Truth
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 04/10/2019
» Stuntman Cha Dal-geon [played by Lee Seung-gi] uncovers a huge-scale corruption scheme behind a plane crash that kills his nephew and 200 other passengers en route to Morocco. His hunt for the truth intertwines with Go Hae-ri (Bae Suzy), a covert operative who works for the National Intelligence Service. Along their quest, there are adrenaline-pumping action sequences, espionage, political intrigue, comedy and a sprinkle of romance for good measure.
The vagabond returns
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 20/01/2023
» A film once overlooked and misunderstood may have found its moment many years later, the work's peculiar vibrations finally detected and at last appreciated.