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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022933

Thai film industry ‘held back by lack of funding and audience support’

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Thailand’s film industry needs more funding and practical support to become a player in the global market, where it could increase the country’s soft power, panelists told a seminar at the World Film Festival of Bangkok 2022, TK Park, Central World on Thursday.

The most difficult thing about being a filmmaker in Thailand is the complete lack of support, director Chantana Tiprachartm said at the seminar focused on Thailand’s soft power in the global movie market.

She added that many of her peers had to fund their own films because there were no other options, pointing to a film released by director Thapanee Loosuwan this year.

Chantana Tiprachartm

“For example, look at ‘Blue Again’ by Thapanee Loosuwan. It took eight years to complete,” Chantana said, adding that the film was selected to open the Busan Film Festival this year.

“The difficulty of making just one film in Thailand is enough to kill off the talent. Thailand’s film industry cannot flourish because it is too difficult to make films here,” added Chantana, director of the film “Nha Harn” and a member of the Thai Film Directors Association.

She said it was crucial to help filmmakers, particularly new ones, complete their films.

Pramote Boonnumsuk, a member of the Culture Ministry’s Thai Media Fund (TMF), Pornchai Wongsri-udomporn, a member of the National Federation of Thai Film Associations, and Chantana Tiprachartm, director of Nha Harn Film and a member of the Thai Film Directors Association joined the discussion.

Pramote Boonnumsuk

Pramote Boonnumsuk, a member of the Culture Ministry’s Thai Media Fund (TMF), admitted that the fund has limited money for films. However, he said TMF was good at finding partners in Thailand and abroad to help Thai directors to showcase their films.

He advised young Thai directors to start by making films for streaming or other online platforms. TMF will launch more support services for filmmakers in the coming years, he added.

Pornchai Wongsri-udomporn

Pornchai of the National Federation of Thai Film Associations said Thai people are both the film industry’s strongest and weakest links.

Thailand has enough talented people to create a thriving film industry, but Thai films lack sufficient support from Thai audiences, Pornchai said.

He said he agreed with Chantana that filmmakers need more funding and that the funding has to arrive fast.

“The film industry also needs great marketing and distribution plans. Films are art, but they are also a kind of investment that can generate great returns.”

A good business model for developing the industry will allow people in the industry to feel at ease and continue making great films, he said, adding that audience support must increase.

The seminar was held as government officials consider ways to increase Thailand’s soft power globally to attract more tourists and investment into the country.

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022930

EEC eyes THB2.2 trillion in investments after sweeping up 1.9 trillion in first 5 years

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2022

Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) has drawn 1.92 trillion baht in foreign investments in its first five years of implementation.

In addition to this, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said EEC aims to attract another 2.2 trillion baht in the next five years.
He added that investments between 2018 and 2022 had already exceeded the original target of 1.7 trillion baht.
Among the key investors are Sony Pictures Entertainment and Amazon Falls, which built the world’s first Columbia Pictures Aquaverse in Chonburi.
This recreational park is expected to attract as many as 20 million visitors per year and generate revenue of 10 billion baht for the local economy, Supattanapong said.

He added that the EEC targets 2.2 trillion baht in foreign investments in the second five-year stage from 2023 to 2027, with an average annual investment of between 400 billion and 500 billion baht.
In line with this target, the eastern seaboard provinces – Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong – can be expected to expand by up to 9% per year, thus boosting the national economy by 5% annually from 2024.
Supattanapong, who also doubles as deputy prime minister, chairs a subcommittee tasked with managing EEC’s development.
He said on Friday that the EEC has also attracted huge investments from Chinese electric vehicle makers, including 22 billion baht from Great Wall Motor and 17.9 billion baht from BYD. The US-based EVlomo has also invested 33 billion baht in the largest battery factory in Southeast Asia.
Horizon Plus, a joint venture between Thailand’s petroleum giant PTT and Taiwan multinational Foxconn, have spent more than 36 billion baht on an EV manufacturing plant.
Meanwhile, as much as 300 billion baht is expected to come from Saudi Arabia after bilateral relations were restored earlier this year. Supattanapong said he expects more investments from Germany, the United States and Japan.
The investments are expected to create several thousands of new jobs in the EEC provinces.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022929

T-pop in the future? Thailand takes lessons from South Korea’s soft power success

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2022

South Korea’s global “charm offensive” and growing cultural might may offer Thailand some lessons in boosting its “soft power”.

Culture Minister Ittiphol Khunpluem said Thailand needs to learn from the success South Korea has gained from its K-pop, the Korean “look”, TV series and food to name a few.
He was speaking at the “2022 Korea-Thailand Cooperation for Strengthening Soft Power” seminar hosted by the South Korean Embassy and Korean Culture Centre in Bangkok on Thursday.
South Korean Ambassador to Thailand Moon Seung-hyun said: “Soft power is a promising field of cooperation between Korea and Thailand that will further strengthen the relationship of both countries.”
Itthiphol, who was attending the seminar virtually, said: “This seminar offers a good opportunity for Thailand to learn about the development of Korean soft power, which gained great success globally.”

South Korea has made great headway in building its soft power, from winning the 2020 Oscars with its film “Parasite” to K-pop groups like BTS and Blackpink shaking up international music billboards.
Back in April, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha suggested to the South Korean envoy that both countries should collaborate on strengthening their soft power.
Also speaking at the seminar on Thursday were Korean Cultural Centre director Cho Jae-il and Culture Ministry adviser Wansiri Morakul, both of whom spoke about their respective country’s soft power policies.
Meanwhile, Prof Kamon Busabon from Chulalongkorn University’s Korean Language Department provided an analysis of what exactly made South Korea’s soft power so successful.
Other speakers at the event included Shin Yeon-ah, leader of the K-pop group “Big Mama” and dean of Howon University’s K-Pop Department; Prof Kevin Yun from Howon University; Dr Nalin Petchin from Silpakorn University’s Faculty of Music; Na Hong-jin and Banjong Pisanthanakun who directed the Thai-Korean film “Rang Zong” (The Medium); K-pop band Blackpink’s traditional “hanbok” designer Danha Kim; and Chadaporn Chanpan from Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep’s Faculty of Textile Industry.
 

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022920

Sports Authority told to repay THB600m or scrap True World Cup deal

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2022

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on Friday handed the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) an ultimatum: repay the money provided for World Cup broadcast rights or cancel its broadcast agreement with True Corporation.

The ultimatum came after the NBTC voted unanimously on Thursday to demand repayment of 600 million baht it handed the SAT to buy the broadcast rights from Fifa.

Read more

On Friday, NBTC board chairman Sorana Boonbaichaipreug said the SAT had 15 days to return the money, with interest of 5% in case of late payment.

Sorana said the SAT had violated the “must-have” rule that all people should have free access to World Cup broadcasts, as other internet TV operators could not screen matches.

Sorana said the NBTC had handed over the 600 million baht after the SAT pleaded that it did not have budget, but the SAT had then breached the “must have” rule by handing True Corp exclusive rights to internet broadcasts.

He said he didn’t know how the SAT would find the money for repayment if it genuinely had no budget left.

The NBTC would be forced to sue the SAT in the Administrative Court if it did not repay within 15 days or revoke its deal with True Corp, he added.

He explained that the NBTC, as regulator, could not directly interfere in the deal between SAT and True, which had violated the “must have” rule.

The NBTC would also consult the Office of the Attorney General, Sorana said.

He also confirmed that the “must have” rule would be reviewed after the World Cup to prevent this kind of problem.

Related stories

• NBTC demands return of THB600m it gave to SAT for World Cup broadcast rights
• World Cup now available on all internet TV platforms as True loses exclusive rights
• NBTC approves THB600 million from its fund for acquiring World Cup broadcast rights

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022919

Thailand’s gun-control law: Can shooting in self-defence be justified?

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2022

On Thursday afternoon, four masked men on two motorbikes rode up and shot at the window of a gold shop in Tak in a burglary attempt.

The robbery was foiled by the gold shop owner, who shot point-blank at the robbers and severely injured one of them. The injured man and another suspect were arrested, though the other two managed to get away.
 

Read more

Footage of the gold shop owner Pisit (last name withheld) shooting at close range has sparked a lot of criticism.

The 49-year-old is reportedly a shooting enthusiast and has won several trophies.

In a Facebook on Friday, well-known lawyer Kerdpol Kaewkerd said he believes Pisit will get away with little punishment because he can justify the shooting as self-defence.

Is shooting justified?

However, this shooting has sparked a conversation on whether shooting for “self-defence” is acceptable.

Another example of a self-defence shooting was in 2018 when engineer Suthep Poshsomboon shot dead a 17-year-old schoolboy in Chonburi over road rage.

Suthep’s car had been surrounded by a group of angry youths over a right-of-way argument, and when he was hit by one of them, he retaliated by pulling out his gun and shooting.

The court of the first instance and the Appeals Court handed down a 10-year jail term, ruling that Suthep had got into an avoidable conflict by choice.

However, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling and reduced the sentence to three years and four months with parole because the shooting was seen as self-defence.

Read more

Right to gun possession

According to Article 8 of Thailand’s 1947 Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms Act, nobody can own ammunition that does not match the licence granted to the weapon owner.

Violators can face up to 10 years in jail and/or a fine of 20,000 baht.

The Act also says: “No person shall carry a firearm into a town, village or public way without a licence to carry firearms except in a case where carrying of firearms is required in case of necessity or emergency as appropriate under the circumstances.”

Violation of this chapter can result in up to five years in prison and/or up to 10,000 baht in fines.

“No person shall openly carry a firearm or carry a firearm in any gathering place provided for worshipping, merrymaking, entertainment or any other purposes.”

Violators of this point who do not have the licence to carry arms in public can face a jail term of six months to five years and/or a fine of 1,000 to 10,000 baht.

Those who have the licence to carry a firearm but bring it into a place of worship, entertainment etc, stand to face up to a year in prison and/or a fine of 2,000 baht.

Weapon used on Thursday

According to information gathered by The Nation, Pisit was using a Benelli M4 tactical shotgun to protect himself and his store.

This semi-automatic shotgun featured large in the Hollywood blockbuster “John Wick: Chapter 2”.

The Benelli M4, released by Italian firearms manufacturer Benelli Armi SpA in 1998, is widely used by the armies of Italy, the US and the United Kingdom.

Related stories

• 5 South Koreans arrested for telephone fraud in Chiang Mai
• 15 ‘drug smugglers’ killed in gunfight with soldiers in Chiang Mai
• Seven people face charges over illegal dumping in Bangkok

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022918

Mercedes-Benz joins Thailand’s EV subsidy program

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2022

Mercedes-Benz will become the 11th vehicle manufacturer to join a government-led program to encourage production of electric vehicles (EVs) in Thailand, Excise Department director-general Ekniti Nitithanprapas said on Friday.

The German carmaker’s Thai assembling unit – Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing (Thailand) Co Ltd – will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Excise Department on government incentives for EV producers, Ekniti said.
The incentive program aims to lower the price of EVs so they can better compete against cars and motorcycles with internal combustion engines. Carmakers are entitled to subsidies and cuts on import duties of up to 150,000 baht per EV priced below 2 million baht and 700,000-800,000 baht for each one priced above 2 million.

Vehicle makers are required to sign cooperation agreements with the Excise Department to join the program. The agreements require carmakers to produce as many EVs in Thailand as they import.
Companies that have already signed such agreements include the Thai assemblers of Chinese-made EVs, including MG and GWM, as well as Japanese carmaker Toyota, and Thai EV maker Mine Mobility. Three assemblers of electric motorcycles, including Thai Honda and Deco Green, have also signed agreements.