Thai Filmmakers are So Screwed … Part 2

Well they did it. Even after some of Thailand’s most famous film directors went on a campaign to stop it and the International community frowned upon them, Thailand has nevertheless passed its controversial film act, which includes the obscenely fascist ability by the Government to ban any film that “undermine or disrupt social order and moral decency, or that might impact national security or the pride of the nation”.

More:

The rating system is made up of “P” (films that are of educational value and should be promoted for Thai auds), “G” (fit for all age groups), “under 13 not admitted,” “under 15 not admitted,” “under 18 not admitted” and “under 20 not admitted.” However, it does not include an “under 24″ category which had been discussed in some media circles.

Notably, the Film Act authorizes the state to forbid the release of movies that “undermine or disrupt social order and moral decency, or that might impact national security or the pride of the nation”.

Another point set to enrage film bizzers is the article that sees the country’s chief of police join the National Film and Video Committee. Previous drafts of the law did not include the police as members of the rating committee, though historically the police have chaired the film censorship board.

The film rating system is not the problem, everyone has that, it’s the last two parts that will stick in people’s craw. From a creative point of view, the ability to ban any movie willy nilly based on an abstract concept like “pride of the nation” borders on retardation. Then again, we are talking about a country that, even before this new law, censored scenes of people pointing guns at each other, but have no trouble with a head exploding into chunks of flesh and bone or a woman being brutally raped on the floor.

Translation: Don’t be talking shit about Thailand in your movies, bros, but otherwise please do give us more stimulating cinema like “Dynamite Warrior 2″.