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ANNA & THE KING/THAI SENSORSHIP/REL



Subject: ANNA & THE KING/THAI SENSORSHIP/RELATIONS WITH BURMA

Thai Officials on Local Ban of `Anna and the King': Comment

  
Bangkok, Dec. 29 <A HREF="aol://4344:30.bloombrg.389091.602536905">(Bloomberg)
</A> -- Following are comments from members of Thailand's Film Board 
censorship committee on the News Corp. movie ``Anna and the King,'' which the 
board yesterday voted to ban from domestic screening. The Film Board said the 
film insults the monarchy and is historically inaccurate. 

The film, which stars Jodie Foster as a British governess and Hong Kong's 
Chow Yun-Fat as King Mongkut, who reigned from 1851 to 1868, was released in 
mid-December. It is loosely based on memoirs of Anna Leonowens, a British 
teacher. 

All comments are taken from The Nation newspaper. 

Sombat Phukarn of the Movie Industry Federation: 

``We believe in freedom of information, but we have a culture and traditions 
that we must respect. If it was shown here, we would be seen to be supporting 
it. But for those seeing it on illegal compact discs, there is the freedom to 
do so.'' 

Supat Jittranukroh of the Foreign Ministry: 

``The Thai people who do not understand the history of the King Rama IV and V 
eras would remember only what Fox (Entertainment Group) has proposed and the 
new generations would think it was real. The film would also affect our 
relationship with Burma.'' 

Chalermsri Chansing, assistant professor at Silapakorn University: 

``I did a Ph.D. about Anna because I disagree with (her) records. The film 
portrays Thai women as being stupid.'' 

Supavat Kaemsri, a historian: 

``There is no Taptim (a character in the movie) in history and everything has 
been distorted by Anna. But there is nothing strange in the film. We should 
be careful about any insult to the monarchy, otherwise, it should be shown.'' 

Thepmontree Limpapayom, a director of the Cultural Center at Rangsit 
University. 

``The film made the king look like a cowboy. There is no such thing as the 
king kissing the mouth of his daughter or smoking a cigar. Taptim is also 
wrongly dressed as a monk. The romance (between Anna and the king) is also 
not possible. But I want the film to be shown because there shouldn't be a 
(fifth) version that we would have to deal with.'' 

Among the previous versions was a musical comedy, ``The King and I,'' 
starring Yul Brynner. 

Police Major Gen. Prakard Satanan, an official at the Central Investigation 
Bureau. 

``The screening would be against the peace and security of our society as it 
would incite riots among those who are loyal to the monarchy. It would be out 
of our control. The film undermines the monarchy. If we had to censor it, 
there would not be anything left to see.'' 

Pana Janviroj, editor, The Nation. 

``It is fiction and should be treated as such. People will be able to judge 
that it is fiction. It should be shown because it will encourage people to be 
curious about history. The whole world will be able to see it, and we in 
Thailand should be in a position to be able to point out the inaccuracies.'' 

(To access The Nation's website, type: PTNT <go>) 

Dec/28/1999   23:29