Loading Sensitive Elements, Here is a List of Banned Thai Films

Kapanlagi.com - Film is an art form that often reflects the culture, beliefs, and values of society. However, some works generate controversy because they are considered to contradict prevailing social, religious, or even political norms. This is also the case with several banned Thai films.

This banned Thai film faces various opposition due to containing sensitive elements. The scenes within it have also sparked debates.

So, what are the banned Thai films? Please see the information gathered from various sources below.

1. ARBAT (2015)

Thai Films That Are Banned from Screening (Credit: Mydramalist)

ARBAT has become one of the banned films in Thailand. This film tells the story of a young monk facing various challenges in living according to Buddhist teachings. However, the film received criticism even before its release for allegedly tarnishing the reputation of monks and Buddhism itself.

The monk is depicted as engaging in actions considered to violate norms, such as violence, having romantic relationships, and drinking alcohol. The majority of the Thai population, which is predominantly Buddhist, strongly protested the screening of this film.

Some also called it inappropriate and disrespectful to their beliefs. After a lengthy process, the film finally passed censorship after several controversial scenes were cut and its title was changed to eliminate the connotation of religious significance.

2. SHAKESPEARE MUST DIE (2012)

Next, there is a Thai film that is banned from screening titled SHAKESPEARE MUST DIE. This film is a modern adaptation of "Macbeth," the famous work by William Shakespeare. However, this adaptation became controversial in Thailand due to its perceived political sensitivities. One of the characters in this film is a dictator named Dear Leader, who is considered to resemble former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted from power in 2006.

Additionally, the film features a group dressed in red, which is seen as reflecting Thaksin's support group, known as the Red Shirt. Moreover, scenes depicting the student uprising of 1976 also contributed to the film being banned. The content within it is said to potentially threaten national stability.

3. JAN DARA: THE BEGINNING (2012)

Thai Film That Was Banned from Screening (Credit: Mydramalist)

JAN DARA: THE BEGINNING is a film adapted from a classic Thai novel. One of the banned Thai films, it tells the dark story of a young man named Jan. Set in the 1930s, Jan lives under the pressure of his authoritarian father, who blames Jan for the death of his wife during childbirth.

The absence of a mother figure in Jan's life leads him to fall into a forbidden relationship with his father's concubine. Due to its many adult scenes deemed too vulgar and inappropriate according to prevailing norms, this film was also banned from screening.

4. ETERNITY (2010)

ETERNITY is also one of the Thai films that was banned from screening. The story of forbidden love it portrays has also sparked significant controversy. The film tells the story of a forbidden relationship between an aunt and her nephew, Sangmong.

Sangmong, an orphan, is raised by his uncle, Ni Han. However, the situation becomes complicated when Ni Han marries a widow named Yupadee, who then begins a romantic relationship with Sangmong. This story of infidelity presents intimate scenes that trigger major controversy.

5. INSECTS IN THE BACKYARD (2010)

Thai Films That Are Banned from Screening (Credit: Mydramalist)

The film INSECTS IN THE BACKYARD raises sensitive issues that are rarely discussed in conservative society, such as prostitution and gender identity. The story centers on a transgender father raising his two children after losing his wife. Unfortunately, their father's sexual identity makes the children embarrassed, leading them to decide to leave home.

This decision leads them into a difficult life, even involving themselves in prostitution to meet their living needs. The adult content and the issues presented in it make it a banned film in Thailand.

6. SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY (2006)

There is another Thai film that is banned from screening titled SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY. Broadly speaking, this film tells the romantic relationship between two doctors working in a small hospital. The film has received praise from various quarters for its deep emotional portrayal. However, some vulgar and intimate scenes led the Thai censorship board to ban the screening of this film.

Refusing to censor his work, the director initially withdrew the film from domestic circulation. However, he eventually allowed limited screenings in Thailand by replacing the cut scenes with a black screen as a form of protest against strict censorship.

Well, that’s a list of Thai films that are banned from screening containing sensitive elements. Let’s start following news about other Thai films, KLovers! If not now, when?

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