TAT’s latest campaign film to promote tourism among Thai people. photos courtesy of Tourism Authority of Thailand
The latest short film of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has received more than 2.6 million hits online within the first three days after it was launched on Aug 1.
TAT’s latest campaign film to promote tourism among Thai people. photos courtesy of Tourism Authority of Thailand
The film is posted on TAT’s “Amazing Thailand” Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AmazingThailand). It is the work of director Komkrit Triwimol, who made his debut at the box office with Fan Chan (My Girl) in 2003, which was directed by six new faces. He has also directed other movies and soap operas such as Puean Sanit or Dear Dakanda (2005) and Noo-Hin: The Movie (2006).
TAT’s short film is shot under the theme “Once upon a time when spirit runs wild”. It tells the story of a typical office worker name Bozo (played by Jinnapat, a first year student of the Communication Arts Faculty of Chulalongkorn University).
Bozo has a routine like other white collar workers with her day starting by being stuck in the morning traffic so she eats and puts on make-up behind the wheel. She works hard and does overtime until getting sick.
The friendly narrated voice tells her to take a break. The voice belongs to Nirun Boonyarataphan, better known as Na Toi Sembei who has been a voiceover artist for Japanese cartoons on Channel 9 since the 1980s.
Bozo starts travelling to many places throughout the country. Along the way she tries many activities including squid fishing, traditional Thai massage, planting rice seedlings, carving clay pottery and joining local festivals like Phi Ta Khon or a ghost mask festival in Loei and a traditional dance in the North.
While travelling, she gets a crush on a Japanese traveller. They travel and share good times together, but later he says goodbye to her with the shocking reason that his wife will give birth to their baby earlier than expected. She cries hard and to heal her broken heart continues her journey to the South where she meets more women whose hearts have been broken. The movie ends when she goes to the North and by chance meets a good looking guy. Sadly, he happens to come with his male partner.
At the end she shouts: “Got my heart broken again.” Then the ending message shows up and states: “Do travel when you feel miserable and when the hard time is gone, start a new journey.”
About 60,000 people shared the film on their Facebook accounts last week while the number of views is increasing. Many like the film thanks to the cute and pudgy Bozo. Others also state that the movie is a creative marketing tool for TAT. They say it is funny and makes them want to travel.
Those who don’t like the movie said it makes Thai women look bad because she travels to find a partner. They also criticise Bozo for lacking responsibility by quitting her job to travel more.
There was also constructive feedback suggesting TAT have English subtitles or give the names of places Bozo visited so the audience could follow it.
Whether people like it or not, the short film is regarded as a success. Perhaps, they may feel Bozo’s dream is like theirs.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.