Rak haeng Siam (2007)

Director:

Chukiat Sakveerakul

Writer:

Chukiat Sakveerakul (writer)

Release Date:

22 November 2007 (Thailand)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Two young boys are best friends living quiet family lives in Bangkok. Their lives are disrupted when...

Plot Keywords:

Boy Band | Thai Culture | Unresolved Ending | Musician | Gay Teenager

Awards:

5 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Sinjai Plengpanit	...	Sunee (as Sinjai Plengpanich)
Songsit Roongnophakunsri	...	Korn
Pimpan Buranapim	...	Grandmother
Laila Boonyasak	...	Tang / June (as Chermarn Boonyasak)
Jirayu La-ongmanee	...	Young Tong (as Jirayu Laongmanee)
Artit Niyomkul	...	Young Mew
Kanya Rattapetch	...	Ying
Aticha Pongsilpipat	...	Donut
Mario Maurer	...	Tong
Witwisit Hiranyawongkul	...	Mew
Pongnarin Ulice	...	Pee Aod
Jarunee Boonsake	...	Physical Education Teacher (as Charunee Boonsek)
Nattapong Arunnate	...	Earth (as Natthaphong Aroonnet)
Taveesak Pehtpraneenukul	...	Jeng
Atirat Praseartburanakul	...	Kao Sai

Also Known As:

The Love of Siam (International: English title)

Runtime:

Thailand:150 min | Thailand:154 min | Thailand:178 min (Director's cut)

Country:

Thailand

Language:

Thai

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Thailand

Company:

Sahamongkol Film International

Trivia:

Thailand's 2009 Academy Awards official submission to Foreign-Language Film category.

Melancholic yet hopeful

I watched 'Rak haeng Siam' a week ago. And I love this movie!

Despite the recent controversy about gay issues in Thailand, this movie is not focused only on gay romances, but love in general.

In the movie, we witness various types of people's relationships and the acts of love they do to each other, whether they are of mother and son, brother and sister, grandmother and grandson, husband and wife, or the love among friends.

'As long as there's love, there's hope'. This sentence is from one of the film's theme songs (which are mostly written by the director-writer himself), and it exactly presents the tone of the movie: heartwarming and hopeful.

While being promoted as a movie about love, 'Rak haeng Siam' is also one of the best family and coming of age movies ever made. We can see how the characters have to cope with their past losses, and how they overcome their grief. The teenagers have found who they really are, what they want, and go on with their lives. These serious topics are delicately presented, thanks to the director who brilliantly helms the movie.

All the main cast are at their best, especially veteran Sinjai Plengpanit, as a woman who's desperate to save her family from being torn apart. Her performance is heartbreaking. Another praise for newcomers Witwisit Hirunwongkul and Mario Maurer, who play the major teenage roles. They are so into the characters we could believe this is real.

'Rak haeng Siam' is indeed a good film as many have said. It tells us even though our love is unanswered, we can still learn from it, and we should be grateful that, at least, we are once capable of loving.