Bang Rajan seized again

Bang Rajan seized again 

Shops renting videotapes in Tachilek across the Thai border were being raided recently and VCDs of the hit movie, "Bang Rajan", confiscated by the local military authorities, reported Moengzay from Chiangrai. 

On 13 May, police in the Shan State's Tachilek, opposite Maesai District, Chiangrai Province, searched the 9 video-shops in town and seized VCDs of the Thai historical romance. They told the arrested owners that they were acting on the orders of the Township Peace and Development Council, the official name for the local military government. 

They were released later with a warning not to rent anymore the VCDs, depicting the courage of the Thai villagers who fought against the Burmese invading army to their death prior to the fall of Ayuddya in 1767. 

On 17 May, all the owners of the VCD-shops, about 20, were summoned to the township office to sign affidavits pledging not to rent and sell any video tapes that had political connotations. 

Since its release towards the end of last year, the movie had already made a phenomenal 200-million baht. In addition, its touch of the Americans' Alamo and the Greeks' Thermopylae had also stirred a rise of national pride and anti-Burmanism in Thailand. 

Another historical movie, "Suriyothai", due to hit the theaters soon, "will not help foster any better relations with Burma", according to a well-known Thai newspaperman.