'Pee Mak' sets sail against pirates
Movie studio GTH wants to stop people from illegally downloading its blockbuster "Pee Mak Phra Nakhon" - but it isn't threatening to take legal action. It's much subtler than that. The movie's DVD is now on sale at 7-Eleven. Buy one and you're eligible to
And the movie’s star, Mario Maurer, is flogging a catchy pun with the appeal in Thai, “Watch a ghost film [nang pee], but don’t buy an illegal DVD [pan pee], please!” Everyone worked hard on the film, he points out, so give them their due credit (in cash).
Over on Twitter, meanwhile, director Banjong Pisanthanakun is expressing thanks that the DVD is selling well. “I’m overwhelmed – I almost broke into tears,” he chirps. “Thank you, guys, for buying the copyrighted version. I promise to do my best on my next project.”
As disc sales race higher, the movie itself is now well past a truly historic Bt1 billion in earnings, with Bt50 million of that coming from elsewhere in Southeast Asia plus Hong Kong. There’s a “Pee Mak” book set on shelves as well. If the GTH “soft strategy” to fight illegal sales works, the numbers are going to get a lot higher.
Cheap boyfriend
Having a rich boyfriend isn’t necessarily a blessing. Chalida “Mint” vijitvongthong is building a big house and shopping for a posh car and all the news media want to know is whether her beau is chipping in on the costs. He’s Pupaa taechanarong, whose dad owns the Bonanza resort in Khao Yai.
Taken aback, Mint blurted, “Oh, my goodness!” So, no, he’s not contributing.
She doesn’t expect the house to cost anything like the rumoured Bt50 million, although it’s still being built. And as for the car, “I’m working and saving money and I will buy it with my own money,” she declared. “The extra work I get through starring in ‘Khun Chai Ronapee’ will help me pay faster.”
