A life well lived

THE LIFE AND times of Phra Buddhacharn Toh Phomarangsi, aka Somdej Toh, one of Siam’s most revered monks during the Rattanakosin era, comes to the big screen later this month in the first-ever feature film made of his story.

Its director, veteran film distributor Somkiat Ruenpraphat, acknowledges that adapting a TV documentary on the monk into a movie is a risk, but says he’s confident he can fill theatres. 

“Friends in the movie business have warned me that I’ll lose money, pointing out that most of theatres are today located in department stores and shopping complexes,” says Somkiat, the owner and chief executive of Agaligo International Media. 

“A recent survey conducted by the industry found that most filmgoers are between the ages of 16 and 25 years old and are more inclined to watch Hollywood blockbusters and local romantic comedies or horror stories.

“If that’s true, then why were such period movies as ‘Hom Rong’ [‘The Overture’] or ‘King Naresuan’ so successful? The people who flocked to theatres to see ‘King Naresuan’ weren’t teenagers but young professionals and adults who really want more Thainess in their lives. I’m sure that people will come to see my movie not just because I’ve cast [singer and actor] Setha Sirachaya in the lead or because I have a particular style of directing but because they have faith in the venerable monk. People would like to know more about Somdej Toh’s life after reading his biography or paying respect to his statue or photo in their homes. And my film is every bit as well researched as [MC Chatrichalerm ‘Than Mui’ Yukol’s] ‘King Naresuan’,” he adds.

Even though Somkiat is inclined to brush the survey results aside, he admits that the teenage demographic is hardly his main target. 

“A large number of people around the country still pray to Somdej Toh and listen to his Chinabunchorn sermon. Buddhists who come to Wat Rakang in Ayutthaya are mostly older and come to this temple most closely associated with him to ask for success in exams, work, business and life. We still live in a Buddhist society and belief is strong. But the young people will come to see the movie too – Setha built up a large and loyal fanbase while he was hosting ‘True Academy Fantasia’,” says Somkiat.

Born in 1788 in Kamphaeng Phet Province, Somdej Toh is thought to have been a son of King Rama I. He studied the Pali Canon with several Buddhist masters and served as the preceptor for Prince Mongkut, later King Rama IV, when Mongkut became a monk. During the reign of Rama IV, Somdej Toh was given the ceremonial name Phra Buddhacharn Toh Phomarangsi.

A skilled preacher who used Thai poetry to reflect the beauty of Buddhism, the revered monk is probably best known for his “Somdej” amulets, which were personally blessed by himself and other respected Thai monks.

The biographical drama, “Khrua Toh: Immortal Monk in Rattanakosin”, cost Bt30 million to make. It presents four periods in Somdej Toh’s life – his childhood, his teenage years, his early days as a monk and his later years as a respected elder. Chaitawat “Petch” Nuangjamnong portrays Somdej as a boy while Jesadaporn “Pleng” Chomsri plays the monk during his teenage and novice years. Prachaya “Namkhang” Prathumdej plays Somdej Toh as a young man and Setha takes over for the portrayal of his final years.

“I knew the moment I saw Nong Petch that he would be perfect to play Somdej Toh as a child. He’s intelligent and talkative yet modest. I selected Nong Pleng for the monk as a teenager, a period that’s filled with conflicting emotions, as he has grown up steeped in tradition and is fascinated by Thai-ness, antiques and history. His fluency in conversation makes him similar to Somdej Toh too. As for Nong Namkhang, I was attracted by his very Thai face. I asked both Nong Pleng and Nong Namkhang to meditate so I could judge how good they were at sitting still for a long period. In fact, both of them were ordained at Wat Rakang before starting work on the film,” says the 55-year-old director.

Another key cast member is Baramee “Earth AF9” Chamnankij, who plays a storyteller.

“Earth plays an overseas graduate and inherits a Somdej Toh amulet on his father’s death. He checks out its value on the Internet but cannot understand why it is so expensive. So he goes to Wat Rakang and sees an old monk in the temple library. And that’s how the story begins,” says Somkiat. 

“Making a movie is rather like recording history that can’t always be learned from a book. It’s not easy to play with people’s beliefs.

“The hardest scene for Setha was delivering a sermon from the pulpit. He’s a singer, not a preacher,” says Somkiat.

The director says he’s sure the spirit of Somdej Toh was present during the course of the shoot.

“We were in Ratchaburi province during the rainy season for a scene that involved Namkhang sitting in front of a Buddhist statute on a hot day. I wanted light rain but we couldn’t find a single water sprinkler to borrow, not even at the fire station. I offered up a prayer to Somdej Toh and soon the clouds become dark and it started to rain. We also filmed at a monk’s house in the Rattanakosin style in Ratchaburi and in the forest, where Somdej Toh went to pray. I’ve been lucky is that I was able to avoid using CG for any location shoots,” says Somkiat.

 

 DIVINE INSPIRATION

 “Khrua Toh: Immortal Monk in Rattanakosin” will be released in cinemas on February 26.