Jira's short film for GTH show lauds hard-working doctors

The title chimes with the name of the anniversary show itself – “Nub Nueng Tueng Anacot" (“Count One to the Future”) – in which the stars of GTH and GMM Grammy spent the whole day raising funds for the Siriraj Foundation for pharmaceutical research.
Jira’s mini-movie was a heart-warming story about a fictional doctor named Piak, who has dedicated his life to finding a cure for the dengue haemorrhagic fever that remains all too common in Thailand, claiming many lives every year. Piak could be earning a handsome income in general practice, Jira pointed out, but instead devotes himself to a cause that brings little remuneration and has no clear solution in sight.
Such researchers adhere to the same path as many film directors, Jira said, in that they have no idea whether their work will bring success or just be a waste of effort. But researchers are far more dedicated when it comes to ensuring the integrity of their work, he said, because their efforts are a matter of life and death.
Jira expressed his thanks to actor Boonchai Jailim, who played Dr Piak in the short and flew in specially from Beijing, where he runs a furniture business. Boonchai had appeared in Jira’s directorial debut, “15 Kham Duan 11” (“Mekhong Full Moon Party”) – playing another doctor!
Making the casting that much sweeter was awesome actress Chayanan Manomaisantiphab, who played Piak’s wife. Chayanan was a hit in the Pongpat Wachiarabanjong tearjerker “Happy Birthday” but hasn’t had any film roles since, which is truly unfortunate because she’s such a great actress, as was again evident in Jira’s short movie. Viewers miss her and really want to see her onscreen again.
Meanwhile viewers were also wondering who the narrator of “Nub Nueng Tueng Chan Sib Ed” was – a familiar voice to be sure, full of emotion and perfectly suiting the mood of the film. We checked with GTH and discovered that the voice belongs to respected acting coach Ornchuma “Kru Aew” Yutthawong.

“Lucky” movie on its way
It’s been around six months since we last heard anything about the movie “Khrua Toh”, whose release date has been rescheduled several times. It was starting to look like the film might suffer the same fate as others and miss its chance at a theatrical run, instead going direct to DVD.
But it was recently confirmed that the movie about one of Thailand’s most famous Buddhist monks will arrive in cinemas on May 28, just in time to mark Visakha Bucha Day on June 1.
“Khrua Toh” depicts the life of Phra Buddhacharn Toh Phomarangsi. During the reign of King Rama IV the monk was known as “the king of Buddha amulets”, with those he had minted selling for as much as Bt100 million. Collectors believed a Phra Somdej amulet guaranteed protection and good luck – and wealth (as if they didn’t already have it).