Keeping it all in the family

 Unlike “Naresuan”, this was actually completed quite a while ago but has never made it to the small screen because of a disagreement with Channel 3 over the airing time.
Than Miu’s son MR Chalermchatri :Adam” Yukol says that they have already bought the series back from Channel 3 and now plan to release it on satellite Channel Mono 29 next year.
The row over scheduling erupted when Channel 3 announced it would be running it alongside the usual gamut of dramas at 6.30pm instead of during primetime, which starts just after 8.
Than Mui disagreed and told the channel that he had already edited the episodes to accommodate the customary nine commercial breaks in primetime, whereas shows in the early evening have only five breaks. Besides, he pointed out, the story is for adults and isn’t appropriate for children.
Adam doesn’t know the exact price his dad paid to buy it back but estimates it at around Bt30 million, basing his figure on the production cost per episode. The series comprised 24 episodes and the budget was between Bt1.5 and Bt2.5 million per episode. Mono 29 has apparently agreed to screen it at whatever time its makers want but, says Adam, the movie version will pip it to the post and hit cinemas before the end of this year.
Adam adds there was no conflict over the withdrawal of the project from Channel 3.
The series is based on a famous story from the Ayutthaya Period. Sanpetch, the Tiger King, has a servant named Pantai working the rudder of his royal barge. Pantai loses control in a strong river current and the bow of the barge slams into a tree on the bank and snaps off.
Pantai faces the death penalty for putting the king’s life in danger. But while the monarch forgives him, saying it was an accident, Pantai wants to pay the penalty, arguing that making an exception would undermine public respect for the law. He is duly executed. The king builds a shrine in his honour where the bow of the barge is ritually installed.
Filming of the series started in 2011 and was completed a couple of years ago. It stars Major Wanchana Sawasdee, who portrayed King Naresuan in the epic, as King Sanpetch. Veteran actor Natthawut Por Sakidjai was originally cast as Pantai but the role was later given to Pongsakorn “Toey” Mettarikanon, well known for his supporting role as Bak Joi in the episode “Khun Chai Ratchanon” of the TV series “Suphab Burut Juthathep” and who also played the protagonist in Adam’s Thai zombie film “Phee Ha Ayothaya”. Pimdao “Madmee” Panichsamai plays Pantai’s wife.
Mono Channel seems to have a good relationship with Than Mui and his team. So much so in fact that the cast of “The Legend of King Naresuan” including Major Wanchana, Nopachai Peter Jayanama, Napassakorn Mit-aim and his actress-wife Piyathida formed a new production company, called Klomkorm, and are working on their debut action series “Teeyai Dab Dao Jone” for Mono 29, which belongs to Nopachai.
For his part, Adam is working on a new project, also for Mono and if it all sounds a little incestuous, that’s because it is. “Tamnan Somdej Phra Naresuan The Series”, which hopefully won’t be as long in coming as its epic sibling, will have however a brand new cast in the roles of King Naresuan, Boonting and Maneechan.

Correction
Deputy prime minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn is a former minister of foreign affairs. Yesterday’s Soopsip, “Safe from Prayut’s eyes”, incorrectly stated he was currently foreign minister. Soopsip apologises for the mistake.