Let's see if Ki can escape from this one

THAILAND OBVIOUSLY doesn’t want to lose Sitthiphon “Ki” Disamoe, its promising young star of the Australian-made movie “The Rocket”. The youngster’s habit of disappearing was becoming too much of a worry, so it should come as a relief to Thais that he’s been nailed down to one place – even if that place is overseas.
Ki was the only member of the movie’s cast who failed to attend “The Rocket” screening at the opening of the World Film Festival of Bangkok in November.
Triphet “Ton” Rookachat, the flick’s Thai producer, said Ki had been missing from home for two weeks. He eventually turned up, as happened the previous occasion too when he went on the lam, only to be found in Pattaya, fast asleep in an Internet cafe.
Well, if he wants to vanish again, he’s going to have the Australian police to answer to this time. The kid from a slum community has found an angel in a woman named Pauline, a translator who worked on “The Rocket” and has volunteered to take care of him in Australia.
And he’s gone there with a primary-school “scholarship” courtesy of fans of the movie. Ton tells Thai Rath Online that Australians who saw the film set up “The Rocket Kid Fund” under the auspices of Child Fund Australia and donations poured in to pay for Ki’s education.
“We think Ki helped in creating his own good reputation as a young star,” says Ton. Ki was nominated for best-supporting-actor award at the “Australian Oscars”, among 12 nominations for the film. “The competition was tough, but it was a shame he missed out,” says Ton. “So it was very kind of the fans to show their gratitude to the boy.” Ton found a school for Ki to attend and Pauline offered to be his governess.
“The Rocket” has scooped up some 30 awards in various countries and the prestigious Australia Academy chose it for Best Screenplay. It was something of a “foreign-film blockbuster” there, earning the equivalent of Bt15 million at the box office, but Ton says it’s still not really a big money-spinner. It cost Bt30 million to make, of which Bt7 million came from Ton’s own pocket. The consolation instead comes in the form of the trophy-case full of silver from film festivals around the globe.
And, of course, in helping get Ki back to school.
Meanwhile, Ki can be found at a theatre near you. “The Rocket” is now in a limited theatrical release in Thailand, playing at SF cinemas.