The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) will once again screen The King Of The White Elephant (1941) to mark its 80th anniversary, tomorrow at 7pm.
photo courtesy of Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand
Known as Phra Chao Chang Phuek in Thai, this is a ground-breaking, English-language Thai film (with Thai subtitles), made to promote a message of peace during World War II. Its themes of war, reconciliation and diplomacy still resonate today.
An adaptation of a real historical battle in the Ayutthaya period in the 16th century, the story centres on a confrontation between the peace-loving King Chakra of Ayutthaya and his arch-enemy, the tyrant King Hongsa of Burma, who demands the Thai king hand over an auspicious white elephant as his trophy.
To prevent bloodshed, King Chakra challenges King Hongsa to an elephant duel. The encounter between the two armies, while bloody, reveals the possibility of peace and compassion in the face of war.
The film was written and produced by Pridi Banomyong, statesman and the intellectual force behind the Siamese Revolution of 1932, who is described as the Father of Thai Democracy and named one of the world's Great Personalities by Unesco in 2000.
This will be a rare screening of a new, digital scan of the film presented by the Thai Film Archive, which offers superior picture quality to older versions. The archive's deputy director Kong Rithdee will join the evening to introduce the film and lead a question-and-answer session on the historical and cultural context of this remarkable film.
The FCCT is on the penthouse of Maneeya Center, Phloenchit Road. The fee is 300 baht (free for members).
Visit fccthai.com or call 02-652-0580.
