Our Asian Neighbours - Thailand SERIES

1971, Total Running Time 99 Minutes

Our Asian Neighbours is a series of films that aims to convey everyday life in Asia and promote greater understanding of often complex societies.

This series is devoted to Thailand and brings to life its people and their culture. Each program captures the lifestyle of a different individual in their own environment and from their own perspective

Chiang Mai - Northern Capital (13 Minutes) In Chiang Mai, Thailand’s northern capital, many traditions and crafts have remained unchanged for hundreds of years. This film looks at the native handicrafts, including the production of silver jewellery, lacquerware utensils and silk weaving. We take part in a colourful festival which marks the end of the Buddhist Lent. Throughout the day and into the night we see the solemn religious ceremonies and the carefree carnival, complete with fireworks.

Children of Bangkok (17 Minutes) The film follows three boys from very different socio-economic backgrounds, through a typical day in Bangkok. We see them at school, at  work and at play. We see their home life, their families and their friends. It’s an interesting glimpse of a cross-section of life in Bangkok.

Floating Rice (13 Minutes) This film is a study of the lifestyle of the people in the fertile central plains of Thailand during the wet and dry seasons. It shows their simple way of life and illustrates their method of cultivating rice.

Harvest at Nong Lub (18 Minutes) Without intruding, this film follows the lives of a Thai family during the rice harvest. The comings and goings, the hard work, the moments of relaxation, the dreams and aspirations are briefly captured, in the hope of providing an understanding of the differences between the lifestyles of this family and the viewer, as well as the similarities between them.

Ka Rorn - Southern Village (17 Minutes) At 3 am the village of Ka Rorn comes to life and work begins. Produce must be taken to market in Phuket, the only major town on the island. Ka Rorn is a tight, self-sufficient community of about 30 families. Few villagers ever leave - even to find work elsewhere. A person born in the village usually dies there. The people are industrious and Ka Rorn is a prosperous village. The people grow coconuts and fruit to sell in the market but, being an island village, fishing is the most lucrative industry.

Temple of Twenty Pagodas, The (21 Minutes) In Northern Thailand there is a monastery said to be 2000 years old. It is called “Wa Chedi Sao”, which in Northern Thai means “The Temple of the Twenty Pagodas”. This program is about the daily life in the monastery and the village which it serves.

© 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.