Sunset at Chaopraya (1996)

Directed by Euthana Mukdasanit
Starring:
- Thongchai McIntyre as Kobori
- Appasiri Nitiphon as Aungsumalin
- Thiraphat Sajakul as Vanas

Sunset at Chaopraya [Thai: Khu Kam] This film shows the hidden history of the Japanese occupation of Thailand in World War 2. This has been made 3 times in the past and this is the most recent film version. The film was only available on a VHS tape and it is very hard to find with very few copies available anywhere in the world. The quality is fairly good. The film starts off in an old movie mode which is the director's idea apparently and not a fault of the encoding. It quickly changes into an older style color mode. It is a very dramatic story and shows, as in the sample, what the Thais thought of their occupiers. It is over 2 hours long.

At minute 45 there is a copyright warning (circa 1996) that lasts 10 seconds. It will start again after the 10 second warning and there are no more. Guess they had to tell us all once.


There are very well shot scenes in this and it shows the traditional values of Thais in those days who would have to crawl on their knees past their elder relatives in some cases when they were seated on the floor.

Furthermore:

"War destroys the loser, the winner, and everybody involved" – this opening quote from the movie establishes the theme.

It's 1939 in Siam. The Japanese are threatening invasion and the Free Thai movement is gaining momentum. Angsumalin, the beautiful daughter of a military leader, says goodbye to her friend Vanus, who is going to England to study. She won't promise to marry him, but will give him an answer when he returns. The Japanese invade, and circumstances bring Angsumalin together with Kobori, an idealistic Japanese captain, who is also related to a powerful Japanese general. Although she despises Kobori, she agrees to marry him for political purposes to protect her father and the Free Thai movement. In 1944, Vanus returns as a resistance officer and the conflicting rivalries and emotions come to a head.
Yes, they even hide a British escaped POW and do all sorts of things behind their backs. The reason I like this film as it shows what Thais are like when
faced with an enemy or an opponent or perhaps anyone they want to get something from.