The representation of Muay Thai in Prachya Pinkaew's Tom Yum Goong (2005)

Abstract

Through a textual analysis of the popular Thai film Tom Yum Goong (2005), this paper explores how the director, Prachya Pinkaew, expresses his own nationalistic and localistic argument by creating a myth of a hero that uses Muay Thai to defeat the villains in order to save his elephant, which symbolizes (as the allegory of) Thailand. Considering the historical context of this film where a strong sense of modern nationalism was prevailing in the Thai society; it is reasonable to further infer that Muay Thai in this film represents the Thai intellect, the film title Tom Yum Goong refers to the Asian Financial Crisis and the hero of the film is a symbol of the ideal Thai citizen. The elements above are closely linked to the country and reinforce the national identity of the Thais. To further provoke nationalist sentiment, the director interprets Thainess and un-Thainess through the portrayal of the identity of the Thai nation associated with the contrast between the Thai nation and the others. This enables the audience to gain both positive and negative identification through the viewing process. The main idea of this film is in line with Sulak Siwarak’s localist idea where Thais must return to tradition and recover their cultural, that is, Buddhist-identity to resist capitalism.