“The Kingmaker,” a documentary film that follows the life of Imelda Marcos, was banned in the south of Thailand following objections from its politicians. The film chronicles the lengths Marcos was willing to go through to restore her family to past glory, namely through her son and heir.
According to the Bangkok Post, authorities felt the title and posters are “inappropriate” and are “not comfortable” having it screened in the South. Thida Popalitkarnpim, founder of the Documentary Club, originally brought the film to Thailand and hoped to screen it for the club’s members, and even posted about it on Facebook. But officials shut the screening down after approximately six weeks.
“When we applied for screening, it was rated ‘general,’” Thida explained, adding that it was shown in Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani (cities in Northeastern Thailand) without incident.
A G, or general, rating in Thailand is the equivalent of MPAA giving a G or PG rating in the United States. Film ratings are set by the Film and Video Classification Committee, with each film receiving one of seven possible rating scores. However, according to IMDb, “The Kingmaker” received a R rating in the United States. While a comparison between Thai and US ratings can be made, there are quite a few specifics that determine ratings in each territory, making the task rather daunting.
Then there is the law to consider: according to the Thai Criminal Code, it is “illegal to defame, insult or threaten the king, queen, heir-apparent” and other members of the royal family. This section of the Code has been active law since 1908, with “insult” added in 1957, and carries a three to fifteen-year jail sentence. Although the various terms have been scrutinized, the Supreme Court ruled this law also applies to previous monarchs—sarcastic commentary, statues, etc. Even attempting such an act can lead to prosecution, and a formal investigation is opened.
According to the BBC, the Thai Criminal Code, Section 112 has been more strictly enforced since the military coup in 2014. Citizens have been arrested for countless offenses, including Facebook image posts of the late King Bhumibol’s favorite dog. In 2017, David Kaye of the U.N. said, “the fact that some forms of expression are considered to be insulting to a public figure is not sufficient to justify restrictions or penalties.”
Although vague in its wording, the law does include media, making the ban of “The Kingmaker” particularly tense, as many groups are protesting Thai military forces. “The Kingmaker” is just one of many recent documentaries that highlights issues in the Philippines. Others include Ramona Diaz’s “A Thousand Cuts” and PJ Raval’s “Call Her Ganda.”
The film can still be seen at a few theaters in Bangkok.
