I’ve grown up by accompanying my aunt watching Thai dramas. During my childhood, Thai cinema is quite popular in Asia but less known in Europ and US.
In this post, I am happy to introduce the top 10 best Thai movies of all time. This is the 2nd post of the series that aims to introduce Asian movies after Top 10 Best Korean Movies of All Time.
10. Nang Nak
Nang Nak is a Thai Horror and Romantic tragedy movie based on a legend, directed by Nonzee Nimibutr, a famous Thai filmmaker.
The movie is about a war veteran Mak who returns home from war to come back and live with his wife. He didn’t know that both his wife and child are actually ghosts.
It’s a very well made movie. You can expect a good quality of cinematography from it. It will inspire you to see how people were living in the past. They lived quietly, peacefully and make a very close connection to nature.
Besides that, Nang Nak is rated 6.6 by IMD and because of its quality, this Thai movie has managed to win as many as 13 awards.
9. Tears of the Black Tiger
Tears of the Black Tiger, written and directed in 2000 by Wisit Sasanatieng, is a Thai-Western action, romance, and comedy movie that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
A gang of outlaws decides to make a region of Thailand insecure with one of the bad guys being a handsome bandit who did not choose this criminal life for himself.
He is forced to fight for his beautiful love, who is in a much higher class and meets countless obstacles.
IMD rating for the movie is 7/10 while rotten tomatoes give it 74%. The movies made to the USA film industry in 2007.
When it comes to awards, the movie has attracted several local and regional nominations and it was nominated for the award in the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2000.
8. Bangkok Dangerous
Bangkok Dangerous is an action, thriller and crime movie released in 2000. It is about a deaf and mute hitman with his partner who is operating in the city of Bangkok.
He develops the friendship with his partner’s girlfriend who happens to be a strip dancer in a local club. He meets a nice and innocent girl who works in a pharmacy as he goes about his assassination business.
As the story develops, he realizes that his actions hurt innocent people and he makes about turn to exert his revenge on the former boss. The movie is rated 6.7/10 by IMD. Since its release in 2000, the move has won 4 awards as well as 3 nominations.
7. Ong-bak
Making it to position 7 of our top 10 Thai movies of all times is Ong-bak. This three-part action and thriller move is one of the most popular Thai movies to have crossed into the international realms. The movie is about the head a scared village statue stolen by an unscrupulous businessman who wants to sell it as a trophy. A young but skilled martial artist goes after it in a big city and has to fight to retrieve the statue head.
IMD rates Ong-bak at 7.2/10 and it scores 69/100 with metascore. The movie has achieved much both locally and internationally by receiving various nominations and winning a number of awards.
6. Jan Dara
Jan Dara is a highly erotic-period-drama that will take your imagination to dangerous places. The film
is co-directed and written by Nonzee Nimibutr. The movie is co-starred by the beautiful Hong-Kong Actress Christy Chung.
The movie debuted in 2001 at the Toronto International Film Festival. It is based on a novel by Utsana Phloengtham.
Jan Dara won Thailand National Film Association Award as well as a variety of local and international festivals.
5. Pee Mak
This Thai movie bends comedy and romance and with a little bit of horror to keep you glued to your screen. The story is actually an adaptation of the famous Mae Nak Phra Khanong legend of Thai folklore.
Pee Mak was released in March of 2013 and it has so far taken the movie industry by surprise managing to raise $33 million in revenues. The movie has won several international and local awards and received several nominations.
4. Beautiful Boxer
Another great Thai movie that has made it to our top 10 Thai movies of all times is Beautiful Boxer. This movie is based on a real-life story of a Muaythai boxer named Parinya Charoenpho who decided to undergo sex reassignment operation to become a beautiful woman. He has to struggle with his new sex identity as well as his enemies.
The movie chronicles the entire story to the end. Beautiful Boxer has won several awards.
3. Last Life in the Universe
The comedy, Drama and Action movie was released in the year 2003 and it has made it to the international theaters because of its interesting storyline.
The film is about a Japanese guy who is pushed by life to lie low in Thailand together with a pot-smoking woman who is struggling with the loss of a sister she cannot live without.
The movie has received several local and international awards and nominations catapulting it to the international audiences.
2. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
This wonderful movie was released in 2010 by its producer and director Apichatpong Weerasethakul. It is based on Reincarnation where Uncle Boonmee, on his deathbed recalls the many past lives, which is not only interesting but is also filled with adventure.
This great movie won the Palme d’Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first and Thai film to make this achievement. The movie also caught the attention of the 23rd Academy Awards.
1. Monrak Transistor
At the top of this list of top 10 Thai movies of all times is Monrak Transistor.
This 2001 Thai Film was directed by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and it features a blend of many genres including comedy, crime, musical as well as romance. It is about a young man, Phaen who is a suburban incapable of getting over his love for music.
He takes every opportunity he gets to show off his talents in village fares and here he meets his beauty Sadao and falls deeply in love with her.
This movie has received international recognition by winning several international awards and festivals.
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