Woman who falls asleep when she laughs almost drowned while swimming, Bear Grylls presents Week 4 of his 40 day military fitness challenge, Seemingly normal aches and pains in your legs could be a sign of serious DVT, Mum burned while saving her kids from a raging fire recalls her skin MELTING as she tried to escape, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. In 1873, the Royal Siamese Government Gazette published a palace announcement on the abolition of the prostration practice. So when Twentieth Century Fox released its 1999 remake of the Anna Leonowens story, Anna and the King, the Thai government banned the film, as it had nearly all previous cinematic incarnations, including the 1956 Brynner movie and the 1999 animated feature. Thai protesters are continuing to take to the streets in defiance of a ban to assemble. If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter. Thailand Disrespecting Thailand’s king by insulting him or defacing images of the monarchy (such as accidentally stepping on a bank note) can result in up to 15 years in prison. Alex von Tunzelmann. Thailand’s king, who lives mainly in Germany, is scheduled to be in residence in the kingdom for at least the next two weeks attending to various royal ceremonies and functions. The King and I is banned in Thailand due historical inaccuracy and perceived disrespect of the monarchy. View our online Press Pack. You could see the new mood in his “raconteur’s stage-banter” and that “perennially cheerful visage”. Danish law contains a few odd things to watch out for, but the most common mistake for visitors relates to a law about driving in the Scandinavian country. A great spot for soaking up some culture, Greece is littered with the stunning ruins of ancient monuments. This film is banned in Thailand due to its real historical inaccuracies and the perceived disrespect to the monarchy. "In Thailand (previously called Siam) the Royal family is held in very high esteem. The board may ban films if its requirements that p… It’s not clear to what extent the government’s decision to impose emergency rule was motivated by perceived slights to the royal family. This African destination can be a scorching destination, so you'll be stunned to learn that it is actually illegal to take mineral water into the country. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Anna comes to Siam with an open heart, if not necessarily an open mind. Theatre | Thailand’s banned ‘King’A pity that The King and I, newly revived on Broadway, is banned still in Thailand. And she is fascinated by the charismatic King. It reported that King Chulalongkorn called for a meeting at the Amarin Winitchai Hall, with the presence of members of the royal family, senior bureaucrats, phu yai, phu noi and representatives of the armed forces. “We have a long tradition in the United States of erasing the creative work of black Americans.” (Tim Carmody, The Message, 2,720 words), Antony Beevor: Things too horrificFor all the horrors he recounts in his histories of the Second World War, the stories that keep Antony Beevor awake at night are the ones he holds back as being too dreadful to inflict on even the well-prepared reader. Sex toys are included in the ban, and it's a fineable offence to smuggle any duty-free booze past airport security. This tropical paradise isn't quite as fun as it looks, since the honeymoon haven has a ban on bringing in pornographic material and alcohol. (I hope that book is not banned in Thailand; this one is.) The week’s best arts and culture reads – including interviews with Edward St Aubyn and Anthony Beevor and how BB King freed the blues from tragedy. (Ted Scheinman, Oxford American, 795 words), Will art save our descendants from radioactive waste?America turns to its artists for help in devising signs which will still be understood 24,000 years from now, warning future generations away from a nuclear waste dump in New Mexico. If you're off to this sunny European destination this summer, be sure not to slash where you splash. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Amazingly, if you frown in Italy's second city you could be slapped with a hefty fine - and find yourself with a real reason not to smile. The songs might still be sad, but the man who sang them was “hosting a party”. But how do you attract attention while also deterring investigation? The Thai government has never been fond of The King and I, the popular 1951 musical about an English schoolteacher’s tutoring of a nineteenth-century Thai king, now being revived on Broadway. SUBSCRIBE THAILAND The board is composed of officials representing the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of University Affairs, the military, the Department of Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was under these conditions that Thailand banned The King and I. Sarit, who abolished the constitution and imposed martial law, was intent on using the monarchy to … Here's our guide to some of the unlikely overseas laws you probably never even knew about, and how you should conduct yourself in these otherwise-idyllic holiday destinations to keep yourself out of trouble. Admittedly, though, some of these are so impossible to enforce that you don’t really need to worry about them. A new and comprehensive history of the Thai modern monarchy, written by an American journalist, Paul M. Handley, and banned in Thailand, argues that in his 60-year reign King … And be careful where you spit out your chewing gum, as throwing it on the ground could merit a £400 fine and even a jail sentence. In the banned book, author Paul M. Handley retraces the king's life, alleging that he has been a major stumbling block to the progress of democracy in Thailand … I thought: I’ll either write this novel or commit suicide, because my life is worthless.”         (John Freeman, Literary Hub, 4,390 words), Mad Men and the Coke jingleRemembering Roquel Davis, the African-American advertising genius who came up with the most admired commercial of all time, I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke, attributed to Don Draper in the final episode of Mad Men. Even the best king cannot magically know the … Thailand’s king has terrible fashion sense and likes wearing fake tattoos. Danish drivers must have dimmed headlights on at all times, even in daylight, so if you're renting a car whilst you're there then be sure to bear that in mind. However, he is a king, and monarchy is still a bad choice relative to democracy for all the reasons outlined by Thomas Paine 230 years ago in "Common Sense," which is freely available online. This luxurious destination is popular for its sun and shopping, but it's not the best place to go if you're looking to get lucky. Anna and the King follows the interpretation of the 1956 film The King and I, which was also banned in Thailand, partly because it showed the king … More articles worth reading, visit the Browser life was a sea of shame to... I hope that book is not banned in Thailand due historical inaccuracy perceived... Sun, please use the site Map the longest list of weird laws I ’ seen! 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