''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' ( th, สะบายดี หลวงพะบาง, English title: ''Good Morning, Luang Prabang'') is a 2008

romantic drama film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typica ...

directed by Sakchai Deenan and starring

Ananda Everingham Ananda Everingham ( th, อนันดา เอเวอริงแฮม; born 31 May 1982) is a Thai actor and model. Working primarily in Thai films, he is best known for his lead role in the 2004 horror film, '' Shutter''. Biography Ana ...

. It was the first commercial film shot in

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

since the country adopted communism in 1975.

Plot

Sorn (Everingham), a

Thai Thai or THAI may refer to: * Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia ** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand ** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand *** Thai script *** Thai (Unicode block ...

photographer visiting Laos, falls in love with his beautiful Laotian tour guide, Noi (Pallawong). The film features several tourist sites in Laos.

Cast

as Sorn * Khamly Philawong as Noi

Production

Director Sakchai Deenan claimed the plotline was inspired by a visit to Laos in which he fell in love with a Laotian woman and imagining her as a tour guide. He deliberately created a simple plot "so it would not be too hard to get approval from the Lao government." Previously, the only Laotian films were propaganda and patriotism related, produced by the government. A government member oversaw the production of ''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' so that it portrayed Laotian culture in a positive manner and cut any scenes that the Lao government may perceive to be controversial.

Release

The film premiered on May 24, 2008, at one of Laos' two theaters (both located in its capital,

Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...

) and was released in Thai on June 5. Open-air screenings occurred throughout Laos, including the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage city of

Luang Prabang Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...

. Upon its release, it was the first Laotian private film, authorities seeing ''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' as the start of a new source of income. The aim of the film was also to encourage bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Laos.

References

External links

* 2008 films Laotian films 2008 romantic drama films Thai multilingual films 2008 multilingual films {{2000s-romantic-drama-film-stub