Yam Yasothon
Encyclopedia
Yam Yasothon is a 2005
Thai
musical
romantic comedy film
, written, directed by and starring Petchtai Wongkamlao
.
, Thailand
, where Yam is a hard-working, humble and kind farmer – kind that is except when it comes to the attentions of Joei, the homely maid of Soy, who is the girlfriend of Yam's cousin, Tong. Yam tends to stray and injured animals of all kinds, but he never has nice things to say to Joei. Despite this, she persists in flirting with Yam and making unwanted physical advances.
Meanwhile, Soy and Tong cuddle, kiss and hug each other at every opportunity.
Soy's aunt, the haughty village moneylender, Dok Toh, disapproves of Soy seeing Tong, whom Dok Toh believes is too low class for her niece. She orders Soy and Joei to stay away from Yam and Tong. The social-climbing
Dok Toh additionally arranges for Soy to meet the handsome yet dull son of the local sheriff, who has a pair of slow-witted henchmen who will help enforce Dok Toh's orders that Joei and Soy never again see Yam and Tong.
However, on the night of a village temple fair, Tong and Soy and Yam and Joei sneak away and each couple finds a place to spend the night together. Tong and Soy stay up all night talking about their true feelings for one another, while Joei takes sexual advantage of Yam.
Dok Toh finds out about Joei and Soy's misadventures and arranges to send them away to Bangkok
. Soy will attend a trade school, learning English language
and secretarial skills while Joei will learn to be a seamstress and hairdresser. With the money earned while she is in Bangkok, Joei transforms herself by creating a new wardrobe and undergoing beauty treatments, including having her skin lightened, a prominent mole removed and her teeth straightened and whitened.
In Joei's absence, Yam begins to long for her, discovering that he had a place for her in his heart after all. Both Soy and Joei write letters to their men, but they hear nothing in return. It turns out that Dok Toh has bribed the postman to deliver letters addressed to Yam and Tong to her, and she in turn dumps the letters into the river.
Joei and Soy determine that their letters aren't getting through, so they write to the abbot at the local Buddhist
temple and ask him to deliver their letters to Yam and Tong.
Yam and Tong, meanwhile, strike out on their own and head for Bangkok to try to find the girls. Neither had ever been to the city before, and did not realize how big the capital was. Discouraged by their lack of success, they return home, but through the efforts of the monk, they finally hear from Soy and Joei.
The girls return to Yasothon for Songkran
, and Soy is reunited with Tong. Yam is heartbroken when he does not see Joei on the bus. In fact she was on the bus, but because she had drastically changed her appearance, Yam did not recognize her, and showed no interest in Joei when she approached him.
The engagement of Soy and the sheriff's son is still on, though. Tong falls into despair, starts drinking and becomes a hopeless alcoholic. On the day of the engagement ceremony, Tong's father shows up with shotgun to disrupt the proceedings. He points out that Soy does not love the sheriff's son and he demands that Tong be allowed to marry Soy.
As for Yam, he comes around and sees that Joei is the same woman, even if she's changed on the outside.
. The film predominantly used the Isan dialect
and had subtitles in Central
Thai language
.
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
Thai
Cinema of Thailand
The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...
musical
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
, written, directed by and starring Petchtai Wongkamlao
Petchtai Wongkamlao
Petchtai Wongkamlao, , is a Thai comedian, actor and film director. He is best known in Thailand by his stage name, Mum Jokmok ; and is a popular Thai television personality...
.
Plot
The story is set in 1967 Yasothon ProvinceYasothon Province
Yasothon is one of the provinces of Thailand, located in the North-East of Thailand on the Chi River. Neighboring provinces are Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket and Roi Et.-Geography:...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, where Yam is a hard-working, humble and kind farmer – kind that is except when it comes to the attentions of Joei, the homely maid of Soy, who is the girlfriend of Yam's cousin, Tong. Yam tends to stray and injured animals of all kinds, but he never has nice things to say to Joei. Despite this, she persists in flirting with Yam and making unwanted physical advances.
Meanwhile, Soy and Tong cuddle, kiss and hug each other at every opportunity.
Soy's aunt, the haughty village moneylender, Dok Toh, disapproves of Soy seeing Tong, whom Dok Toh believes is too low class for her niece. She orders Soy and Joei to stay away from Yam and Tong. The social-climbing
Social Climbers
A social climber is someone who seeks social prominence, for example by obsequious behavior. The term is sometimes used as synonymous with parvenu, one who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained the social acceptance of others in that class. "Social climber" may be used...
Dok Toh additionally arranges for Soy to meet the handsome yet dull son of the local sheriff, who has a pair of slow-witted henchmen who will help enforce Dok Toh's orders that Joei and Soy never again see Yam and Tong.
However, on the night of a village temple fair, Tong and Soy and Yam and Joei sneak away and each couple finds a place to spend the night together. Tong and Soy stay up all night talking about their true feelings for one another, while Joei takes sexual advantage of Yam.
Dok Toh finds out about Joei and Soy's misadventures and arranges to send them away to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. Soy will attend a trade school, learning English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and secretarial skills while Joei will learn to be a seamstress and hairdresser. With the money earned while she is in Bangkok, Joei transforms herself by creating a new wardrobe and undergoing beauty treatments, including having her skin lightened, a prominent mole removed and her teeth straightened and whitened.
In Joei's absence, Yam begins to long for her, discovering that he had a place for her in his heart after all. Both Soy and Joei write letters to their men, but they hear nothing in return. It turns out that Dok Toh has bribed the postman to deliver letters addressed to Yam and Tong to her, and she in turn dumps the letters into the river.
Joei and Soy determine that their letters aren't getting through, so they write to the abbot at the local Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
temple and ask him to deliver their letters to Yam and Tong.
Yam and Tong, meanwhile, strike out on their own and head for Bangkok to try to find the girls. Neither had ever been to the city before, and did not realize how big the capital was. Discouraged by their lack of success, they return home, but through the efforts of the monk, they finally hear from Soy and Joei.
The girls return to Yasothon for Songkran
Thai New Year
The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year's Day from 13 to 15 April. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia....
, and Soy is reunited with Tong. Yam is heartbroken when he does not see Joei on the bus. In fact she was on the bus, but because she had drastically changed her appearance, Yam did not recognize her, and showed no interest in Joei when she approached him.
The engagement of Soy and the sheriff's son is still on, though. Tong falls into despair, starts drinking and becomes a hopeless alcoholic. On the day of the engagement ceremony, Tong's father shows up with shotgun to disrupt the proceedings. He points out that Soy does not love the sheriff's son and he demands that Tong be allowed to marry Soy.
As for Yam, he comes around and sees that Joei is the same woman, even if she's changed on the outside.
Cast
- Petchtai WongkamlaoPetchtai WongkamlaoPetchtai Wongkamlao, , is a Thai comedian, actor and film director. He is best known in Thailand by his stage name, Mum Jokmok ; and is a popular Thai television personality...
as Yam - Janet Khiew as Joei
- Waew Jokmok as Dok Toh
- Chaipan Ninkong as Tong
- Yaoluck Tumbhun as Soy
Reception
Yam Yasothon was one of the biggest hits of the year at the Thai box office. Janet Khiew was nominated for best actress at the Thailand National Film Association AwardsThailand National Film Association Awards
The Thailand National Film Association Awards is a Thai film industry ceremony held annually by the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand...
. The film predominantly used the Isan dialect
Isan language
Isan language is the collective name for the dialects of the Lao language as they are spoken in Thailand. It is spoken by approximately 20 million people, which is nearly one-third of the entire population of Thailand, predominantly in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. There are also large...
and had subtitles in Central
Central Thailand
Central Thailand is a region of Thailand, covering the broad alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. It is separated from North-East Thailand by the Phetchabun mountain range, and another mountain range separates it from Myanmar to the west. In the north it gently changes into the more hilly...
Thai language
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
.