Fast & Furious 7 blocked in Thailand



By Stephen Cremin

Fri, 27 March 2015, 15:00 PM (HKT)
Policy/Legal News

Yesterday, the Civil Court of Thailand ordered that the domestic distribution of Fast & Furious 7 be halted until a lawsuit is settled between Sahamongkolfilm International Co Ltd สหมงคลฟิล์ม อินเตอร์เนชั่นแนล, Universal Pictures Inc, UIP (Thailand) ยูนิเวอร์แซล พิคเจอร์ส and actor Tony JAA จา ทัชชกร ยีรัมย์.

Sahamongkolfilm has demanded that the distribution of the film — co-starring Thai action star Jaa (pictured) — be stopped and that the defendants pay the Thai studio the sum of ฿1.60 billion (US$49.1 million), with 7.5% interest until payment is made.

The court made its decision after interviewing two employees of Sahamongkolfilm. According to Thai media, they were Akarapol KARASARANEE อัครพล อัครเศรณี, the son of company head Somsak TECHARATANAPRASERT สมศักดิ์ เตชะรัตนประเสริฐ, and Suwat APAIPAK สุวัตร อภัยภักดิ์, a member of its legal team.

Sahamongkolfilm's final film with Jaa was Tom Yum Goong 2 ต้มยำกุ้ง 2 (2013), which made only ฿58.6 million (US$1.80 million) in Bangkok and Chiang Mai on release in Oct 2013. The company claims that that ฿1.60 billion demand is based on their investment in the actor.

Jaa signed a ten year contract with Sahamongkolfilm in 2003, which it had the right to extend to twenty years. The company claim that Jaa willingly renewed the deal in July 2013 and that he is under contract until 2023. Jaa's side denies that the contract was renewed or that a new contract was initiated by the actor.

The action sequel was due to open in Thai cinemas on 1 April, eight days before Sahamongkolfilm releases The Legend of King Naresuan VI ตำนานสมเด็จพระนเรศวรมหาราช ภาค 6 ตอน อวสานหงสา, the final entry in Chatrichalerm YUKOL ชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล's series of historical movies, which is expected to be the highest grossing local film of the year.

Yukol made a statement this morning asking that audiences not boycott his new film which he claimed is fully financed by a bank loan secured by his company, Prommitr Production Co Ltd พร้อมมิตรโปรดักชั่น, which recently declared bankruptcy. He clarified that only the second and third film in the series received government subsidy, which has since been repaid.

A press screening of Fast & Furious 7 scheduled for 31 March has been canceled.

The court will not begin its investigation until 15 June. The film will be blocked from Thai cinemas until the court makes its decision or until an agreement is reached outside the courts between Sahamongkolfilm and the defendants.

The next Jaa film to be released in Thailand is Skin Trade, on 23 April, directed by Ekachai UEKRONGTHAM เอกชัย เอื้อครองธรรม | 呂翼謀. There is no known lawsuit filed at this time against its producers. That film's producer, Bangkok-based Michael SELBY, is Jaa's current agent.

Alas, Tony Jaa. Thailand luv him. Who can forget the Tony-Jaa-Scandals?