Movie Based on Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' Banned in Thailand

April 05, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

In a politically divided nation, the government censors of Thailand have decided an adaptation of one of Shakespeare's plays was too much for the people of the country to handle. 'Shakespeare Must Die' is a Thai language adaptation of Macbeth, and while the censors have not clarified what the specific problems are, it seems the political imagery had caught their attention. In the film, the grim reaper is dressed in red, the same color as a political movement closely associated with Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister. The main character, a dictator called Dear Leader, has been likened to Thaksin, whose sister Yingluck is the current prime minister. Thailand has a long history of strict censorship on moral and political grounds, something budding film makers believe will only change with time. Al Jazeera's Wayne Hays reports from Bangkok.

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Shakespeare Must Die

"Shakespeare Must Die" is a Thai movie based on Shakespeare's "Macbeth." It has been banned in Thailand; censors said the film's political overtones could cause "division" in the country. Explore this topic

Yingluck Shinawatra

ینگلاک شیناواترا زاده ۲۱ ژوئن ۱۹۶۷ یک سیاستمدار زن اهل تایلند است. او خواهر نخست وزیر پیشین تایلند است که در پی کودتا از قدرت کنار رفت. وی اولین زنی است که تاریخ این کشور به مقام نخست‌وزیری می‌رسد. Explore this topic

Thaksin Shinawatra

Thaksin Shinawatra adalah seorang politikus Thailand. Ia adalah Perdana Menteri Thailand dari tahun 2001 hingga 2006 dan Ketua Partai Thai Rak Thai yang populer. Pada 4 April 2006, menyusul protes atas dirinya dan pemilu sepihak yang dimenangi partainya secara mayoritas, ia me... Explore this topic

Thailand

Ang Kaharian ng Thailand ay isang bansa sa Timog-silangang Asya, napapaligiran ng Laos at Cambodia sa silangan, the Golpo ng Thailand at Malaysia sa timog, at Dagat Andaman at Myanmar sa kanluran. Nakilala ang Thailand bilang Siam, na naging opisyal na pangalan hanggang Mayo 1... Explore this topic

Censorship

Censorship is the suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient as determined by a government, media outlet, or other controlling body. It can be done by governments and private organizations or b... Explore this topic

Red Shirts

The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, whose supporters are commonly called "Red Shirts", is a political pressure group opposed to the People's Alliance for Democracy, the 2006 Thai military coup, and supporters of the coup. Notable UDD leaders include Jatuporn P... Explore this topic

Politics of Thailand

The politics of Thailand are currently conducted within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. Thai ... Explore this topic

Film

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still images on a strip of plastic which, when run through a projector and shown on a screen, creates the illusion of moving images. A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera; by ... Explore this topic

Macbeth

Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is considered one of his darkest and most powerful tragedies. Set in Scotland, the play dramatizes the corroding psychological and political effects produced when its protagonist, the Scottish lord Macbeth, chooses evil as t... Explore this topic

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including some collaborations, con... Explore this topic

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Shakespeare Must Die

Yingluck Shinawatra

Thaksin Shinawatra

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