Following a series of talks/seminars at Mahidol University in June and August, the film fan tourism project joined the Thai Film Archive for the special film programme 'Exotic Thailand?' and a roundtable discussion on films shot in Thailand, following the screening of Soi Cowboy (2008) - award-winning Thai film directed by British director Thomas Clay and produced by Tom Waller, De Warrenne Pictures Ltd. who also joined the discussion. Chairing the session is Kong Rithdee, renowned Thai film critic and deputy director of the Thai Film Archive.

The film programme and the talk generated interests from a wide range of audiences. Thailand's leading English language newspaper, The Bangkok Post captured some of the key topics discussed including the subject of recurring representations of Thailand in foreign films and film fan tourism that followed. 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/1738091/the-message-of-the-medium

The Thai press were also interested in the subject and covered the conversations from the event. 

Thai PBS TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEPS-b1QeYk 

Sanook.com: https://www.sanook.com/news/7872199/

Currently, the Thai Film Archive is the key public organization which helps promote film cultures in Thailand. The archive has permanent exhibitions on Thai and international film histories and offer regular free screenings. Check out the programme at www.fapot.org. 

As film fan tourism is related to a wide range of stakeholders and related topics including film representations and geopolitics, tourism promotion and city mangagement, film aesthetics and counter aesthetics, as well as fans' encounters and reflections, the event such as this allows further connections and future collaborations between the academia, film institution and the industry.

Photo credit and poster from Thai Film Archive: https://www.facebook.com/ThaiFilmArchivePage/