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Money matters:
Graham Macdonald
MBMG International Ltd.
Nominated for the Lorenzo Natali Prize
Development - Art or Science? Part 2
The philosophy of subsistence
It is vital to understand this when trying to bring about any
kind of development in the developing world. Subsistence farming required the
farmer to evolve a system of crop and/or animal management that ensured the
continuous survival of the family. It took centuries to develop these systems
and, once they were created, the societies following such a stable survival
system would become ultra conservative and reject all attempts at change.
Subsistence farming as practised in really poor areas is
almost entirely based around manpower using quite primitive hand tools. This can
give the romantic idea of independence but it is, at the same time, an enormous
constraint to change. Under reasonably fertile soil conditions it may take one
man a year to cultivate 1.3 acres. Of this area, 80% would provide enough food
for a year, leaving some 20% for cash crops such as cotton or coffee. Providing
there are unlimited land resources which will counter the population explosion,
the subsistence system will provide for the family, virtually indefinitely, even
with famines, droughts and many other calamities.
Though the system is good, its one main drawback is that it
is dependent on family labour. To put this into proportion we must compare this
with the West. In the USA it takes 1.3 man-hours of work to grow wheat from seed
to seed. The problem for this mechanized form of agriculture is that it needs
thousands of dollars worth of investment in machinery. Also, the farms are large
which allows for economies of scale. Consequently, the American farmer can
export maize to Kenya at a cheaper price than the local Tanzanian farmer can
produce it by hand locally. Another thing to bear in mind is that the former
produces enough food for 100 people - twenty of which are overseas whilst the
subsistence farmer’s only objective is to provide food for his family.
One of the issues regarding the development of the
subsistence farming communities is that many experts think that all subsistence
farmers need to do is improve their agricultural husbandry methods and they can
be soon like farms in the West. This is a fundamental error. The ‘subsistence
farming’ system and the ‘farming as a business’ one are as different as chalk
and cheese.
Subsistence farming is very efficient at growing crops and
raising livestock, and has provided continuous sustenance for the family in
variable environments which are often adverse. It has done this for centuries.
The system was devised for survival but has limited development potential due to
the manpower restraint.
Farming as a business evolved, fairly quickly, as a system of
farming matching the needs of the urban areas. Without the industrial revolution
there would have been no agricultural development and certainly no mechanization
of farming practices.
So, if we want to bring about the development of the poor, we
must consider the question of urbanization. Without this there can be no
development for the rural underprivileged. However, it is not an easy thing to
achieve and it is easy to create slums along with their immense health and
social problems.
The importance of urbanization
as a factor of development
People in power want fast development in the developing
world. Needs are identified and the answer must be provided by the time the next
election or promotion comes around. They forget that it took the West hundreds
of years to achieve their present developed economies.
Many politicians et al have tried to improve the plight of
the poor worldwide. Most have failed due to corruption, poor advice and bad
investments. For example, President Nyerere of Tanzania wanted to improve his
people’s daily lifestyle. The concept was good but the advice was not. He was
not made fully aware of the vast expense that such an undertaking would cost.
The result was virtual bankruptcy, the sisal and cashew nut exports collapsed
and the foreign exchange rate became chaotic. All because the costs of
urbanization had been grossly underestimated as they continue to be by present
day planners in the West.
The population explosion
In the 19th and early 20th
century, science and medicine advanced rapidly in the West. This was not matched
by the rest of the world and particularly in the tropical areas which had their
own vicious, insidious diseases. This kept the populations low. WWII brought
great leaps in medical knowledge, motivated by the need to keep the troops in
good health. After the war, these medical advances became available in the more
unfavourable climates of the world. The result was a population explosion which
crept up almost unnoticed. For instance, in 1950 the estimated population of
Nigeria was 50 million. In 2000, it was recorded at 120 million and the
projection for 2050 is 300 million. In the 1930s, the population of India was
300 million - now it is over 1.2 billion.
Let us think about the implication of this. Over a fifty year
period, Nigeria would have to increase four fold its availability of foodstuffs,
housing, clothes, pots and pans, schools, medical facilities, water, etc., just
to stand still. Over the same time, the small holders would have to multiply the
production of foodstuffs by four, not to improve the diet but just to maintain
what their forebears had half a century before. This is a massive task with
limited resources.
There is no population problem for a country if the amount of
land available for subsistence farming is not limited. However, with populations
doubling every generation, land availability has become a limiting factor.
Fragmentation becomes an issue and boundary disputes increase. Families become
functionally landless and have insufficient land to grow enough food to feed
themselves. The family gets indebted and eventually has to sell their land to
pay off their debts. Employment in the rural areas is scarce as each family is
independent for its labour needs. This then forces the broken families from the
rural areas which cannot support them to the fringes of urbanizations where they
join others in the same plight and so the shanty town is created with all its
inherent problems. It is relatively easy to provide work for one person, it is
less so for one million people.
Corruption
Sadly, developing countries are also infected with another
serious debilitating disease - corruption. It is not true to say that it is
always internally inspired. In fact much of it was from the West as it was only
the rich developed countries that had the money available for corrupting Heads
of State. Much of this ‘funding’ ended up in Swiss bank accounts. Nothing less
than a tragedy for the peoples of the countries involved.
Management as a problem for
the developers
The West was sincerely interested in developing less
developed countries. Seemingly large sums of money were allocated though these
were, in reality, woefully inadequate for what was envisaged. There was also a
problem that donors were prepared to provide capital but not the recurrent funds
which were vital if a project was to really succeed.
However, there was an even bigger problem for the developers.
They lacked highly skilled, experienced people to manage schemes involving of
hundreds of millions of dollars. One answer was to put in highly specialized,
well qualified people at the top. Doctorates become de rigueur. Sadly though,
the extreme specialization meant that the person lacked breadth in knowledge and
believed that his/her own special subject was the only true answer. There is the
classic case of someone arguing that African agriculture would never progress if
they did not deal with the eelworm problem. Climate, disease, civil unrest,
corruption and soil corruption all took second place to these eelworms.
Development Economics
Forget all about theories of economic development, project
analysis, 20% internal rates of return and cost benefit analysis. These may be
useful tools but should be aids to development and not the prime issues of it.
What we need to understand is that any development involving
infrastructures is very costly and takes years to achieve. That is why many
project descriptions give great attention to the economic objective but
completely ignore infrastructural components. It is a Catch 22 situation.
Without involving everything that actually needs to be included in a project
then the costs look good and the developed nations are happy to donate or lend.
However, if everything is included then it becomes uneconomic by Western
standards and no money is given at all.
The purpose of this treatise is to try and bring together the
reasons why the subsistence farming system is breaking down and real development
is so slow. Unless one understands the fundamental aspects of subsistence
farming, as it exists now, and the complexities of introducing changes to that
system, then no meaningful plans can be made for the future. Many authorities,
governments and international aid organizations confuse ‘symptoms’ with
‘causes’.
Strangely enough, the best way to help subsistence farmers is
to get people off the land and into the towns but only with the right planning
and finance. These two points are often overlooked. Sadly, for many developing
countries, developments are nullified by the alarming annual increases in
population. There is just no way that the small rural surpluses (if any) can
meet the enormous development costs of the urban sector and if the subsistence
farmer’s lands are being degraded because of population pressure then the future
is indeed bleak.
Undoubtedly the best aid the West can give to developing
countries is to assist in urbanization and job creation in these new towns.
Unfortunately, this is a sensitive issue as many of the developed countries
cannot even do this for their own populations.
It must also be understood by the West that subsistence
agriculture is a stable and quite sophisticated survival system, provided there
is no population pressure. However, it is near or possibly has even reached its
plateau or peak of development and has only limited further expansion potential
because of farm power restraint.
Development is not a continuous ladder from subsistence
farming to farming as a business as they are two entirely different and almost
incompatible systems. It is not possible to change the former into the latter
even with the injection of large amounts of development aid - both initial and
recurring - without urbanization and the expansion of the markets.
Development in the under-developed areas of the world can be
a very expensive business and takes a long time to achieve. The sooner the
developed world realizes this the better it will be for ALL concerned.
Is development art or science? It will take both for it to happen properly.
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The above data and research was compiled from sources
believed to be reliable. However, neither MBMG International Ltd nor its
officers can accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the above
article nor bear any responsibility for any losses achieved as a result of any
actions taken or not taken as a consequence of reading the above article. For
more information please contact Graham Macdonald on [email protected]
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Snap Shots: by Harry Flashman
Digital creativity
 Photographers
who were interested in a little experimentation used to try all kinds of
camera settings to under expose or over expose the negatives to produce
high key or low key shots. Some of the resulting photographs could be
very powerful.
However, there seems to be a very common notion that
‘somehow’ digital photography is totally different from the old
fashioned film photography. I do not know how this happened, but let me
assure you that digital and film cameras do exactly the same job. They
record an image you can later retrieve.
First, a little basics. All photography has worked on
the principle of allowing light carrying the image to go through a lens
and then fall on to a sensitized surface. Originally this was a glass
plate coated with silver compounds which got darker when exposed to
light. The degree of darkness depended upon how much light came through
the lens, and for what length of time. This is the principle covering
aperture (or lens opening), and shutter speed (how long the aperture is
left open). That principle still holds good today. The only difference
is that the “film” is now an electronic capture system.
This has led to what people have called the “digital
revolution”. A completely new way of photography, requiring special new
cameras which could show you the image you had just taken, immediately!
No more agonizing waits at the film processing shop. Instant
gratification for the “me now” generation.
However, this is where the misnomer occurred. It was
not a “revolution” it was merely an “evolution”. The principles of
photography (sometimes called ‘painting with light’ by the romantics)
were just the same. And the application of them was just the same. A
lens let in the light, for a proscribed length of time, and this was
recorded by light sensitive electronic “film”. The difference was that
you did not have to develop this new electronic “film” in chemicals. It
could be viewed immediately by using electronic processing. Really,
there was no difference.
Now, just as the old film cameras had aperture and
shutter speed controls that were adjustable by the photographer, guess
what? The new digital cameras have apertures and shutter speeds that are
adjustable by the photographer as well. And in the same way, you can get
creative results from your digital camera, exactly the same as you could
with your film camera.
This is where some differences occur, however. With
the ‘old fashioned’ film cameras you rotated a dial on the lens barrel
to open or close the diameter of the aperture, and you had a dial on the
top of the camera that you rotated to give you different shutter speeds.
The two factors could be operated independently, and this was called
Fully Manual Mode. However, with these new-fangled revolutionary digital
cameras you get things called ‘drop down menus’ and you had to push
multi-purpose up, down and sideways buttons to select different
apertures or shutter speeds.
However, you have to learn where the “Manual” setting
is on your new electronic marvel. This is the setting where you can
choose the shutter speed and the aperture independently. If you choose
shutter priority or aperture priority, the electronic ‘smarts’ in the
camera will adjust setting to give you a standard exposure - not what
you want with experimental photography.
I believe it is not quite as easy with digital
cameras to adjust the shutter speed and aperture as many times you are
left between drop down menus and rotary buttons, but your camera
operation book will tell you if you are unsure.
The message here is that all the old controls are
still there, under your control. It is just not as easy in my opinion
(but I am still struggling with the remote for the TV set). Simple
rotary dials are quicker and easier than drop-down menus for my money!
But you are still in control.
In the fully manual mode, try giving larger and
larger apertures and see what the differences are - which you can do
‘instantly’ with digital cameras. Likewise, try different shutter speeds
and compare the end results.
Try a little creativity this weekend!
Modern Medicine:
by Dr. Iain Corness, Consultant
“Natural” remedies? Are they good for you?
Unfortunately, despite all the advances in medicine, I have
to admit that it is still somewhat of an inexact ‘science’. We do not have
the cures for all ailments, in fact far from it. But we have not given up.
We continue to try, to experiment and, most importantly, to test. Regular
readers of this column will know that I have mentioned the acronym EBM many
times. This stands for “Evidence Based Medicine” and is a key factor in
modern medicine. It just means we test until we have the evidence that any
drug or treatment really does work. This all takes time, as the evidence
cannot just hang on one person who got better. It requires huge series,
across the globe.
However, as patients, or sufferers of any complaint, we
want that “cure” right now! Consequently, with all medical conditions where
we cannot give the patient the “wonder drug” there is then a tendency for
them to try something else, anything else, hoping for the relief that
conventional medicine has not promised or delivered. For the
musculo-skeletal conditions, for example, the “alternatives” are multiple,
from magnets to mussels from New Zealand. But do they really work?
The problem with the non-pharmaceutical mainline pills
and potions industry is in unbiased scientific testing. The tablets that
Roche, Parke-Davis, Bayer and all that lot produce are rigorously and
vigorously (viagorously?) tested. Not only do the drug companies have to
show that their pills actually work, but they also have to show what side
effects they can produce and whether or not they interact with other pills
and potions to make explosive mixtures. The “alternative” pill and potion
manufacturers have not had the same degree of scientific scrutiny.
There are those who will claim that because the remedies
come from plants, that the ingredients are then “natural” and therefore OK
for us humans. This is pseudo-scientific nonsense. Extracts of plants and
herbs are chemicals - and some chemicals can kill, that is why wild animals
can die after eating the wrong plants. So can you!
So let us look at a few of the alternative treatments and
analyse just whether they are indeed efficacious. Willow Bark is one that is
used for arthritis, because it was imagined that since the tree grew in damp
environments, and arthritis was thought to be caused by “damp” then
treatment with the bark was “logical”. The herbalists got the right answer,
however, no matter how wrong the reasons! Willow Bark does have an effect
because it contains salicylates - more commonly known these days as aspirin!
Other “natural” sources of aspirin include poplar tree bark, black cohosh (a
North American plant), pansies, violets and meadowsweet. Aspirin works!
Have you heard of Devil’s Claw? This South African plant
has been studied to see if it has any anti-inflammatory action in arthritis.
The small studies that have been done show no effect, but it is an analgesic
(pain killer), so those people with arthritis do feel better when they take
it. In fact, demand is now outstripping supply - but they would do just as
well with a strip of paracetamol tablets. And cheaper too!
Another of the well touted treatments for arthritis is
the green lipped mussel. According to the pundits, this form of treatment
has had numerous clinical trials, and unfortunately, the same number of
clinical failures! However, I believe they are quite nice steamed with
garlic, ginger and shallots!
One other niggling problem with the “natural” therapies
is that for musculo-skeletal problems, most of which are of a long standing
chronic nature, even less scientific work has been done to see what happens
when you take these medications for a protracted period of time. Until long
term safety has been ascertained, I would counsel caution, and beware mixing
pharmaceutical drugs and over the counter “alternatives”!
Reactions to pharmaceutical items are still reasonably
rare and well documented. I cannot say the same for the “natural” remedies.
Finally, I was very amused to read of a health food shop
being offered for sale. The reason the owner was prepared to sell? Ill
health!
Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
I sympathize with you, Petal, as I too have had a life-long
battle with my addiction to chocolate. I first knew I was addicted when I was
about five years old and used to bite off some of my Mum’s cooking chocolate.
Then I went through hell as a teenager with pimples every day, but I had to keep
nibbling the chocolates. I didn’t care. These days I need a Mars bar every day
or I can get the withdrawals. What do you do about the cravings?
Charlie Chocolate
Dear Charlie Chocolate,
You have me all wrong, Petal. I am not addicted to
chocolate, I just like chocolate. I don’t need chocolate every day, and the
chocolates (and champagne) have been pretty sparse recently anyway. If I was
feeding your addiction, I’d be in very bad withdrawals by now. Seriously though,
I think you should talk to your doctor about this. You might have sugar or
something. And by the way, you are my Petal, I am not your Petal. OK?
Dear Hillary,
You might think this is a trivial problem, but it isn’t for
me. About a year ago I set up home with a Thai girl, who is many years my
junior. This does not seem to bother her, though it bothers me at times. Her
family comes from the north east and I have been up there and met them, and they
seemed nice enough farming folks. They accepted me quite readily, but I always
felt a little left out at the family gatherings as they can only speak Thai and
my girl had to translate all the time. (They also drink that awful Lao khao
stuff!) For this reason, and because I am busy at work, I have not been back up
there, though my girl does go up frequently. Is this the usual way families
behave in this country? If it is, I will say nothing, but she will often go back
for two or three days, the last being the end of Buddhist Lent. Have I anything
to worry about?
The Worrier
Dear Worrier,
You may have lots to worry about, or nothing at all. Are
you worrying because you think she is not going back to the family rice paddy? I
am having to try and read between the lines too much here. It is very usual for
daughters to go home and pay respects to their family, and often contribute
financially as well. Does your lady have children there that are being looked
after by her Mama? Honestly, Petal, it sounds very normal to me. Talk to your
friends who have been married to a Thai girl for some time. You’ll find it is
the norm in this country. Caring and following the family principles will carry
over to you as well, if you allow her to follow her traditions. In the meantime
you can always see your doctor for some anti-worrying pills!
Dear Hillary,
My problem is with bad breath. In the mornings it would peel
the paint from the walls, but my girlfriend wants an early morning snog. I have
tried holding my breath, but that doesn’t work as I have to come up for air
after thirty seconds. Have you any ideas that might help?
Hal
Dear Hal,
Is that short for “Halitosis”, but do not despair, help is
at hand. Try first by jumping out of bed and throwing the toothbrush over the
gums before the morning snog. If there still is a problem, make flossing and
teeth cleaning the family fashion before retiring at night. And look for a
dentist.
Dear Hillary,
I asked my Thai girlfriend to marry me, but she said that she
could not because her family did not agree. I found this amazing as the girl, a
woman really, is 28 years old and surely old enough to make up her own mind. We
have been dating for the last three months, and I thought everything was sweet
with her parents. I have been married before and have grown up children, but she
does not. Do you think it is because I am a foreigner? Or is there something
else I am missing here? I had intended taking her back to my home country after
we were married.
Confused
Dear Confused,
I think there is lots that I am missing in this equation
too. Where do her parents live? What are their occupations, including that of
the daughter? Where in the family hierarchy does the daughter come? All these
can have an enormous bearing on the response by the family, as well as the
woman’s adherence to family traditions. You also have to remember that you are
probably more than twice her age, and again, as you have realized, you are a
foreigner. You have not been dating very long either, Petal. You may think you
know this woman after three months, but I doubt it. Understanding Thai society
and Thai minds can be a very difficult process for foreigners. Finally, it could
really just mean that she didn’t want to disappoint you, so used the usual
excuse. Sounds like a lost cause. Better start looking somewhere else.
Let’s go to the movies:
by Mark Gernpy
Now playing in Pattaya
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse:
US, Fantasy/ Romance/ Thriller – The gang is back again! In this
episode, which I know you’ve been waiting for breathlessly, Bella once
again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a
string of mysterious killings. And that malicious vampire continues her
quest for revenge. In the midst of all this, Bella is forced to choose
between her love for Edward (heartthrob Robert Pattinson) and her
friendship with Jacob (heartthrob Taylor Lautner) – knowing that her
decision has the potential to ignite the struggle between vampire and
werewolf, and a tissy fit between fans of each. With her graduation
quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important
decision of her life – and the film’s fans.
Toy Story & Toy Story 2 (3D): US, Animation/
Family – A double-feature yet! Two of the best films of the 90s, in a
lot of people’s opinion, are here gussied-up in 3D – nothing gimmicky,
just a little added depth. It’s probably not necessary, but it allows
you to see these two terrific Pixar films in a theater with an audience,
like you should. Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney,
Wallace Shawn, and John Ratzenberger. Reviews: Universal acclaim.
StreetDance 3D: UK, Dance/ Drama – * May
unfortunately be closed by the time you read this. I really enjoyed
it! The film blends break dancing with classical ballet in some very
interesting ways, experimenting in choreography, in cinematography, in
use of 3D, in music, and in dancing. In order to win England’s Street
Dance Championships, a dance crew is forced to work with ballet dancers
from the Royal Dance School in exchange for rehearsal space. With the
always terrific Charlotte Rampling as a ballet school administrator, and
groups from Britain’s Got Talent. The dance sequences are impressive,
the dancers really quite good. Generally favorable reviews. At Pattaya
Beach only, in their 3D cinema, if it’s still playing.
Knight and Day: US, Action/ Comedy/ Thriller – The
film where Tom Cruise gets to show his chops again, after some absence.
And early reports say he is charming again in every way, with the old
Cruise magic in place. And the magic of Cameron Diaz. But as for the
movie itself, it’s been described as “A loud, seemingly interminable,
and altogether incoherent entry in the preposterous and proliferating
‘action-comedy’ genre, it stars Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz as a pair of
hastily sketched cartoon characters hurtling from plane crash to car
chase to further car, helicopter and motorcycle chases, one involving
stampeding bulls.” Mixed or average reviews. Big C also has a
Thai-dubbed version.
The Karate Kid: US/ China, Action/ Drama/ Family/
Sport – Stars a talentless kid who is only in films because his
father is so powerful in the business, and is producing it. The kid’s a
spoiled brat, and if I could get away with it, I wouldn’t even
acknowledge the film’s existence. Also stars Jackie Chan, and it was
filmed in Beijing emphasizing tourism sites. Generally favorable
reviews, which I can’t believe.
The A-Team: US, Action/ Adventure/ Thriller –
A big-screen version of the TV series, and which captures the
superficial and noisy spirit of the original. A group of Iraq War
veterans looks to clear their name with the US military, who suspect the
four men of committing a crime – they were actually framed. Going
“rogue,” the colorful team utilizes their unique talents to try and
clear things up and find the true culprits. Starring Liam Neeson and
Jessica Biel. Mixed or average reviews. Thai-dubbed at Big C.
Killers: US, Action/ Comedy/ Romance/ Thriller –
Starring Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Tom Selleck. A vacationing
woman meets her ideal man, leading to a swift marriage. Back at home,
however, their idyllic life is upset when they discover their neighbors
could be assassins who have been contracted to kill them. Mostly no
thrills or laughs, and dull. Generally unfavorable reviews.
That Sounds Good / Rao Song Sam Khon – Thai,
Romance/ Comedy – A comedy that follows the journey of two girls and one
guy, and how they form a complicated love triangle on their journey
through three countries: Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Directed by Leo
Kittikorn, responsible for such items as “Ahimsa: Stop to Run”, and
“Saving Private Tootsie”. May only be in Thai.
Bitter/Sweet: US/ Thai, Comedy/ Romance – Studio
synopsis: “American businessman Brian Chandler has a perfect life
with a great job and beautiful fiancee. When his boss, renegade coffee
mogul Calvert Jenkins sends him to Thailand to inspect a crop for
purchase, Brian meets Ticha, a beautiful Bangkok executive who has
long-since given up on the prospects of finding love. At the urging of
her old village and her coffee farmer parents, Ticha brings Brian to the
coffee fields of Southern Krabi, with the hopes that Brian will purchase
coffee there.” In Thai and English with English and Thai subtitles as
needed. At Major Cineplex only.
Prince of Persia: US, Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/
Romance – It’s an old-style Arabian Nights story, set in medieval Persia
when a nefarious nobleman (Kingsley) covets the Sands of Time, a
legendary dagger that allows its possessor to turn back time. The film
stars Jake Gyllenhaal, a quite luscious and appealing Gemma Arterton, an
enjoyable villain in Ben Kingsley, and a lot of fun in the comedy of
Alfred Molina. Some of the rather unique moves that you make in the
video game this film is based on, such as running along walls at an
angle to the ground, are duplicated here, and there’s some sense of the
game’s action and visuals. Mixed or average reviews. Thai dubbed at Big
C.
Robin Hood: US, Action/ Drama – Robin Hood as
gladiator, brought to life by director Ridley Scott, and starring
Russell Crowe, all grunting and scowling. It does have impressive
visuals and some great sweeping battle scenes, and strong performances,
but it’s loud, noisy, and confusing in the modern way of showing
battles, where clarity is sacrificed for jittery, jumpy editing, and you
are left with visual impressions, not information. Mixed or average
reviews. At Major Cineplex only, if still playing.
Shrek Forever After 3D: US, Animation/ Comedy/
Family – The further adventures of the giant green ogre. Still a fun
movie for the family – at least I was solidly amused. At Pattaya Beach
only, in their 3D cinema, if it’s still playing. Mixed or average
reviews.
Nang Takien / Takien: The Haunted Tree: Thai,
Drama/ Horror – The latest ghost story to hit the big screen in
Thailand, about the spirit of a suicidal garment-factory worker
inhabiting the tree where she hanged herself when she couldn’t find her
boyfriend. At Pattaya Beach only, if still playing. Rated 18+ in
Thailand.
Poh Tak / Po Taek: Thai, Comedy – Directed by
popular comedian-turned-director, Mum Jokmok, this is a comedy parody
that explores lives in front of and behind the cameras of the Thai film
industry. Features many of the regulars on Mum’s popular TV show.
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