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Tatler Asia
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
The T-Wind is blowing: Will Thailand be Asia's next soft power giant?
Above Lalisa Manobal and Tayme Thapthimthong play Mook and Gaitok in the third season of The White Lotus (Image: Max) Soft power, a term conceptualised by the recently deceased American political scientist Joseph Nye, refers to a nation's ability to influence others without the use of force, often by earning influence through positive appeal, and is a critical aspect of diplomacy and international relations. In the 2025 edition of the Global Soft Power Index, Thailand placed 39, recognised for its cultural influence, media appeal and international perceptions of friendliness, hospitality and creativity. Thai cinema's global moment Above The official trailer for 'How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies', which was released locally under the title 'Lahn Mah' The success of A Useful Ghost at Cannes exemplifies Thailand's sophisticated approach to cultural diplomacy through cinema. The film tells the story of a woman who has recently died of a respiratory illness and returns as a useful ghost, possessing a vacuum cleaner to protect her husband not only from dust, which he is allergic to, but from various vengeful ghosts. Described by the jury as a "bold, free and unclassifiable work" that plays with genres whilst offering a vision that's "both intimate and universal," the film demonstrates Thailand's capacity to produce content that resonates across cultural boundaries whilst maintaining its distinct identity. This win added to the success of last year's Thai comedy drama How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies , known in Thai as Lahn Mah and directed by Pat Boonnitipat, which shattered commercial expectations by grossing US$73.8 million worldwide—making it the highest-grossing Thai film globally. The film also progressed to the Academy Awards shortlist, the first submission from Thailand to do so, signalling that Thai storytelling, when authentically exploring universal themes through a distinctly local lens, possesses remarkable global appeal. See also: Lessons from the makers of hit Thai film 'How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies' Above Aoy (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) and chef Paul (Nopachai Chaiyanam) in Netflix's 'Hunger' (Photo: Courtesy of Netflix) This dual success—one critically acclaimed, the other commercially triumphant—reveals Thailand's strategic diversification within cinema. Rather than pursuing a single path, Thai filmmakers are simultaneously cultivating both art house credibility and mainstream accessibility, ensuring their cultural exports can reach both discerning film festival circuits and mass global audiences. The accessibility of Thai content through streaming platforms has further amplified this reach. For example, Netflix's Hunger (2023), which introduced international audiences to Thai culinary traditions and cultural nuances, creating what cultural analysts describe as "active soft power"—content that encourages deeper engagement with Thai language, cuisine and customs, is one of the most internationally streamed Thai films. The T-Wind and musical diplomacy Above Jeff Satur (Image: courtesy of Warner Music Asia) While Korean pop music dominates global conversations about Asian music exports, Thailand's T-Pop scene is carving its own distinctive niche. The emergence of what has been termed the 'T-Wind"—Thailand's answer to the Korean Wave—has generated impressive momentum, with the Thai music industry experiencing 20 per cent revenue growth in 2022, surpassing $100 million in wholesale market revenue for the first time. Artists like Jeff Satur, 4Eve, Billkin and Tilly Birds aren't simply emulating established Asian pop formulas. Instead, they're creating a uniquely Thai musical identity that blends traditional Thai elements with contemporary pop, hip-hop and rock. This genre versatility represents a competitive advantage in an increasingly saturated global music market, offering international audiences something genuinely distinctive rather than derivative. Celebrity culture as cultural currency Perhaps nowhere is Thailand's soft power more visibly demonstrated than in the luxury fashion world's enthusiastic embrace of Thai celebrities. Seismic shifts in global brand strategy took place when Bright Vachirawit became Burberry's first global ambassador from the South Asia-Pacific region, and Win Metawin was appointed Prada's first Thai global ambassador. There is now an extensive roster of Thai celebrities representing prestigious luxury houses, including Gulf Kanawut for Gucci, BamBam for Louis Vuitton, Jeff Satur for Valentino and Cartier, Nattawin Wattanagitiphat for Piaget, Blackpink's Lisa for Celine, and Sarocha 'Freen' Chankimha for Valentino. These appointments mark historical firsts for Thai representation within these brands, signifying luxury fashion's recognition of Southeast Asian markets' growing influence and purchasing power. What makes this phenomenon particularly significant is how these celebrities function as complete lifestyle ambassadors rather than simple endorsers. Win Metawin, for instance, operates his own fashion label (streetwear brand Velence) alongside his entertainment career, embodying the entrepreneurial sophistication that luxury brands seek to associate with. This positions Thai celebrities as cultural trendsetters capable of influencing global consumer behaviour and lifestyle aspirations. The impact extends beyond fashion shows and red carpets. These ambassadorships actively promote Thai aesthetics and contemporary style on international stages, serving as potent forms of cultural diplomacy that enhance Thailand's image as a modern, sophisticated cultural force. The Boys' Love (BL) phenomenon Above Suppasit 'Mew' Jongcheveevat and Kanawut 'Gulf' Traipipattanapong in TharnType: The Series (Photo: Instagram / @tharntypeofficial) One of Thailand's most unexpected cultural exports has been the Boys' Love (BL) fictional media genre, which has garnered massive international followings and created entirely new categories of cultural consumption. Manifested in literature, television dramas and films, the genre, which depicts homoerotic relationships between men and is typically created by women for a female audience, has demonstrated Thailand's willingness to explore diverse narratives and represent different communities, contributing to global conversations about representation whilst generating significant economic returns through merchandise, fan events and tourism. BL productions contributed approximately 2 billion baht (USD61 million) in export revenue in 2024, double the previous year. See also: Is the BL genre the next step toward global recognition for Thai literature? Thailand's strategic 5Fs framework Thailand's cultural ascendancy isn't purely organic—it is supported by a comprehensive government strategy centred on the "5Fs" policy: Food, Film, Festivals, Fighting (Muay Thai) and Fashion, demonstrating an understanding that effective soft power requires diverse cultural portfolios rather than reliance on single exports. The establishment of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee, headed by Thailand's Prime Minister, signals the highest level of political commitment to cultural diplomacy. The committee's ambitious goal of generating 4 trillion baht in revenue through creative industries underscores soft power's recognition as a crucial economic driver rather than merely cultural window dressing. Perhaps most significant is the forthcoming Thailand Creative Content Agency (THACCA), operational from 2026, which aims to transform 20 million Thai citizens into skilled creative workers by 2027. This human capital investment represents recognition that sustainable soft power requires continuous development. Learning from Asian soft power success stories Thailand's strategy clearly takes inspiration from established regional models. South Korea's Hallyu Wave demonstrates how deliberate government investment, coordinated agency support and sustained commitment can transform cultural potential into significant economic and diplomatic influence. South Korea's ranked in 12th position in the Global Soft Power Index for 2025 reflecting decades of strategic cultural investment. Similarly, Japan's "Cool Japan" strategy illustrates how cultural exports can be strategically adapted for global consumption through "glocalisation"—maintaining distinct cultural identity whilst ensuring universal accessibility. Japan's animation industry generated record overseas profits of 1.72 trillion yen in 2023, demonstrating the economic potential of well-executed cultural diplomacy. Japan ranked 4th in this year's Global Soft Power Index, behind the US, China and the UK. Thailand's approach appears to take lessons from both models: maintaining authentic Thai identity whilst ensuring content resonates globally, and combining government support with market-driven innovation. Persistent challenges Despite impressive progress, Thailand faces challenges in sustaining its cultural momentum. Intense competition from established players like South Korea and Japan requires continuous innovation and strategic differentiation, and political stability remains crucial for maintaining investor confidence and regulatory predictability—factors essential for long-term creative industry growth. Additionally, Thailand's global image is still heavily shaped by a narrow bandwidth of representation. Male stars dominate luxury ambassadorships, and much of the international fandom around Thai content centres on curated ideals of male beauty and queer-coded narratives. Meanwhile, female artists and creators often struggle for equivalent global visibility—a dynamic that suggests the next phase of Thailand's soft power evolution must grapple more directly with gender equity in its cultural exports. A cultural powerhouse in the making Thailand's transformation from tourism-dependent nation to multifaceted cultural exporter represents one of Asia's most compelling soft power success stories. And the evidence suggests that this is just the beginning. Thailand is no longer simply inviting the world to visit—it's inviting the world to feel, watch, wear and hear it. Yet, the true test will be sustainability. Can Thailand nurture its creative sector beyond current trends? Will it make room for stories from all corners of its society—not just the ones easiest to export? The answers will determine whether this moment becomes a movement, and whether Thailand's cultural ascent reshapes not just perception, but power. Credits This article was created with the assistance of AI tools
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Over 60K pounds of food donated during 2025 Stamp Out Hunger food drive
The Stamp Out Hunger campaign was a big success over the weekend, despite the shaky economy. The national food drive, Stamp Out Hunger, was brought to Erie with the help of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest PA and area postal carriers. Postal workers 'Stamp Out Hunger' with help from local food bank The Second Harvest Food Bank is still getting donations, including staples like canned goods, fruits, meat and rice. As of Monday, May 12,, they have gotten close to 62,000 pounds of food. In 2024, they received 81,000 pounds. The bees knees! EHCA hosts annual spring fundraiser with 1920s flair The food bank's CEO said trends are down because of the increased need right now. 'Kind of what is happening is, we have seen close to a 40% increase need in households that we served over the past two years. And when we see an increased need in our services, we actually see a little decline in donations, which makes sense, right? Food is more expensive people are in need of more food,' said Greg Hall, CEO of the Second Harvest Food Bank. You can still donate to the campaign by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Extra.ie
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
What is Dr Katriona O'Sullivan's upcoming book about?
Award-winning lecturer at Trinity College Dublin and bestselling author Dr Katriona O'Sullivan has revealed she is in the process of writing a second biographical book. Dr O'Sullivan's memoir, Poor, was released in May 2023, debuting at number 1 on the Irish Non-fiction bestsellers list where it remained for more than a year. Poor tells the story of how Dr O'Sullivan turned her life around after growing up surrounded by poverty, drug addiction and sexual abuse. Award-winning lecturer at Trinity College Dublin and bestselling author Dr Katriona O'Sullivan has revealed she is in the process of writing a second biography. Pic: Bookshelf Podcast/ Instagram At 15, O'Sullivan fell pregnant with her first child, entered homelessness and suffered with alcohol addiction herself. Her novel details how with the help of a number of academic figures, she was able to beat the odds, eventually receiving a PhD from Trinity College Dublin where she still teaches Psychology. The author and lecturer has now revealed that she is 30,000 words into her next book, which is a biography about her body, titled Hunger. Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on his podcast, The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy, O'Sullivan made the revelation after Tubridy asked what the name of her next memoir would be. 'I'm writing a second one[autobiography],' she revealed, 'I'm writing a book and it's called Hungry. It's actually a biography of my body and the things that I have been through as a woman. 'It talks about how women like me, poor women particularly or women who are traumatised, how we're driven to be skinny and the things that we do in pursuit of that.' Dr O'Sullivan detailed that it included gastric bands and gastric surgeries.' 'So there's that but it's also, it's hungry for recognition and connection,' she told Ryan, 'It's about my experiences; the hunger I've had and the things that I've done to achieve lots of different things — some that weren't very helpful and some that have been really helpful.' Asked when eager fans could expect to see the book on shelves, Dr O'Sullivan confirmed March 2026. 'I'm 30,000 words in and I'm really enjoying it actually but it's hard because it's a different type of story,' she shared.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix Showcases Deep Asian Movie Lineup in Tokyo
After a raft of project announcements earlier this year, Netflix has offered a closer look at its 2025 film lineup from the Asia Pacific region at a special content showcase in Tokyo. Netflix's recent big-budget Hollywood film output has had its detractors, but the streamer's Asian film production has been on something of a critical and cultural hot streak in the last few years, with the likes of Unlocked (Korea), The Call (Korea), Kill Boksoon (Korea), The Shadow Strays (Indonesia), Hunger (Thailand) and the just released Bullet Train Explosion (Japan) all breaking out of their home markets and finding a global audience, with one or two even topping the streamer's worldwide charts. More from The Hollywood Reporter Jackie Chan to Receive Locarno Film Festival Lifetime Honor Mamoru Hosoda's Anime Princess Film 'Scarlet' Lands December 2025 Release Emmys: Netflix's 'The Perfect Couple' Will Compete in Drama Categories, Not Limited/Anthology (Exclusive) Presented by Netflix's top APAC executives from Japan, India, South Korea and Southeast Asia, the showcase proved to be an opportunity for the streamer to flex its regional muscle and show off a diverse slate of genre movies, comedies, anime and drama features. The event was kicked off by Minyoung Kim, Netflix's vice president, content Asia (ex-India), who revealed in her opening remarks that 'the average Netflix member watches seven movies every month' on the platform, and that this fact was a key driver behind the company's commitment to original feature production. Kim added that in 2024, APAC films appeared in Netflix's non-English film weekly Top 10 'more than films from any other region' and that APAC subscribers' film viewing grew by nearly 20 percent last year. The first of the regional slate deep dives was provided by Malobika Banerji, Netflix's senior director of content for Southeast Asia. Banerji talked up the success of The Shadow Strays and Hunger, the latter of which hit No. 1 worldwide, but also was keen to stress the company's firsts for the region, notably producing Outside, the first Filipino zombie movie that was released in 2024. And it's more zombies from SEA in 2025 for Netflix, as Banerji as gave glimpses of the streamer's big bets for 2025 — the Indonesian zombie drama The Elixir and Ziam from Thailand. Directed by Kimo Stamboel — one half of The Mo Brothers collective, with the other being The Shadow Strays filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto — The Elixir is both Indonesia's first zombie movie and also one of the country's largest film productions ever. Netflix showed off the first trailer of the film, which centers on an industrialist who makes herbal elixirs and how he and his dysfunctional family come under attack from the undead. Netflix also showed off a short teaser of Kulp 'Tent' Kaljareuk's Ziam, which appeared to be a more conventional zombie action movie, featuring a Muay Thai fighter as the central protagonist. Then followed the slate presentation by Netflix Japan's director of live action content Shinichi Takahashi. Much of the Japanese portion, understandably, was dominated by Shinji Higuchi's Bullet Train Explosion, which was set for release just days after the showcase. Takahashi was at pains to stress that the film, a sequel to the 1975 disaster classic The Bullet Train, was made in cooperation with the East Japan Railway Company, heightening the verisimilitude of the film with real Shinkansen trains, stations and uniforms. The filmmakers and VFX artists behind Bullet Train Explosion were also on hand to explain how they created some of the thrilling action setpieces. Outside of Bullet Train Explosion, Takahashi also discussed the recent success of Japanese original feature Demon City (released in February), which he said had ranked in Netflix's global top 10 for four weeks in a row. And he revealed a trailer for the ballroom dance drama 10Dance. Based on Satoh Inoue's popular manga series, the film features two competitive male dancers (played by Ryoma Takeuchi and Keita Machida) who work together to win a competition, but begin to have feelings for each other. After Japan, Korea followed, with Netflix's Korea director of content Vincent Taewon Kim presenting the most diverse slate of films of all the APAC regions. Kim said the streamer would release seven original Korean films in 2025, including features from Yeon Sang-ho (Hellbound and Parasyte: The Grey) and Byun Sung-hyun (Kill Boksoon) as well as films from Netflix newcomers Han Ji-won and Namkoong Sun. Kim opened the showcase talking up Yeon's Revelations, a film he said topped 'the Netflix top 10 non-English film chart for two weeks and was also among the top 10 titles in 65 countries.' He then introduced Netflix Korea's first animated feature project, Han Ji-won's Lost in Starlight, a coming-of-age love story that has echoes of Makoto Shinkai's Your Name and Suzume. Lost in Starlight tells the story of an astronaut named Nan-young and a musician named Jay, who embark on the longest-ever long-distance relationship. Then followed a trailer for an intriguing psychological drama Wall to Wall, director Kim Tae-joon follow up to his debut feature Unlocked. The film tells the story of a man living in an apartment who is driven mad by mysterious noises from neighboring floors. There was also a first look at Love Untangled, Namkoong Sun's period high school-set romcom about a girl with frizzy hair who is trying to attract the attention of her crush, and Lee Tae-sung's Mantis, the action spinoff of assassin movie hit Kill Boksoon. The Korea slate was wrapped up with trailers for Byun Sung-hyun's period plane hijack drama Good News and a clip of Kim Byung-woo's disaster movie The Great Flood; both movies debut at the end of the year. The APAC film showcase ended with India. Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Netflix's director of original films for India, introduced the streamer's slate for the country and stressed the importance of movies for the company in India. Sheikh revealed that for Netflix In India, 'nearly half of the viewing is from film, which is one of the highest globally.' Sheikh added that, 'in the past year alone, an Indian film was featured in Netflix's Global Top 10 (Non-English) list every single week.' Sheikh said 2025 would see Netflix's most diverse slate of Indian films, with original features coming in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. A first look trailer for Vivek Soni's romcom Aap Jaisa Koi (loosely translated as Someone Like You) was shown, which tells the story of a 40-something everyman who's had no luck with women his whole life, who becomes discombobulated when he meets a beautiful woman during a speed dating event who is actually interested in him. Netflix India also showed off a teaser of Chinmay Mandleka's Inspector Zende, a 1980s-set drama about the police manhunt for the notorious international criminal Carl Bhojraj, also known as the 'Snake.' The film appeared to have echoes to the Charles Sobhraj case, even down to the nickname of the antagonist. Finally, Sheikh showed off a trailer for Vivek Daschaudharys' Toaster, the black comedy starring Rajkummar Rao, in what will be his fifth project with the streamer. The actor, who was introduced as the 'Rajkummar of Netflix' by Sheikh, was present at the showcase to discuss more about the film and also revealed that the feature was the first project from Kampa Films, the production banner he launched with his actor-producer wife Patralekha. Best of The Hollywood Reporter "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked 20 Times the Oscars Got It Wrong
The Guardian
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
I Ate the Whole World to Find You by Rachel Ang review – an unforgettable graphic novel
In Rachel Ang's first full-length graphic novel, I Ate The Whole World to Find You, the inability to truly communicate with those closest to you – in a modern world rife with disbelieving doctors, unstable work, surveillant bosses and mundane bursts of violence – is depicted as a soul-annihilating failure. Across five loosely related stories we follow Jenny, an Australian woman in her late 20s, through her interactions with lovers, friends and family, against evocatively drawn urban backdrops. Narrow townhouses, public swimming pools, leafy pockets of nature and Melbourne's iconic trams form the terrain of Jenny's life, with these locales doubling as cosy spaces for gathering and sites of trauma. Often cast in shadow or sketched in impressionistic pencil, they seem to echo the protagonist's tumultuous interior world. Ang, adroit at dialogue, gives Jenny and her loved ones lengthy conversations in which they banter about a viral cow ('the Yao Ming of cattle'), commiserate over shit jobs and attempt to move past old wounds. Yet even with those closest to her, Jenny rarely digs into the heart of matter, instead talking around her true feelings. In the electrifying opening story, Hunger, she and her burgeoning crush sensitively debate the morality of his 'feeding fetish' – only for Jenny's feelings to be sidelined when they begin a relationship. In subsequent stories, Jenny avoids talking about her own problems while her ex-lovers vent, or she lies about her troubles at work. Jenny's crises of communication are evoked with blank speech bubbles that alternately swarm her uncertain face, shatter like plates or twist into noodles. Ang is a master at capturing these infinitesimal moments, where a character flinches away, feels frozen, or is flooded with self-disgust. Much of the pleasure of reading this book is witnessing Ang's experiments in form, which often function as a cathartic release. In the novel's fantastical centrepiece, The Passenger, Jenny's railway day trip with her ex and his wannabe-life-coach girlfriend is derailed by a train crash – vaulting them into a hallucinogenic dreamscape. The polymorphic wackiness of this chapter showcases both the absurdity of our social platitudes and Ang's darkly comic voice. During an uncomfortable conversation in which Jenny's ex criticises her while his girlfriend shoots off pop psychology aphorisms ('The power to change is within you!') the three characters transform into different cartoon forms, including chess pieces, dogs, and Aardman trio Wallace, Gromit and villainous penguin Feathers McGraw (of course, Jenny feels like Wallace, the dog who cannot speak). Through this artistic flexibility, Ang leans into the fresh possibilities of the graphic novel: creating surreal dimensions where truth can be fully unleashed, memories painfully accessed and alternate paths can be embraced. In Ang's comic for the Washington Post, Age of Autobiography, they write of 'the manifold self' that is 'molded by those around [you] – other selves, lives, impulses, now sent through the screen', and ponder the nebulous concept of 'inner self':'Does it need to be seen to be seen and recognised? Can I live an emotionally honest life without sharing it with others?' I Ate the Whole World to Find You appears to be a continuation of this exploration. Ang's shifting, distorted depictions of Jenny's physicality are a visceral expression of her incoherent self-understanding – whether it's a carefully placed panel where Jenny is drawn with a doubling effect, or a splash page in which the detail is suddenly stripped from her face (as in the story Swimsuit, at the exact moment when Jenny witnesses a racist attack at a swimming pool). Ang's wide-eyed, scratchy faces are often drawn very similarly; while this was initially confusing, it ultimately added to the experience, with the collection's recurrent imagery building into a universal tapestry of fragmented identity. It's fitting that the cosmically themed final story, Purity, follows Jenny as she shares her body with another life, one that is wholly new: her baby. This chapter features the most rendered illustrations and fluid linework, as Jenny is able to 'jettison the old, broken codes' of communication. While her conversations with her partner break down, she can speak privately to the 'co-pilot' inside her, with her fears existing alongside hope. In this lovely coda, the barrier between two beings is simply a translucent veil, one that will eventually part. I Ate the Whole World to Find You is a confronting expression of the desire to connect. In a world where it feels like speech bubbles distort and shatter as soon as they leave our mouths, Ang's speculative vision of transcending language, and finally being understood, is potent and unforgettable. I Ate the Whole World to Find You by Rachel Ang is out through Scribe ($39.99)
