| Shot in Thailand | | | | drew some controversy for another reason. |
| Thailand today still remains a popular place to film | | | | Apparently Fox Studios had decided in their infinite |
| movies. The main reason being that a lot of story | | | | wisdom to re-design the beach at Phi Phi to their |
| lines involve Thailand and the Thai people-indeed a lot | | | | own natural Thai image. Environmentalists ran amok- |
| of story lines involve Thailand simply because she is | | | | as indeed they were entitled to-and tried to have |
| one of the few countries in the world that | | | | production suspended. Compensation was paid, the |
| hasn’t been spoilt by colonization, globalization-a | | | | movie went ahead and restoration of the area was |
| country that still holds a certain mystique and spiritual | | | | conducted. It may be interesting to note that |
| treasure. Shooting in Thailand started almost a | | | | according to the Lonely Planets’ guide to the |
| century ago when the first movie called Chang was | | | | area, the beach was much improved by effects of |
| filmed. From then on the likes of Bruce Lee in Big | | | | the 2004 tsunami. |
| Boss, James Bond (Roger Moore) in Man with the | | | | |
| Golden Gun to mention a few have graced the Thai | | | | Thai Style |
| shores. | | | | Of course plenty of Thai movies are also being shot |
| Off-set gossip | | | | all over Thailand and some require western extras to |
| Getting “extra” work on some of these | | | | help out. If interested, you may want to ask some |
| movies was not so difficult either. Back in the 90s | | | | staff at the accommodation you are staying at-they |
| when Michael J.fox and Sean Penn were filming | | | | would be able to inform you of which and where the |
| Casualties of War, a good friend of mine managed to | | | | latest movie is being shot. You may want to watch |
| get the job as Michael’s stand-in. He spoke | | | | the shooting or even earn a little extra cash by |
| English and was short enough which was all that was | | | | taking part! Patong Beach in Phuket has been the |
| required. The gossip here was that all three spent a | | | | scene of many and various movie sets. |
| lot of time off the set or in the hotel drinking and | | | | Accommodation is plentiful in the area and the natural |
| smoking some of the locally brewed vegetation! | | | | beauty of its palm fringed beaches and its hidden |
| Watch the movie again sometime and see if you can | | | | coves would add to the enhancement of any |
| spot the highs! For this job food and accommodation | | | | movie. |
| was laid on at the Idyllic havens of Patong beach and | | | | Accommodation |
| other regions of Phuket. Rambo III was another | | | | When thinking of accommodation in the Patong area. |
| story-a backpacker in the hotel I stayed in at the | | | | Horizon Patong Beach Resort and Spa comes to |
| time was refused extra work on this set just | | | | mind. This idyllic haven nestled near to the beautiful |
| because he was taller and better looking than | | | | Patong west-beach offers a choice of 160 rooms, |
| Rambo, not too difficult perhaps. Meanwhile Hugh | | | | two swimming pools and a fitness club. Tropical |
| Grant in a Bridget Jones sequel was said to have | | | | botanical gardens that surround the hotel offer a |
| been chased back to his hotel by bar girls-this is | | | | taste of paradise and tranquillity. Surely a fitting |
| entirely untrue. He was the one who did the | | | | movie set where the guests are the stars and the |
| chasing… DiCaprio’s Beach on the other hand | | | | staff are surely the extras. |