The bucolic, once laid-back campus of one of Thailands top universities is under a security clampdown. Not against a terrorist threat, but against Chinese tourists. Thousands have clambered aboard student buses at Chiang Mai University, made a mess in cafeterias and sneaked into classes to attend lectures. Someone even pitched a tent by a picturesque lake. The reason: Lost in Thailand, a 2012 slapstick comedy partly shot on campus that is Chinas highest-grossing homegrown movie ever. Now visitors are restricted to entering through a single gate manned by Mandarin-speaking volunteers who direct Chinese tourists to a line of vehicles for guided tours. Individual visitors are banned, and a sign in prominent Chinese characters requesting that passports be produced is posted by the gate. Sigh. I used to enjoy hanging out and seeing movies at that campus with Justin Bonsey and Vanda Manprasert. Now i guess its a future research site... eh Harng Luh ?
Posted on: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 12:34:35 +0000
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