On the afternoon of last Saturday

There is news spreading through social media that "Surasee Phatham", the director of the famous Thai film "Kru Rural", has passed away in Ubon Ratchathani Province.

with acute heart attack

And infection in the blood stream, Siri, 75 years old

For the generation under 50 years old, you may not have heard of this person at all because the year in which the Thai movie "Kru Rural" became extremely popular.

Earn millions of baht from showing consecutively for months in Chalerm Thai theaters.

Only one plant, that is 1978 or 45 years ago.

The 50-year-old is now only 5 years old.

Definitely wouldn't have the chance to see this movie.

Or if watching when it comes out in the middle of the plot, you probably won't remember much.

Must be people over 60 until 70 or over 80 or over 90 (if they are still alive) that is still remembered.

And many people are still fascinated by this movie that was created from the novel of the same name, "Rural Teacher" by Khamman Konkai, a real rural teacher from Ubon Ratchathani Province.

Kru Khamman received a scholarship to study abroad until completing a master's degree at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, around 1968-1969.

I got to know him there because Boulder, where I went to school, was about an hour and a half's drive from Greeley, where he was studying. Students from those two towns often drove to see each other.

Sompong Palasun, which is his real name

and used to tell me in a humorous way that

“My life is inevitable from the countryside...I am a rural teacher...I received a scholarship to study abroad.

But it's a country country - a country country anyway.

But when I graduated back

Teacher Khamman seems to have become a city resident.

because there was an order to move to serve in the Ministry of Education

I'm not sure which department

Until finally retired in the capital

During her return from abroad, Teacher Khamman still writes short stories from time to time in the series "Kru Rural".

Until one day, there was news that Khun Kamol Kultangwattana bought it to make a movie and gave it to Surasi Phatham as the director, with Piya Trakulrat as the hero and Wassana Sitthiwet as the heroine, preparing for the screening in 1978.

I was also invited to see it in the press round.

Finished watching and impressed

The next day, go to hit the ticket again and watch it again before writing and cheering through this column for 2 full days.

Cheers to both my friend's writer and director Surasee Phatham, which is a very new name for me.

But he directed this film so well.

All actors performed well in their roles, from Kru Piya, Kru Wassana to the students.

which in the beginning of the film paves the way for the poverty of education in rural Isaan

through the cute naive chapters of schoolchildren

hilarious forever

before taking a sharp turn at the end when the protagonist rises up against local influences that smuggle and destroy forests

therefore was eliminated

Especially the dramatic scene when the teacher

Piya was shot and killed.

Shocked the hearts of all the people in the factory...

After I wrote for the column for 2 days, there were other film critics.

Came out to criticize and encourage again, especially "Ajarn Mom" ​​M.R. Kukrit Pramoj, even to the point of writing full-page cheers on his 5th Siamrath

It is a very important driving force that makes "Rural Teacher" become a million-dollar movie.

And has become a legend that has been talked about until now

45 years have passed, the person behind the success of "Rural Teacher" gradually bid farewell to this world, including Kamol Kultangwattana, producer, either "Khamman Khonkai" or Sompong Palasun, composer, both Piya Trakulrat, the hero. At the end of this year

The latest from last Saturday's news is the director "Surasee Phatham".

As a fan of Thai movies

I would like to offer my deepest condolences and condolences to the passing of Director Surasee here.

best of the best

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you once again to all of you...both living and those who have passed away...for jointly "creating" the Thai film "Kru Rural" until it becomes a movie that can be enjoyed. One of the best stories in Thailand.

“Zoom”