New Thai PM spearheads economy-orientated 'soft power' drive

BANGKOK -- Ask a Thai film director, artist, performer or author about the realities of their industry and it is never long before the conversation turns to the issue of state support, or lack of it.

In the minds of many Thais working in culture, politicians grossly undervalue the country's cultural assets, especially those that do not fit within narrow, and often politicized, definitions of national identity and tradition. When a project gets off the ground, or if success comes, they note bitterly, it is usually despite the government, not because of it.