The 36-year-old Malivorn said that when at the university, she and her friends invested Bt100,000 in a video shop they set up in front of the institution. Called VDO Library, it rented out cassettes.

"It was the first time that I was in a real business and working with my friends was a great experience. We recouped our investment within six months," said Malivorn. After graduating, she found herself in Aprica Chicco Baby Stroller at International Cosmetic.

Her life changed again when she joined Columbia Tristar Buena Vista (Thailand) as its product manager to promote Disney movies in the Thai market.

Malivorn said that at Columbia Tristar Buena Vista, marketing Mulan, Methro and Runaway Bride, she had been particularly successful with Mulan, which grossed Bt43.7 million. "There were five partners licensed to come up with products featuring Disney characters," said Malivorn.

She soon started to think that the more she worked for the success of foreign films, the more she let her homeland down.

The transition point was when Malivorn received the opportunity to be the marketing director of Vithita Animation. Now she is also the managing director of Macho Biz, distributing and promoting the locally made animation film PangPond, a 3D show well accepted in Hong Kong and China.

Her firm is in talks to supply 3D animation and home entertainment to Italy, the United States, Singapore and Korea, expecting that Thai 3D animation and home entertainment will expand to these markets by the end of this year.

PangPond is about a cute little five-year-old boy with big eyes and only three hairs on his head.  He is playful, spontaneous, friendly, and the way he greets people, saying "Sawasdee", leaves no one in any doubt about his essential Thai personality. He is a very kind boy with a strong imagination who loves all and enjoys helping others.

PangPond constantly meets new friends as he explores the world.

Mischievous yet kind-hearted, his curiosity frequently gets him into trouble but he always finds a way out of all crises.

His best buddy, "Big" the dog, never deserts him. With his three strands of hair, PangPond is able to communicate with all living creatures. This first Thai animation piece was launched at the IMAX theatre in October 2002. The Thai National Youth Bureau selected the series as the best animation programme for children in 2002-2003.

PangPond was the first Thai cartoon character featured in a series of postage stamps on National Children's Day in 2003. Other popular entertainment features are are Noo Hin and Willy the Chicken.

Malivorn said that Thai animation workers were skilful enough but, unlike their counterparts in Singapore and Korea, lacked government support. The home industry, she felt, could also be more succesful if there was more cooperation between individual participants.

Jirapan Boonnoon

The Nation