Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani confirmed yesterday that two American movies - "American Gangster" and "Rambo IV" - would use Thailand as a shooting location.

The two movie shoots are together expected to infuse more than Bt160 million into Thailand.

Suvit said that next month US-based Universal Pictures would use Chiang Mai town and Mae Rim district to film its latest movie "American Gangster".

Branko Lustig, executive producer of "American Gangster", met Suvit yesterday and urged him to offer more incentives to foreign film-makers. Lustig is in Thailand preparing for the shooting of "American Gangster".

The US$100-million (Bt3.71 billion) movie will be directed by Ridley Scott, the director of "Gladiator".

Suvit said the film-makers would spend six days in Chiang Mai from November 8-13 and hire 250 locals. The movie crew will spend about Bt60 million in Thailand.

Actor Sylvester Stallone will be also in Thailand next year for the fourth Rambo movie. Scenes will show Rambo living a secluded life in Thailand before the action begins. "Rambo IV: In the Serpent's Eye" is due to start filming next year in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

The movie is expected to spend more than Bt100 million in Thailand.

"Rambo IV" begins preliminary shooting in Bulgaria next January, as Nu Image/Millennium Films has acquired the film rights from Miramax/Dimension Films.

Sylvester Stallone, the actor who played the title role in the three previous "Rambo" films, has signed with Nu Image/ Millennium Films. The film is set for release in 2008.

Thailand earned Bt1.37 billion from 372 film shoots in the first nine months of this year, an increase of 45 per cent from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, Suvit said his ministry would present next year's tourism plan to the government next Monday. The goal is 14.8 million international tourists and 70 million domestic trips.

The ministry projects total revenues of Bt547 billion.

Suvit also said that nearly Bt6 billion was slashed from the ministry's 2007 budget, which now stands at Bt19 billion. The revised budget will be proposed to Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula before the end of the month.

Among the agencies affected by the budget cut is the Tourism Authority

of Thailand (TAT), which will be

allocated Bt5.7 billion from a proposed Bt9.16 billion. For 2006, it received Bt3.9 billion.

Despite the lower budget, the TAT insists all tourist targets will be achieved.

Suchat Sritama

 The Nation