The film tells the story of tobacco-industry lobbyist Nick Naylor who promotes smoking at a time when the health risks are too obvious to ignore.

"What a shame," Action on Smoking and Health Thailand secretary-general Dr Prakit Vateesatokit said.

He said the film was a wonderful tool in the campaign against smoking.

"The movie depicts sophisticated tactics used by tobacco companies to achieve what they want," he said. "This could have had an even bigger impact on the pubic than campaigns I have been running for more than two decades."

Thailand Health Promotion Institute chief Dr Hatai Chitanondh believed censors rejected the film because the title included the word "smoking".

The title is a play on the common request posted in public places and buildings: "Thank you for not smoking".

"I'm wondering if the censors even bothered to watch the movie before rejecting it," he asked, adding he deeply regretted the film would not be seen for the same reasons given by Prakit.

"I don't know if there is anything fishy behind this or not," Prakit said. He will seek an official explanation.

However, it is now too late to reverse the decision because distributors have returned copies of the film to the United States, apparently reluctant for censors to lose face, Hatai asserted.

He watched it twice and insisted smoking is not observed in the film.

"So, what's the matter? What harm can this movie do," Prakit asked.

It will be available on disc and there will be free home-theatre screenings at Third Place on Soi Thong Lor 10 every day in March.

Arthit Khwankhom

The Nation