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Published on July 30, 2007

"We spent only 35 per cent of the previous year's budget with lots of obstacles, but I'm satisfied with the result," Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Pornsiri Manoharn said yesterday.

Suvannee Chinchiewchan, deputy managing director of SF Cinema City Company, said the festival had been highly successful because the seat occupancy rate was high at 40.75 per cent.

She said audiences had shown a lot of interest in independent films and more than 3,000 tickets were reserved before the festival began.

However, TAT will not host the festival alone in future. Next year, Pornsiri said, the authority will seek support from other organisations such as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the Culture Ministry.

"Other world-renowned festivals like Pusan and Venice are hugely supported by their city offices, so we hope that we will get the same cooperation," she said.

Pornsiri said TAT could not support the festival with the same budget any more.

"We are not a specialist in the film industry. Besides, we have other tourism policies to proceed with that also need financing," she said.

"If we don't get any support from the other bodies, we will still run the festival, but with a smaller budget."

Parinyaporn Pajee

The Nation