street wise:The monetary magic of

To listeners though, it is perhaps the most romantic, yet scary, tale. Can somebody really love someone else so much that they'd linger around even after death just to grab some stolen moments with their loved one? The story gets even spookier when you learn about all the things that Nang Nak did just to be beside her darling.

Last week, this legendary love story returned to the City of Angels in the form of "Maenak Prakhanong the Musical". This show must have created quite a few jobs, especially for the 20 actors who have been practising on stage for a whole year. Though all that time spent practising would have meant a fairly large investment, Takonkiat Viravan should be laughing all the way to the bank - all 33 performances, the last one on June 21, are fully booked.

Indeed the legend has been lucrative - there have been several versions on the big screen and on television, and though they have been given different names, the story has remained the same.

Most film enthusiasts agree that the scariest version was the one released in December 1959 featuring Preeya Rungruang as Nang Naak. Rumours have been circulating that the theatre screening the film burned down.

Then came the version featuring Namngern Boonnak, a veteran actress who is probably as old as the legend itself. That film was called "Mae Nak Khuen Cheep" or the Resurrection of Mae Nak.

In 1968, a newer, scarier version was created, called "Mae Nak Khanongrak" or the Erotic Nang Nak. Years later, another film highlighting the scary side of Nang Nak hit the big screen featuring heartthrob Bin Banluerit and beauty queen Chutima Naiyana. Then came "Mae Nak America", when a foreign actress played the title character with Krung Srivilai as her beloved. However, it was Nonzee Nimitbutr's "Nang Nak" that cashed in at the box office, earning more than Bt100 million in ticket sales alone.

The story has been popular on TV as well, with Channel 3 broadcasting at least three versions and Channel 7 getting in on the act with one. This year, apart from Takonkiat's adaptation, Dreambox will unveil another musical on the subject.

Though nobody can really confirm if Nang Nak actually existed, one thing is certain - this lady keeps creating jobs for people.