The Last Breath of Sam Yan, a documentary about an effort by students and residents in Bangkok’s Sam Yan neighbourhood to protect a Chinese shrine from demolition, has won a Suphannahong National Film Award for best documentary of 2023.
The documentary was directed by Prempapat Plittapolkranpim and produced by activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal and Settanant Thanakitkoses, a Chulalongkorn University student. It tells the story of the Saphan Lueang Mazu Shrine and its ‘resident’ Chinese goddess of the sea. Both are at risk of being removed by the Chulalongkorn University Property Management team (PMCU) which plans to build a condominium project on the site. When the shrine’s caretaker refused to move out, PMCU brought a lawsuit for 122 million baht in damages. The eviction effort sparked a student movement to support the shrine’s preservation.
After the award ceremony, Netiwit posted on his Facebook page that the Saphan Luang Mazu Shrine was now well-known nationally and overseas. He also called on Chulalongkorn University to stop trying to remove the shrine and destroy local community traditions.
Netiwit said that the documentary was produced when he was in Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Sciences and Settanant was studying in the Faculty of Arts. The production team was comprised of communications students. Funding came from selling books through his publishing house.
“It shows that stories in our communities are important, that there are things close to us that we should pay attention to and not neglect,” Netiwit wrote.
He thanked the students and citizens who campaigned against the shrine’s removal and said he hopes that the movement for better communities around Chulalongkorn University and across the country will become stronger.
The Saphan Lueang Mazu Shrine is still standing, now surrounded by a construction site. For students seeking spiritual support, it has become a popular spot to pray to a goddess referred to as “A-ma,” or Grandmother in the local Teochew dialect, for good fortune during examinations or when searching for jobs.
In August 2023, a court ruled in favour of PMCU for the shrine’s removal. The shrine caretaker has filed for appeal.
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