Buariyate Eamkamol’s documentary Red Is the Orangest Color had its premiere screening yesterday, as part of this year’s online Short Film Marathon (หนังสั้นมาราธอน). The film highlights an ideological shift away from Pheu Thai — the traditional party of pro-democracy red-shirt supporters — towards the more progressive ‘orange movement’ represented by the People’s Party.
This trend is hardly surprising, as Pheu Thai broke their repeated pledges not to join forces with the pro-military Palang Pracharath after the 2023 election. Many Pheu Thai voters felt betrayed by the party, and turned instead to the rightful election winners, Move Forward (the previous incarnation of the People’s Party).
This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the crackdown on red-shirts in Bangkok in 2010. At an event commemorating the anniversary, Buariyate interviewed a red-shirt protester about the violence she witnessed on 10th April 2010. She also spoke movingly about her son who, being too young to vote himself, asked her to vote for Move Forward on his behalf in the last election.
The film captures this generational shift, and the palpable tension it created at the commemorative event, as Buariyate’s camera picks out glimpses of orange among the crowd. The speakers at the commemoration were veteran red-shirt leaders; one is heard in the film, but not shown on camera, as his speech was too sensitive.
This trend is hardly surprising, as Pheu Thai broke their repeated pledges not to join forces with the pro-military Palang Pracharath after the 2023 election. Many Pheu Thai voters felt betrayed by the party, and turned instead to the rightful election winners, Move Forward (the previous incarnation of the People’s Party).
This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the crackdown on red-shirts in Bangkok in 2010. At an event commemorating the anniversary, Buariyate interviewed a red-shirt protester about the violence she witnessed on 10th April 2010. She also spoke movingly about her son who, being too young to vote himself, asked her to vote for Move Forward on his behalf in the last election.
The film captures this generational shift, and the palpable tension it created at the commemorative event, as Buariyate’s camera picks out glimpses of orange among the crowd. The speakers at the commemoration were veteran red-shirt leaders; one is heard in the film, but not shown on camera, as his speech was too sensitive.
