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After 75 years under the police department, film censorship in Thailand will be responsible by the Ministry of Culture from the end of this month.
The Culture Ministry is now preparing to form a new committee that rates, rather than censors, films in order to comply with the new rating bill, which is pending parliamentary ratification.
For the past 75 years, the police department has regulated the film industry through censorship, which was deemed required by the Film Act of 1930. In 1987, the police department expanded its censorship jurisdiction to television through the Control of Business Relating to Tape Cassette and Television Material Act.
With recent push from the film industry, the Cabinet issued a resolution moving the censorship board from the police department to the Ministry of Culture. New government agencies will also be established in each province to take over this duty from the local police force. The new censorship board will employ about 200 personnel, of which 30 would be police officers from the old censorship board.
In addition, the parliament is set to debate a new bill that replaces the outdated Film Act and the Control of Business Relating to Tape Cassette and Television Material Act and proposes a rating system in place of censorship, which often compromises the artistic values of the films. In practical terms, the rating system will reduce the amount of work for the overseeing agency. G-rated foreign films will get automatic release, while those with rated R or NC-17 will be subjected to further scrutiny.
Rewriter: Sorradithep Supachanya
Source: Flicks Magazine
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