"Elephant, Ancient Thai Boxing and Tony Jaa” Three essential ingredients in a finest 300 million Bath menu “Tom-Yum-Goong”

Having been talk of the town and gained great attention at the moment, “Tom-Yum-Goong”, the Thai action film from the same production team of “Ong-Bak” hopes to recreate the great phenomenon again, and it must be greater success at this time. Especially, this is the second film in life of Tony Jaa, whose famous slogan is “No sling, no stunt man, and definitely no CG”

“Elephant, Ancient Thai Boxing and Tony Jaa”, is the first three ingredients that will be officially introduced in TYG UPDATE. These three elements are the most significant parts in “Tom-Yum-Goong”, the Thai finest menu that is said to be worth 300 million baths. In “Ong-Bak”, Prachya Pinkaew communicates to people worldwide to truly understand the culture, believe, and way of Buddhism practice of the Thais. He makes clear to the world that the head of Buddha statue is not a decoration, but the highest faith in Buddhism for Thai people.

“What we intend and keep on in Tom Yum Goong is to preserve and make known of Thainess, and create the correct understanding of culture, way of thinking and tradition of Thai people. The key of the film is a very close relationship between elephants and men through the way of living and culture, which is carried on generations to generations. Unfortunately, foreigners might have never known that this relationship is very intimate as an elephant is considered as a part of a family. It is the fact that we have elephants, but nowadays, we take care of them not so well. In the film, you will see Tony Jaa respects an elephant as his father. We believe that when Tom-Yum-Goong is released, the audience will have better understanding of how Thai people look after elephants and the relationship between men and elephants in Thai culture that they would never seen. This is the main reason for us to make Tom-Yum-Goong.” Prachya told us the reason to have an elephant as one of the most important ingredients for this marvellous menu. Another tasty ingredient is Tony Jaa whose slogan is “No sling, No stunt man”. He is a man who delivers you “Elephant Boxing” (Muay Koshasarn), the Thai Ancient Boxing. Apart from showing the higher level of the art of Thai ancient kick boxing, Tony Jaa will reveal the relationship between elephants and men as well.

“In Tom Yum Goong, I play 'Kham' who has two fathers, one is his real father and the other is 'Por Yai' (Big Father); an elephant that is his family's inheritance. Kham is bound to the Big Father's child named 'Khon', the young elephant that he loves as his own brother. Kham has a dream to present to the king an elephant that has true specific characters identified in 'Koshaluck'; an ancient royal rule of King's elephant.

Kham grows up in the elephant keepers' family. His family descends from Jaturongkabat soldiers; the royal guardsmen whose specific role is to protect the four legs of King's elephant in a battle field since the early time. These guardsmen have a special form of fighting called Koshasarn Boxing, which its postures relate to elephant behaviours. This ancient boxing puts emphasis on barehanded throwing, catching and breaking, which you will see in the movie.

The form and style of this fighting derives from the natural postures and behaviours of an elephant. For example, the posture of using a trunk to break a tree branch is imitated to the way of fighting named Chang Tamlay Long (elephant destroying a coffin). There are many more postures in the Koshasarn Boxing, such as Erawan Saey Nga (elephant pushing its stunk) and Hak Nguang Iyara (breaking an elephant's strunk), they are all the boxing techniques relates to an elephant. In Tom-Yum-Goong, you will see Thai boxing in an extraordinary and unique style, which many people would never experience before.”

Get yourself ready, We will have this menu in August, 11th 2005 officially.