Mouse fights for Mild's affections
By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb
and courtesy of UCI Media
Did you know
Latitude 6 refers to the distance of Pattani from the equator.
In order to show a more picturesque aspect of Thailand's troubled southern border provinces, the Internal Security Operations Command sponsored the new drama movie, Latitude Tee Hok (Latitude 6), which is set in Pattani.
The movie is about a city guy named Ton (Peter Corp Dyrendal) who moves to Pattani for work. While there, he falls for a beautiful Muslim teacher named Fah (Bowling Prisana). Problems arise because Fah's father doesn't approve their relationship.
The film also features a love triangle sub-plot about a pretty girl named Fern, played by 20-year-old Wiraporn Jiravechsoontornkul (Mild), and two buddies named Kosem (Peem Parkin) and Sharif, played by 24-year-old Natcha Jantapan (Mouse).
Mild and Mouse have both been busy lately. While Mild has starred in the teen TV series Nong Mai Rai Borisut (Mischievous but Innocent Rookie) and the upcoming TV series Don’t, Mouse played a leading character in recent romantic comedy series, Pretty (Pity) Girl. He is also working on City of Light: The O.C. Thailand, a Thai version of a hit series from the US.
Student Weekly recently met up with Mild and Mouse at a café to talk about their roles in Latitude 6, which was released on July 23, and their experiences working in Pattani.
Student Weekly: Was working on this movie much different from your previous acting experiences?
Mild: I'd never worked on a dramatic movie before. I had to cry a lot in Latitude 6, especially in the scene where my character's dad is hit by a bomb explosion.
Mouse: It was difficult. I played an athlete of the martial art called Pencak Silat, which I didn't know about before. Fortunately, I already knew some basic karate, so I could use those skills.
Student Weekly: Did you enjoy learning Pencak Silat?
Mouse: Yes, but before attacking an opponent, Pencak Silat requires the fighters to dance. I didn’t like the dancing part but I liked the fighting.
Student Weekly: Were you worried about filming in Pattani?
Mild: No. At that time, I was a rookie looking for new experiences. I'd never visited Pattani, but I was optimistic because the crew said they would provide good security for us. I was never worried about our safety.
Mouse: I was worried. My friends told me that the locations we used were dangerous. But although I initially felt really tense, my fear was gone when we arrived. The people in Pattani took great care of us well because it was rare to have people making a film in the area. They were always on the sets to cheer us and make us feel relaxed.
Student Weekly: What was the general atmosphere like in Pattani?
Mild: It was different from what we expected. We saw the military a lot, but it wasn't as scary as what we'd seen on the news.
Student Weekly: Can you tell us your impressions of each other?
Mild: Mouse has never changed since the first day we met. He's funny and always made the other performers laugh. Mouse is also good at memorising his lines.
Mouse: Mild seemed so innocent. Her acting was really natural. She cried a lot during the scene where Fern’s dad is injured by the explosion because she was bleeding from a cut that she got from a crowd control barrier.
Student Weekly: Which scene in the film is your favourite?
Mouse: The spectacular Pencak Silat competition. There was a national coach and a referee there, and actor Peem Parkin broke the arms of two professional Pencak Silat sportsmen! One of them told me he'd been doing Pencak Silat more than 10 years and that he'd never been hurt that much before.
Student Weekly: Were there any locations that you particularly liked?
Mouse: There's a scene where Sharif works on dance moves with his friends, and we filmed it on a beach. I can't remember the name of the beach, but it was really clean and beautiful, and the water was crystal clear. The beach was also in a red zone, which means an area that's most affected by violence.
Student Weekly: Mouse, how did you feel about acting in the TV series Pretty (Pity) Girl with your brother Nicky?
Mouse: Acting with my brother was difficult. We had to re-shoot many times because I kept laughing when we had to stare at each other.
Student Weekly: Do you have any special message to encourage movie fans to see Latitude 6?
Mild: Viewers will feel warm after seeing this movie. There are many kinds of love in the film, and the cinematography is beautiful. Pattani is a nice city. It's different from what you see in the news.
Mouse: Please check it out. You'll experience lot things such as culture, religion, sport and love.
Vocabulary
- picturesque (adj): pretty and scenic
arise (v): to happen or start to exist
love triangle (n): a situation that involves three people, each of which loves at least one of the others
sub-plot (n): a series of events in a novel, movie, etc. that is separate but linked to the main story
explosion (n): the sudden violent bursting and loud noise of something such as a bomb exploding
opponent (n): a person that you are playing or fighting against in a game, competition, etc.
rookie (n): a person who has just started a job or an activity and has very little experience
initially (adv): at the beginning
lines (n): the words spoken by an actor in a movie, play, etc.
barrier (n): an object like a fence that prevents people from moving forward from one place to another
spectacular (adj): very impressive or exciting
referee (n): the official who controls the game in some sports such as football, boxing, etc.
