Dean of Film and Photography Department of Chulalongkorn University．Thailand Visiting STA 18/11/2008

Led by Prof．Zhang Zhongnian and Prof．Ni Zhen，Asian Film and Television Research Centre of Shanghai Theatre Academy started the research work of Thai films in 2008．Thai films have won many international awards these years，but there was not any systematic research on Thai Films in China．Thanks to the support of heads of STA，Office of Research，Division of Graduate Students and the help of Consulate of Thailand in Shanghai ，preparation work of this research proceeded smoothly．

From November 4 to 11，2008，Prof，Raksan Viwatsinudom，Dean of Film and Photography Department of Chulalongkorn University，Thailand was invited to STA to talk about co－acting the project of research on Thai films and make academic exchange with our academy．

On the morning of November 5，Vice President Prof．William Sun had a friendly meeting with Prof．Raksan．Prof．Zhang Zhongnian，Prof．Ni Zhen，Prof．Fang Fang and Prof．Li Zhenlin were present at the meeting．Prof．William Sun expressed his warm welcome towards Prof．Raksan．He said that Chulalongkorn University was world－famous for its solid strength and its Film Department was a recognized research centre of Thai films．He believed that Prof．Raksan＇s visit this time would promote our academy＇s research work on Thai films and start the cooperation between our two universities．Vice President Prof．William Sun hoped Prof．Raksan would bring word to the Theatre Department of Chulalongkorn University that STA invited them to join the UNESCO－ITI Chair Asian－Pacific Bureau．Prof．Raksan thanked STA for supporting the project of research on Thai films and would like to cooperate closely with our academy and convey Prof．William Sun＇s invitation．

On the same day，Prof．Raksan had a further communication with Prof．Zhang Zhongnian，Prof．Ni Zhen，Prof．Fang Fang and Prof．Li Zhenlin．They reached an agreement on the cooperation between the two universities．Both sides expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the talk．

On the afternoon of November 6，Consul General of Royal Thailand in Shanghai Chalit Manityakul met Prof．Raksan at the consulate．Prof．Zhang Zhongnian and Prof．Ni Zhen were also invited to the meeting．The consul general was willing to promote the project of research on Thai films and hoped that the two universities would carry out a long－term cooperation on the basis of this project．Prof．Raksan said that through his visit in STA he felt confident about the project of research on Thai films．Prof．Zhang Zhongnian expressed his gratitude towards Consul General of Royal Thailand in Shanghai and hoped to receive more support from the consulate．

On the afternoon of November 7，Prof. Raksan gave a lecture A Hundred Years＇ History of Thai Films for the graduate students of our academy．Prof．Raksan made an introduction of Thai films from aspects like history，genre，representative works，directors and industrial development．Through the lecture，the students knew that Thai films had a long history and rich meanings which were worthy of research．

During the visit，our academy arranged the meeting between Prof．Raksan and the heads of Shanghai Film Association，Shanghai Film Group and Hengdian Film and Television Group and the visit to Shanghai Chedun Film Shooting Base and Hengdian Film Shooting Base in Zhejiang province．

The successful visit of Prof.．Raksan marks that our academy＇s research on Thai films has entered a brand new phase．

Prof．Raksan，Prof．Zhang Zhongnian and other professors holding a talk

Dean Raksan＇s lecture

The lecture