The bell tolls again

Just over a year ago, the Trang Rama made its debut here on the SEA Movie Theater Project. Since then it has been the lone operating stand-alone from Thailand's south to be featured. Scratch the operating status; word has it that the Trang Rama recently shut its doors for good.

Details of the Trang Rama's past are unknown. Its architecture, however, is fairly common among Thai movie theaters built in the late-1960's to mid-70's. Zig-zag cornices, lancet arches, cut-out lettering perched on the top, poured concrete to the core. Some find it repulsive, others kitschy. Others still - like me - think it looks great. One way or another it's distinctly Thai: an evolutionary branch of the local modern architecture movement that found expression in movie theaters.

Photos of the Trang Rama came courtesy of a good friend who was traversing the region at the time. I never had the chance to visit it in person. Now I never will.

RIP

TRANG RAMA

19(6x-7x)-2011