This movie was originally scheduled to be screened at the Bangkok Film Festival and the Hawaii International Film Festival back in 1997. However, it appears as if it only had a single private screening before being banned. Religion has always been a significant topic for Thai people, and the movie's satire on beliefs and gullibility faced inevitable challenges during the turbulent times of the late 90s.
During the pandemic, director Ing K had enough time to remaster the original 16mm film into a digital format, enabling the movie's resubmission in hopes of lifting the ban. In October 2023, 26 years after the ban, the movie finally saw the light of day.
What makes this movie so remarkable is its timelessness. The same hot topics surrounding religion that were relevant in 1997 remain in the spotlight today. The film serves as a time capsule, showing how little has changed. It may seem as if it predicted future events, but in reality, it was simply reflecting the situation of that time. The movie also satirizes foreigners seeking New Age experiences in Thailand, much like the Koh Phangan cult scandals of the 2010s.
One of the most unsettling aspects of the film is how cult leaders, despite their absurdity, manage to talk their way out of any issue when confronted. Their arguments are so eloquent, and their logical fallacies are so well hidden behind constant reinforcement and sweet talk, that you yourself start to question reality after a while.