They are faced with the insoluble problem of how they can survive the censorship law as well as criticism from various interest groups. Once your film passes the censorship board, there is no guarantee you won't get brickbats from certain groups. Is a thoroughly fictional approach a sure bet? Not really, as Pongpat Wachirabanchong can tell you. The veteran actor's directorial debut, "Kor Hai Rak Chong Charoen" ("Me, Myself"), has received complaints from a gay-rights group over its "unreal facts and knowledge about gays".

The story is about a gay man who loses his memory, including his sexual preference, after a severe accident. He falls for a woman only to re-discover he prefers the same sex.

The gay-rights group's leader, Natee Teerarojjanapongs, says the story contains incorrect information about gays that will lead to misunderstanding. The fictional content is so "unreal" that Natee says he can't let it go unnoticed.

"Me, Myself" suggests that a boy raised in a gay environment stands more chance of becoming gay. Natee finds that suggestion unacceptable and says studies prove it. More seriously, the gay-rights group cites the content as possibly dangerous if - and only if - parents believe that a gay man is able to become straight if he has an accident and loses his memory.

Unbelievably, this notion got an instant response from the Public Health Department, which warns parents not to be copycats in a bid to change their siblings' sexual preferences. No offence to all sexes, my humble conclusion here is that a movie is just a movie and it can't be anything else.

The group's comments sound interesting. But this leaves no room for filmmakers to explore ideas. A feature film is not a documentary and "Me, Myself" is clearly fictional.

True, a gay character may be rather more complicated than a heterosexual man or woman, but the truth is that in everyday life many people are confused about their sexual preference.

As a female, I'd say that female characters are not always portrayed in politically correct ways. Perhaps women's-rights groups should be as active as this gay-rights group in voicing their concerns over some soap operas. Over 90 per cent of these shows are about women competing for a rich man. Even sadder is that last year, a top soap was the story of a heroine who is raped and made pregnant, yet she falls for the man who raped her.

Wouldn't anyone find that story sickening? Isn't anyone afraid there will be a copycat incident?

If "Me, Myself" might persuade parents to change the sexual preference of their gay siblings by means of an accident, this series should have been banned for suggesting that a rapist could make his victim fall in love with him.

Content rating doesn't help much if it is the kids who have the remote control. However, a trip to a movie theatre means a kid is usually accompanied by parents. Not until they reach their teens do most kids go to see movies independently. It is wishful thinking to suggest that if the "Free Thai Cinema Movement" can push for a rating system, it will also help screen content for certain groups.

While a far-fetched story like "Me, Myself" gets the thumbs down from the gay-rights group, "inspired-by-real-life" fiction like "Saeng Satawat" ("Syndromes and a Century") by award-winning director Apichatpong Weerasetthakul gets axed by the censorship board and also criticised by interest groups. The scene of a Buddhist monk playing a guitar was just unacceptable for the Culture Ministry, while the Medical Council doesn't approve of a scene suggesting that a physician likes to take an alcoholic drink.

Stories of unethical physicians and misbehaving monks are abundant in the media. Perhaps Apichatpong's film just hit where it hurt most.

Coming back to the basic truth: a film is just a film. With a proper rating system and a charter that categorises film as a form of mass media, there won't be any more time-wasting on this issue. Filmmakers will make their films in the same manner, as any reporter will roll out the story without influence. They need not worry that their content will lead the youth to harmful behaviour or persuade them to go against Thai culture. They need not fear that their content might be too "real" or too "fictional" and audiences will perceive fiction as truth.

If filmmakers can enjoy similar freedom as the mass media, with the help of a proper rating system, they will be encouraged to branch out to other genres instead of focusing on horror, comedy and romantic comedy - the mass staples of today.

But this is still a far-fetched dream for both filmmakers and film buffs. And as long as the antiquated censorship law of 1930 is still in use, filmmakers may have to stick to "Ban Phi Pop 11" and remakes of "Ban Sai Thong" instead of thinking up creative plots like a gay man becoming straight.

Veena Thoopkrajae