Cherd Songsri
A Thai cinematic poet whose lush period romance 'Plae Kao' became a national phenomenon, defining a golden age of film.
1931–2006 (age 75)·Thai film director, screenwriter and film producer·Birthday: September 20·The Silent Generation
Biography
Cherd Songsri was a filmmaker who used the canvas of Thailand's past to explore timeless emotions. Working during a flourishing era for Thai cinema, he stood out for his meticulous, elegant style and his focus on historical dramas. His 1977 masterpiece, 'Plae Kao' (The Old Scar), was a cultural earthquake. This sweeping romance, set against a richly detailed rural backdrop, captured the public's imagination in an unprecedented way. It shattered domestic box office records, proving that a locally made period film could resonate more powerfully than foreign imports. The film's success also opened doors internationally, winning awards at festivals like the Three Continents Festival in Nantes. Songsri's work was driven by a desire to preserve and present a vision of Thai culture, its beauty and its heartaches, making him a central figure in the nation's film history.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Cherd was born in 1931, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cherd Was Born
The biggest hits of 1931
#1 Movie
Frankenstein
Best Picture
Cimarron
Cherd's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1931Born
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1936Started school
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1944Became a teenager
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Could drive
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1949Could vote
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Turned 21
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1961Turned 30
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 40
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 50
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 60
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 70
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Died at 75
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
Key Achievements
- Directed 'Plae Kao' (1977), which became the highest-grossing Thai film in history at the time of its release.
- Won the Special Jury Prize at the 1981 Three Continents Festival in Nantes, France, for 'Plae Kao'.
- Was a leading director of the Thai film industry's 'Golden Age' in the 1970s and 1980s.
Did You Know?
The title 'Plae Kao' translates to 'Old Scar' in English.
He often worked with leading Thai actress of the era, Sinjai Plengpanit.
Beyond directing, he frequently wrote the screenplays and produced his own films.
“The past is not a dead place; it lives in the soil and the heart.”
