Thai
scholar Artha Nantachukra, who has directed a documentary series on President Ho
Chi Minh, presented the series to Viet Nam Television’s VTV4 channel here
yesterday, Feb 28.

Tune in: Professor Artha Nantachukra with the cover of an episode in the Ho Chi Minh documentary series he presented to VTV4. (Photo: VNS)

Titled Spirit of Viet
Nam, the series consists of 15 episodes, each lasting for 15 minutes. They cover
the time Nguyen Ai Quoc (an alias of President Ho Chi Minh) lived and worked in
Thailand (1928-29) and presents Vietnamese communities in various localities in
Thailand, such as Ubon Rachathani, Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom.

The series, which took
two years to make, was backed with financial support from the Vietnamese
community in Thailand.

“Actually, I had the
idea of making such a documentary for more than 10 years, when I did research
for my PhD in Ha Noi,” Nantachukra said, “I received lots of support and
encouragement from my acquaintances in Viet Nam and Vietnamese communities
throughout Thailand.”

Bach Ngoc Chien, head
of channel VTV4, which caters to the international audience, told Viet Nam News
it was the third documentary work on President Ho Chi Minh the station had
received from Thai scholars.

Chien said that the
scholars had lured the audience in with their deep love and respect for
President Ho Chi Minh.

“I think this is the
most attractive feature of the documentaries,” he added.

Chien said the channel
would broadcast the series in June, on the 100th anniversary of the day Nguyen
Ai Quoc left Viet Nam to go abroad to seek a way to liberate Vietnamese people
from colonialism.

Other VTV channels
will broadcast the series later this year. Thailand’s Channel 9 and Channel 7
will broadcast the programme next month. Lao Television will also receive the
series.

Born in 1959 in Ubon
Ratchathani, Nantachukra is now working as deputy head of the History Department
of Mahasarakham University in Maha Sarakham Province.

He did research on
Thai ethnic groups in Viet Nam’s north-eastern region for his doctorate thesis
at Ha Noi National University between 1995 and 1999.

He also initiated the
building of a Thailand-Viet Nam friendship village at Nachok Village in
Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom Province, where President Ho Chi Minh lived most of the
time he worked in that country.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News