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4/07/2012 at 09:33 AM | Video by Chumporn Sangvilert.
Santi Tuntipantarux's collection of vintage movie posters attracts buyers from all over the world
Fifteen years ago Santi was one of those affected by the economic malaise that forced a mass lay-off. He
decided to turn his hobby into a business, and it was a wise move. Originally, he went out looking for
posters himself, going to cinemas in Bangkok and upcountry to scavenge for discarded posters of Thai and
Hollywood titles. He pursued leads and sniffed out other collectors. The Star Wars batch, for instance, was
found while walking in Klong Thom second-hand market over 10 years ago. Sometimes he has to track
down poster painters - a near-extinct profession now - as they usually keep their own works.
He sells, buys, auctions and hunts for specific bills through his network of scouts and informants. Despite
eBay and the ease of global collectible trading, his shop remains busy. Like rare stamps or old watches,
aged film posters thrive in a circle of enthusiasts who regard them as prized objects, and as much as
movies are a global culture, the community of poster collectors extends beyond the boundaries of Thailand.
Santi's customers are split 60/40 Thai and foreigners.
Nearly 90% of his business is vintage posters of American movies, and specifically, Santi's specialty -
Hollywood films that were released in Thailand decades ago. They were localised with Thai design - mostly
painting and text. For example, a Star Wars poster with Thai letters trans-literating the title, and hand-painted
pictures of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.
4/07/2012 at 09:33 AM | Video by Chumporn Sangvilert.
Santi Tuntipantarux's collection of vintage movie posters attracts buyers from all over the world
Fifteen years ago Santi was one of those affected by the economic malaise that forced a mass lay-off. He
decided to turn his hobby into a business, and it was a wise move. Originally, he went out looking for
posters himself, going to cinemas in Bangkok and upcountry to scavenge for discarded posters of Thai and
Hollywood titles. He pursued leads and sniffed out other collectors. The Star Wars batch, for instance, was
found while walking in Klong Thom second-hand market over 10 years ago. Sometimes he has to track
down poster painters - a near-extinct profession now - as they usually keep their own works.
He sells, buys, auctions and hunts for specific bills through his network of scouts and informants. Despite
eBay and the ease of global collectible trading, his shop remains busy. Like rare stamps or old watches,
aged film posters thrive in a circle of enthusiasts who regard them as prized objects, and as much as
movies are a global culture, the community of poster collectors extends beyond the boundaries of Thailand.
Santi's customers are split 60/40 Thai and foreigners.
Nearly 90% of his business is vintage posters of American movies, and specifically, Santi's specialty -
Hollywood films that were released in Thailand decades ago. They were localised with Thai design - mostly
painting and text. For example, a Star Wars poster with Thai letters trans-literating the title, and hand-painted
pictures of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.
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