Abstract
In 1957, the US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, was shocked at the apparent success of films from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in achieving screenings in Thailand.1 These PRC films probably included the Ping opera film Madam Qin Xianglian/Qin Xianglian (1955), which through personal connections had been shown in 1956 at a charity event in the Thai Navy Military Headquarters, reportedly receiving an enthusiastic reception.2 On 1 May 1957, the US Ambassador to Thailand, Max Waldo Bishop, reported a ‘secret’ arrangement for the departure of around 40 members of a Thai cultural troupe to the PRC via Hong Kong, under the leadership of the well-known, pro-communist writer and playwright Suwat Woradilok.3 Both the US State Department and the American embassy in Thailand found this disturbing, given both America’s well-known position towards the PRC and its frequent attempts to keep the Thai government informed of their policies. The Department thought an evolution of Thai policy towards allowing the screening of PRC films would counteract American efforts to reverse the neutralist trend of some of Thailand’s neighbours.4
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