“Filipinos and Thais have always had mutual appreciation for each other’s wealth of entertainment content, but we’ve seen this grow even bigger recently as more Filipinos enjoy easy access to streaming platforms and social media through TNT’s value-packed promos,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.
“As TNT enables Filipinos to follow their favorite Thai superstars Mario Maurer, Gulf Kanawut, and Nonkul Chanon on their smartphone, we’re now bringing these Thai actors even closer to them as the newest TNT KaTropas in our latest campaign,” she added.
Thai content became mainstream particularly during the lockdown and their Boys Love series have inspired numerous Pinoy BL series like Gameboys and Hello Stranger.
Nonkul Chanon is best known for the film Bad Genius, which became the highest-grossing Thai film of 2017. Overseas, it broke Thai film earning records in several Asian countries, making it one of the most internationally successful Thai films ever.
Gulf Kanawut is best known for the highly successful TharnType The Series, an adaptation of a popular Thai web novel, along with Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat as his on screen partner. During the interview, he was the only one who answered “jowa” with Taehyung of BTS, and admitted to have a crush with Hollywood star Chris Evans.
But of all Thai celebrities, it is Mario Maurer who is perhaps considered as the most popular Thai actor best known for his lead roles in the 2007 film Love of Siam and the 2010 sleeper hit Crazy Little Thing Called Love and also starred in Philippine movie “Suddenly It’s Magic”. He is also the lead star of Thailand’s highest grossing film of all time, Pee Mak, which grossed over U$33 million in both domestic and international box office receipts.
He was also asked to give a message or comment to the current Miss Universe Philippines 2020, Rabiya Mateo, who has a crush on him.
“I wish her good luck because I heard that she’s in the competition so I wish she have a good luck,” Mario said.
Actors Mario Maurer and Gulf Kanawut, two of Thailand’s biggest names, also spoke about LGBTQ+ romance.
“It’s something that’s natural. You cannot design it. Any kind of love is beautiful,” said Mario during a media conference for Philippine prepaid telecommunications powerhouse TNT, of which he is an endorser.
“Like what Mario said, love is natural and it’s just…it’s between two people and it is normal. We can see relationships like this everyday,” added Gulf.
TNT also introduced Sue Ramirez and watch the music video as they all join the Pop Princess, Sarah Geronimo.
Jeoff Solas 