Bangkok Haunted

Bangkok Haunted is a Thai horror anthology with three ghost stories told by women in a café. Each one mixes love, death, and revenge. The film runs long and feels uneven, but it has some memorable moments. Pisut Praesangeam directs most of it, with Oxide Pang handling the last segment. If you like Asian horror with folklore elements, this one’s worth checking out.

The first story, Legend of the Drum, follows a woman who gets a cursed drum. Her professor tells her about Paga, a beautiful dancer, and her deformed brother Gnod who grew jealous of her engagement. Both disappeared one night, and the drum connects to their dark past. This story is slow and the lighting feels rough in places, but it has a haunting sadness. The way it ties art, jealousy, and death together works well.

The second story, Black Magic Woman, is the strongest. Pan is a lonely woman who wants to attract a man named Tim. Her neighbor gives her a creepy perfume made from corpses. The magic works, but the cost is terrible. When Tim’s dead body shows up with an axe, the story turns into dark, twisted irony. It’s gross, sensual, and creepy all at once. The ending line really stings and sticks with you.

The last story, Revenge, feels totally different. Detective Nop investigates a woman’s death that looks like suicide but seems suspicious. As he digs deeper, he finds corruption and dark secrets. This one plays more like a crime thriller than a ghost story, with only light supernatural touches. But it’s well paced and ends with a solid twist.

The framing device with the three friends telling stories doesn’t add much. The twist at the end is unclear and sometimes confusing. The editing can be distracting with lots of freeze frames and quick cuts. But the music and performances keep things watchable, and the Thai cultural details give it a unique flavor.

Overall, Bangkok Haunted is uneven but enjoyable. It’s stylish, strange, and feels like ghost stories told late at night. Some parts drag, some shock, but all have that mysterious edge. It’s not perfect, but it’s different enough to be worth your time if you’re into horror anthologies.