Ekachai Uekrongtham (Thai: เอกชัย เอื้อครองธรรม; RTGS: Ekkachai Uea-khrongtham; Chinese: 呂翼謀) is a Thai theatre and film director. Based in Singapore, Ekachai is the founding artistic director of ACTION Theatre, a Singapore professional theatre company.
Among his stage works is Chang & Eng, a musical based on Chang and Eng Bunker, the original "Siamese twins". His other stage works include Corporate Animals - The Musical, Ka-Ra-you-OK?, Viva Viagra!, Autumn Tomyam, Mail Order Brides & Other Oriental Takeaways and Confessions of Three Unmarried Women.
He made his debut as a feature-film director in 2003 with Beautiful Boxer, a biographical drama about transsexual professional Muay Thai boxer, Nong Thoom. His second film, Pleasure Factory, about sex workers and their customers in Singapore's Geylang red-light district, was an official selection of the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. His third film, The Coffin, starring Ananda Everingham, opened in Thai theaters on August 21, 2008.
In 2014, he directed the Dolph Lundgren action drama on human trafficking Skin Trade (2015), also starring Tony Jaa and Ron Perlman, shot in Bangkok and Vancouver.
Contents
Filmography
1991: The Nose (short film) – director, writer and producer
2004: Beautiful Boxer – director, writer and producer
2007: Pleasure Factory - director, writer and producer
2008: The Coffin - director
2009: The Wedding Game - director and writer
2015: Skin Trade - director
Selected plays
1995: Corporate Animals - director
1998: Ka-Ra-you-OK? – director
1999: The Swimming Instructor - director
2000: Viva Viagra! - director
2000: Chang & Eng - director
2001: Autumn Tomyam - director
2005: The Admiral's Odyssey - producer
2006: Confessions of 300 Unmarried Men - producer and artistic director
2007: Everything But The Brain - producer and artistic director
2007: The Swimming Instructor - producer
2007: Postcards from Rosa - producer and artistic director
2007: Hitting (On) Women - producer
2007: Real Men, Fake Orgasms - producer
2011: Boxing Boys - director