Tanwarin Sukkhapisit

Tanwarin Sukkhapisit (, , ) is a Thai filmmaker and politician. They are known for directing the film Insects in the Backyard. Tanwarin identifies as kathoey, and uses they/them pronouns. In the 2019 Thai general election, they were elected to the Thai parliament representing the Future Forward Party. and became the first ever openly transgender member of parliament in Thailand's House of Representatives.

Biography Tanwarin was born on October 23, 1973, in the Nakhon Ratchasima province. They began publicly living as a woman at 17. They moved to Bangkok to pursue work in the entertainment industry but was initially unsuccessful. Tanwarin returned to Korat to work as an English teacher for seven years, and played their first role as a kathoey character on a show that was shortly pulled off air.

Insects in the Backyard was banned by Thailand's Ministry of Culture from being screened for "immoral and pornographic content". Sukkhapisit founded their own independent film company, Amfine Productions, in response to the banning.

In October 2020, the Constitutional Court of Thailand removed Tanwarin from power, finding them guilty of rules barring lawmakers from owning stock in media companies. Tanwarin's removal has been tied to a broader crackdown on Thailand's pro-democracy movement, with one commentator in the Bangkok Post writing that they were "unjustly removed" in a "huge blow to the Thai LGBTI community".

Filmography

Director

Still (2010) Insects in the Backyard (2010) Hug na Sarakham (2011) It Gets Better (2012) Fin Sugoi (2014) Threesome (2014) Keep Running. Zombie Soldier! (2015) Red Wine in the Dark Night (2015) A Gas Station (2016) Sanaeha Maya (2018) Irresistible (2021) The War of Flowers (2022) The Eclipse (2022) 609 Bedtime Story (2022) Jenny AM/PM (2022) Moments of Love (2023) Our Skyy 2 (2023) Club Friday 15: Moments & Memories (2023) Club Friday 16: Hot Love Issue (2024) Wandee Goodday (2024) The Rebound (2024) Club Friday 17: The Theory of Love (2025)

Writer

Insects in the Backyard (2010) Keep Running. Zombie Soldier! (2015) Red Wine in the Dark Night (2015) A Gas Station (2016) Napat (2021)

Producer

Judgement Island (2015) Red Wine in the Dark Night (2015) A Gas Station (2016) Present Perfect (2017) 609 Bedtime Story (2022–2023) Our Skyy 2 (2023)

Actress

The Sperm (2007) Insects in the Backyard (2010) Tai Hong 2 (2014) Summer to Winter (2014) Bong Srolanh Oun (2015) Love Next Door 2 (2015) The Eclipse (2022) Our Skyy 2 (2023) Wandee Goodday (2024) The Rebound (2024)