BANGKOK: -- The police censorship board has upheld the appeal of film distributors, and will allow The Da Vinci Code to be shown uncut and unchanged.

"The panel voted six to five to keep the movie as it is," said James Dhiraputra of Buena Vista International, the company which made the appeal.

Just one remnant remains of the censorship. Exhibitors must show a disclaimer at the start and end of the film stating that it is fiction. Christian groups have protested against its thesis that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and had children.

The decision reverses a decision by the same board 24 hours previously, which ordered that the film's last 10 minutes be cut, and changes made to the subtitles and opening.

Protestant groups had urged that the film be banned or at least cut. The major Christian church in Thailand, the Catholics, have made no public comment on the controversial film.

According to Reuters, the evangelical Christian alliance which brought the censorship request accepted the final decison. "We respect the ruling," Thongchai Pradabchananurat, chairman of the Protestant Coordinating Committee told the news agency. "We have already expressed our feelings in this case and we will just have to forgive."

Foreign film critics, allowed to see the film for the first time today, just 24 hours before it opens in Thai theatres, roundly and apparently unanimously panned it.

Reuters reported that at a press screening late on Tuesday in Cannes, members of the audience laughed at the thriller's pivotal moment, and the end of the $125 million picture was greeted with stony silence.

"'Da Vinci' never rises to the level of a guilty pleasure. Too much guilt. Not enough pleasure," said Kirk Honeycutt of the Hollywood Reporter. Other critics agreed.

Lee Marshall of Screen International told the news agency: "I thought it was plodding and there was a complete lack of chemistry between Audrey Tautou and Tom Hanks."

For 24 hours, Thailand was the only country on Earth which agreed to censor the film. After the Tuesday decision by the film censorship board, the distributors appealed - and won.

Pol Maj Gen Somwong Lipiphun, who serves as chairman of the censorship committee, told reporters this evening that the film "can be screened without any cuts," a total reversal of Tuesday's censorship.

--Bangkokpost.com, Agencies 2006-05-17

I personally havent read the book yet although i'm really interested in this talk of the town, the Da Vinci Code. I guess most ppl are like me, they love mystery. Whether there's some truth lying in the book, it keeps ppl interested and curious to find out if those truth do really exist. This is us to believe what to believe or not. So what if the thesis that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and had children was true, wouldnt that change the world. Yes it would but isnt cos we are all scared that the descendant of Jesus Christ is among anyone of us? Seriously i really have nothing to go against any religion but I just think when it comes to religion subject, ppl could make it extremely serious and go against each other. Why cant we try to think that whatever your religion is, you still cant avoid the truth of the world. Face it!

Going to see this movie with Niels, my sweetie tonight. Cant believe that nowsday you can actually print out tickets at home the world is definately changing.

ps sorry if i might sound a bit harsh and non-religious.

Enjoy the show and Happy Birthday "May" for Next Week.

Hope your sweetie has something special planned for that day.

Actually, if Jesus was married and had a child it would change the world quite a lot. The very foundation of one of the worlds most influential religions would be torn apart. It also happens to be the religions of which the vast majority of developed countries social fabric is woven (whether they consider themselves to be secular today or not).

It would also open up other religions to the same sort of scrutiny and questioning. While in theory some might argue this is a good thing, I submit that the people of the world are generally not mature enough to handle this scenario at this point in time (just turn on the BBC to see what I mean).

Finally, even if the movie was banned in Thailand, you just know it owuld turn up on DVD sooner rather than later.

i will watch it but after reading the book all i know is in my belief is that this da vinci code stuff is a bunch of crap but I am one man and that is my opinion.

Print a ticket at home? How? Which website?

Mike - check out www.sfcinemacity.com for all SF theatres.