Death Whisperer
A 2023 Thai horror film based on a true story.
Death Whisperer (known in Thailand as *Tee Yod*) is a 2023 Thai supernatural horror film directed by Taweewat Wantha. It stars Nadech Kugimiya, Rattanawadee Wongthong, Denise Jelilcha Kapaun, Karj-bundit Jaidee, Peerakit Patcharabunyakiat, Arisara Wongchalee, and Paramet Noi-um. Produced by Major Join Film and BEC World—a joint venture between BEC World (Channel 3) and Major Join Film—the film is the first Thai movie entirely shot for IMAX screens. Its story is set in 1972 and follows a young girl in a remote village in Dan Makham Tia District, Kanchanaburi Province.
The plot centers on a farming family of eight in 1972: parents, three sons (Yak, Yos, Yod), and three daughters (Yad, Yam, Yee). After a village girl named Nart dies horribly from a long illness, the three sisters see a ghostly woman in black under a tree on their way home from school. Yam later falls ill after spotting a strange old woman at an amusement park. Yak returns from military service, sensing trouble. Yam’s condition worsens; she sleepwalks and behaves as if possessed. The children hear an eerie whisper that makes them drowsy. Yak burns his hand and Yad bites herself to stay awake, eventually retrieving Yam. The old woman, Chauy, breaks into the house and attacks Yam, removing one of her teeth before being chased away.
Yak learns from his friend Sarge that an evil spirit (the black-clad ghost) controls Yam. They find Chauy performing a ritual to transfer the spirit to Yam, then she kills herself. The family calls a priest, Puth, who tells them to cut down a bamboo tree near the house. Inside, they find human organs, including a still-beating heart, and burn everything. Yak, Yod, Yad, and their mother drive Yam to the hospital with Sarge and Puth. The father, Yos, and Yee stay home. On the road, supernatural attacks cause hallucinations. Yam’s whispering makes Yak drowsy, causing a crash that kills Puth. Yak confronts the possessed Yam, who shoots Sarge with Yak’s gun and threatens the others. Yad stabs Yam’s arm, forcing the spirit out temporarily. Yak shoots the spirit, apparently killing it.
At the hospital, Yam seems to recover but suddenly says goodbye to Yad and pulls out her tooth. The family tries to stop her, but her body swells and blood bursts from every orifice. Yad glimpses the evil spirit outside the window. After Yam’s funeral, Yak burns down the tree where the ghost
- director
- Taweewat Wantha
- release_year
- 2023
- country
- Thailand
- language
- Thai
- genre
- Supernatural horror
- production_companies
- Major Join Film and BEC World
- notable_for
- First Thai film shot entirely for IMAX
Lore & Background
Death Whisperer is set in 1972 in a remote farming village in Dan Makham Tia district, Kanchanaburi province, centering on a family of eight. The plot follows the family's struggle after their daughter Yam becomes possessed by an evil spirit, first seen as a ghost of a woman dressed in black under a tree. The family seeks help from a priest, Puth, and attempts to destroy a bamboo tree containing human organs, but the spirit attacks them during a journey to the hospital, leading to multiple deaths.
Reader's Guide
The film is based on a story posted on Pantip.com in late May 2015, which was later rewritten as a novel. The author, Krittanon, claims the story is something that happened to his mother's family in central Thailand when she was 15 years old. The term 'Tee Yod' remains enigmatic in meaning and linguistic origin, with suggestions it might be from the Mon language, though an expert stated it has no meaning. The film's success made it the highest-grossing Thai film opening of 2023, earning 39 million baht on its first day and 300 million baht after five days. It was released in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines, and became the 9th highest grossing Thai film of all time in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
Did You Know?
- Death Whisperer is the first Thai film to be shot entirely for IMAX screening.
- The film is based on a story posted on Pantip.com in late May 2015 that received over 2,000 comments.
- The term 'Tee Yod' has no known meaning according to an expert in Mon arts and culture.
- The film earned 39 million baht on its first day, the highest grossing opening for a Thai film in 2023.
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