32 Thunwa outnumbers Avatar

In a big debut for the new production company M39, the romantic comedy 32 Thunwa (32 ธันวา, 32 December Love Error) opened at No. 1 at the Thai box office over the weekend.

According to the chart at NangDee.com, 32 Thunwa earned 37 million baht.

Directed by Rergchai Paungpetch (Noodle Boxer, Dumber Heroes), the romantic comedy stars Dan Worrawech as a young man named Note who has a psychiatric condition brought on a by a bump on the head. Note thinks he'll be cured if he finds the girl he truly loves.

"Nong" Choosak Eamsuk stars as Note's new friend, with "Saipan" Apinya Sakuljaroensuk as Note's stepsister, Ramida Mahapreukpong as Note's girlfriend, "Pai" Sitang Punnapob as another girlfriend, plus actors Padung Songsaeng and Sirat Wityatawonwong.

32 Thunwa is the first production by M39, which was formed as a joint venture with distributor M Pictures by former crew from RS Film's Avant company.

The Thai comedy unseated Avatar from the top of the Thai box office. James Cameron's record-setting billion-dollar sci-fi bonanza had held the top spot since debuting two weeks ago. Over the lengthy New Year's holiday weekend, crowds were still packing in to get a look at Avatar, with long lines waiting to buy tickets at the Krungsri IMAX box office at Siam Paragon .

Third place was the previous week's No. 2, Guy Ritchie's kung-flu flick, Sherlock Holmes.

The top five was rounded out by the Pang Bros.' Hong Kong martial-arts fantasy The Storm Warriors (Storm Riders 2) and the Taiwanese desert adventure, The Treasure Hunters, starring Jay Chou. Both are only in release with Thai-dubbed soundtracks.

The nostalgic romantic weeper October Sonata, released on December 23, has dropped out of the top five.

The coming weekend will be busy, with eight films coming out, including two Thai releases, the romance As It Happens, which as originally scheduled for release last week, and the action comedy See-Sing Confirm.