Sompote Sands

Biography

The founder of the Thai film production company, Chaiyo Productions, Sompote Saengduenchai (สมโพธิ แสงเดือนฉาย), better known as Sompote Sands (May 24, 1941 - August 25, 2021), was a Thai film director, producer, and special effects artist. He was best known for co-directing and producing two Japanese-Thai co-productions, "Jumborg Ace & Giant" (1974) and "Hanuman and the Seven Ultramen" (1974), as well as other science fiction, fantasy, and horror films including "Hanuman and the Five Riders" (1975), the cult classic "Crocodile" (1980), "Phra Rod Meree" (1981), "Space Warriors 2000" (1985), and the children's film "Magic Lizard" (1985). Beginning in 1996, he was a major part of the licensing rights dispute between Chaiyo Productions and Tsuburaya Productions, the original Japanese studio behind Ultraman, claiming to have co-ownership of the series outside of Japan. On August 25, 2021, Sands passed away from cancer at the age of 80.

Directed

1. Crocodile (1979) — Director
2. Hanuman and the Seven Ultramen (1974) — Director
3. Space Warriors 2000 (1985) — Director
4. Hanuman and the Five Kamen Riders (1975) — Director
5. Jumborg Ace and Giant (1974) — Director
6. Magic Lizard (1985) — Director
7. Tah Tien (1973) — Director
8. Project Ultraman (2006) — Director
9. The Ultraman (1975) — Director
10. The Noble War (1984) — Director
11. Crocodile Therakwad (1982) — Director
12. Chalawan (1972) — Director
13. Hanuman and the Eleven Ultramen (1984) — Director
14. Jumborg Ace and Giant (2001 Special Edition) (2001) — Director
15. Monster with a Movie Camera — Director
16. The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. The Monster Army (1979) — Director
17. Giant Crocodile (1980) — Director

Also appeared in

1. Hanuman and the Seven Ultramen (1974) — Photographer at Donna 7 / Ending Narrator (uncredited)
2. The Ultraman (1975) — Photographer at Rising Moon 7
3. The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. The Monster Army (1979) — Photographer at Donna 7 (uncredited)