It dominated Thailand's 2007 film awards season, winning the Best Picture category in all major events.

Tong's family goes on vacation to Chiang Mai and his older sister, Tang, begs her mother to allow her to remain with friends several days longer.

Tong's parents are unable to find Tang, and believing she is dead, the family decides to move to Bangkok.

Six years later, Tong's father Korn is a severe alcoholic, due to his guilt for losing his daughter.

The manager of Mew's band, Aod, says they must write a song about love in order to sell more records.

When Tong eventually meets her, he and his mother, Sunee, devise to a plan to hire June to pretend she is Tang, in hopes that it will pull Korn out of his alcoholic depression.

Mew is also the object of an unrequited crush from a neighbour girl, Ying, but he is more interested in his boyhood friend Tong, who has become his inspiration for writing the new love song.

As part of the deception with "Tang", a backyard party is held in honor of her return, and Mew's band provides the entertainment.

June questions the effectiveness of the "Tang" ruse, noting that Korn has not reduced his alcohol consumption and she leaves.

Marketed as a typical teen romance between boys and girls, the gay aspect of the love story was controversial.

Thai-language web boards were posted with messages of support, as well as accusations by moviegoers that they were misled into watching "a gay movie.

He praised the mature, realistic family drama aspects of the film, as well as the solid performances, particularly by Sinjai Plengpanich as the mother Sunee.

[7] Another Bangkok Post commentator, Nattakorn Devakula, said the film contained important lessons for Thai society.

[9] A few critics found fault with the film, among them Gregoire Glachant of BK magazine, who commented that "The Love of Siam isn't a very well shot movie.

[15] The film was first shot on December 26, 2006,[16] taking advantage of the Christmas lights and decorations of Siam Square and the surrounding area.

Director Sakveerakul said he felt the longer running time was needed to more fully develop all the characters and the story.

He received full backing for this decision from producer Prachya Pinkaew and the production company, Sahamongkol Film International.

I feel that every minute of the movie is important, and I'm glad the audience will be able to see it in full," Chookiat said in an interview before the film's release.

[18] A nearly three-hour "director's cut" was released in January 2008 exclusively at the House RCA cinema, and it played for several weeks of sold-out shows.

"[2] Witwisit Hiranyawongkul, who portrays Mew, accepted the role because it was challenging and because he was interested in working with the director, who was a senior classmate at Montfort College in Chiang Mai.

The two-disc package features a CD with music tracks by Chookiat Sakveerakul, Witwisit Hiranyawongkul, the August band, Passakorn Wiroonsup and Flure, and a VCD.

Disc 3 includes a trailer, a film documentary, deleted scenes, a "Making Of", character introductions, a live concert, an interview with the songwriter and the complete theatrical version with an on-screen commentary by the director.