the tin mine ( or "maha'lai muang rae") is a 2005 thai biographical drama film directed by jira maligool. it is adapted from short stories by ajin panjapan and his semi-autobiographical account of growing up in a mining camp in kapong district of phang nga province from 1949 to 1953. "the tin mine" was the official entry from thailand for best foreign language film at the 78th academy awards.