Dang Bireley’s and Young Gangsters 1997

Dang, the son of a prostitute, grows up in 1950s Thailand amidst a world filled with violence and chaos. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, he struggles with deep feelings of inferiority but compensates for this by building up his ego and toughness. When he is just 13 years old, he demonstrates his fierce loyalty and protective nature by killing a man who was physically abusing his mother, marking the start of his life on the edge of legality. By the time he turns 16, Dang has dropped out of school and has become heavily involved in the criminal underworld, running his own protection racket to earn respect and power.

Throughout his rise in the gang scene, he is fiercely protective of Piak, played by Suriyan Saktaisong, a young associate who becomes like family to him. Dang’s closest allies include his dedicated right-hand man Lam Sing, portrayed by Noppachai Muttaweevong, as well as Pu Bottle Bomb, played by Suppakorn Kitsuwan, and Pu’s sidekick Dum. These relationships highlight the loyalty and camaraderie that develop amidst the dangerous environment they inhabit.

Dang’s life takes a turn when he attracts the attention of Wallapa, a talented night club singer. His encounter with her introduces a new element into his life, as Wallapa urges him to abandon his gangster lifestyle and seek a more normal existence. Meanwhile, Dang’s mother, longing for a better future for her son, hopes he will leave behind his life of crime and even wishes him to become a Buddhist monk, highlighting the tension between his violent reality and the desires for peace and redemption.

As Dang seeks to expand his influence, he takes brutal measures to carve out more territory, including killing the notorious local crime boss known as Mad Dog. His aggressive tactics heighten tensions within the criminal world, leading to inevitable conflicts. At the same time, Piak finds himself caught in violent clashes between rival school gangs, which are instigated by Pu and Dum. These conflicts escalate until they cause a serious falling out between Dang and Pu, igniting a fierce rivalry that will define much of the story’s tension.

Following a military coup that shakes the political landscape, all gangsters are forced to leave Bangkok for the countryside. Dang, Lam Sing, and Piak find themselves working for Sergeant Chien, a former policeman turned gangster, who owns a bar and gambling den adjacent to an American military base. Sergeant Chien enlists more muscle to confront a rival gang boss, Headman Tek, played by Suthakorn Jaimun. He brings in Pu and Dum, despite Dang’s objections, leading to trouble within their ranks. Pu and Dum stir chaos in the gambling den and reignite their rivalry with Dang’s gang, despite Sergeant Chien’s efforts to maintain peace. This turmoil culminates in a violent turn when Sergeant Chien is killed by a motorcyclist gunman, leaving Dang’s gang vulnerable and forcing them to leave the town and return to Bangkok.

Back in the city, Dang plans to honor his mother’s wishes by becoming a monk. The ceremony is meant to mark a new beginning—one free from violence and gang conflicts. However, Pu and Dum crash the event, shooting wildly during a gun battle that results in Lam Sing’s death and wounds to Dang and Piak. Ultimately, Pu and Dum are killed in the chaos, ending their destructive rivalry.

In the epilogue, narrated by an older Piak, it’s revealed that Dang survived his wounds but was unable to truly leave behind his violent past. Instead, he continued his life as a gangster until his untimely death in a car accident at just 24 years old, mirroring the tragic fate of his idol James Dean. The story paints a vivid portrait of a young man caught between loyalty, violence, and fleeting hopes for redemption in a tumultuous era of Thai history.