Thailand's government, though, is leaping on the success of shows such as "Battle of the Angels, " "Scar In My Heart" and "The Princess" to help buttress its more conventional exports, such as seafood and toasters.

WSJ: Hungry for Drama, Chinese Viewers Send Out for Thai

The labor union at Thai Airways International PCL, meanwhile, singled out "Battle of the Angels" for special criticism, saying it tarnishes the reputation of flight attendants and is a far cry from day-to-day life in the skies.

WSJ: Hungry for Drama, Chinese Viewers Send Out for Thai

In 1974 Michael Shaara published a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Killer Angels, about the Battle of Gettysburg.

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