Thailand Rolls Out Red Carpet for Global Filmmakers Amidst "White Lotus" Success

 

Thailand is firmly establishing itself as a prime destination for international film crews, capitalising on the recent success of high-profile productions.

 

The American series "The White Lotus," which recently concluded its third season filmed in the Southeast Asian nation, has proven a significant draw.

 

The final episode garnered an impressive 6.2 million viewers in the United States alone, a substantial 30% increase from the previous episode's 4.8 million, with an average of 16 million viewers tuning in across the entire series.

 

Adding to the buzz is the upcoming release of the film "Jurassic World," scheduled for July.

 

This influx of international productions is not only bringing significant investment into Thailand but is also expected to provide a welcome boost to the tourism sector, inspiring viewers to explore the locations showcased on screen.

 

The Department of Tourism is actively encouraging this trend through attractive incentives, most recently increasing the maximum "cash rebate" to a generous 30%, alongside additional perks for foreign film companies choosing Thailand as their filming location.

 

In the past year alone, 2024 saw a total of 491 foreign productions filming in the country, generating over 6.58 billion baht for the Thai economy.

 

Chaturon Phakdeewanich, the director-general of the Department of Tourism, revealed that he has been tasked by Natthriya Thaweewong, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, to ensure the "Foreign Film and Video Affairs Division" under his department ramps up efforts to increase revenue from foreign film shoots to a target of "10 billion baht" in 2025.

 

This ambitious goal surpasses the department's initial target of 7.5 billion baht.

 

To facilitate this growth, the Department of Tourism is seeking an additional 400 million baht in funding.

 

This is on top of the previously requested 400 million baht earmarked for cash rebates to foreign film productions filming in Thailand, bringing the total budget request to 800 million baht – more than double the 337 million baht requested in the 2024 fiscal year.

 

"The reason for seeking this additional funding is the number of major films and series choosing Thailand as their location, including the likes of 'The White Lotus' Season 3 and 'Jurassic World'," explained Chaturon. "We anticipate continued interest from other film and television projects, and therefore need to ensure we have sufficient funds to provide the necessary rebates to meet this increasing demand."

 

Early figures for the first three months of 2025 (January to March) indicate a strong start, with 155 foreign film productions shooting in Thailand, generating 1.701 billion baht in revenue.

 

In the 2024 fiscal year, foreign film productions "claiming rebates" under the "Thailand International Filming Promotion Measure" amounted to 509 million baht across 15 films, which in turn generated 2.876 billion baht for Thailand and supported over 43,000 jobs within the film industry and related sectors.
 

 

 

 

The Thailand International Filming Promotion Measure is considered a key factor in the decision-making process for international filmmakers when considering investing and filming in the country.

 

Globally, numerous nations employ various "incentive schemes" to attract film productions, including Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Iceland, India, and Greece, which offer "cashback" incentives, while Hungary and France utilise "tax breaks." Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom operate "tax credit" systems.

 

Chaturon noted that the Foreign Film and Video Affairs Division recently attended the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) 2025 from March 17-20, where they experienced unexpectedly high levels of interest from film producers and creators from China, Hong Kong, and other countries.

 

The total potential investment in filming in Thailand resulting from these interactions has already exceeded 2 billion baht.

 

"Over the four days of the event, more than 700 businesses enquired about the procedures for obtaining filming permits for foreign productions in Thailand, as well as the promotion measures offering cashback of up to 30%," he stated. "This measure has generated significant interest, and as a result, over 20 major film producers have expressed their intention to film in Thailand during 2025-2026. We anticipate that the total investment in Thailand from these productions will surpass 2 billion baht, helping to distribute income across the film industry and related businesses. This also presents a crucial opportunity to promote Thailand, its tourist attractions, and Thai culture to film audiences worldwide."

 

The Department of Tourism will continue to actively promote the "Incentive 30%" scheme to attract further investment from foreign film productions, positioning Thailand as a primary destination for filmmaking.

 

This is expected to bring significant foreign currency into the country, stimulate spending across the service industry, hotels, transportation, and related businesses, ultimately creating jobs and generating tangible income for the Thai people.