Unfulfilled Potential: The Thai Film Industry
On the face of it, Thailand has all the necessary ingredients for film-making. From picturesque beaches to remote forests, historical ruins, exotic islands, indigenous tribe lands and major urban cities, the country is hugely varied and sure to suite a variety of filming requirements.
Combine Thailand’s physical attractions with its financial lure - reduced overheads and a cost of living the West can only dream of – and quality facilities, and it is a land with untold movie making promise, in theory at least.
In the cold light of reality however, the Thai film industry has struggled to convert its potential into overseas investment.
Hollywood is the home of big budget movie investment and yet American spending on all film projects in Thailand since 2003 (THB 126 million, USD 3.7 million) is eclipsed by the total investment from Japan (THB 197 million, USD 5.8 million) in 2008 alone.
Compare these figures to the USD 250 million budget of the latest Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and it is clear that even just a slice of a mainstream Hollywood movie has the potential to kick-start the industry in Thailand.
One major project in the works which could tempt Hollywood blockbusters into town is Chiang Mai Wood, an ambitious THB 9 million (USD$264 million) project from animation studio Creative Kingdom.
Announced in June this year, the project is a proposed 175-acre movie town in Chiang Mai, complete with production studios, animation facilities and special effects laboratories, supported by residential neighbourhoods and public infrastructure.
Berny Herrera, Creative Kingdom business development manager, told Director that, in practical terms, Chiang Mai Wood will be “a full service location that allows both directors and producers to fulfil their artistic visions in one of the most cost-effective and hospitable locations on the globe.”
Herrera claimed that the project will create more than 20,000 jobs in the region and show the international community the talents and opportunities that Thailand’s film industry offers.
Locating the project in Chiang Mai raised eyebrows, however Herrera is confident that the city, which is already home to Creative Kingdom’s Thai headquarters, has the economic benefit, talent, infrastructure and filming locations to create “the hub of all movie production in SE Asia.”
Herrera’s talk is impressive but it is still early days for the project. With little proactive wooing of Hollywood and international film centres, the development of a world-class facility, such as Chiang Mai Wood, presents the best opportunity for Thailand to raise its visibility with major film makers and kick-start major investment.
In the meantime, it seems likely that Thailand will continue to sit under the radar of the world’s film industry, its potential unfulfilled.
The September/October issue of Director includes a more in depth look at the Thai film industry and the Chiang Mai Wood project.
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