The latest Mad Max film, Furiosa was shot in Hay, an outback town in rural New South Wales. - Tourism Australia
LAST year, a total of 466 movies from 40 countries were filmed across Thailand. It not only generated the highest record ever of 6.75 billion baht in revenue, but it also helped spotlight the country to a global audience.
For countries like Thailand, ‘selling’ its best tourism assets to the world of film and television is an allure that is hard to pass up.
According to Expedia, nearly 30% of travellers say that screen productions are influencing where they choose to holiday more than ever before.
Film tourism – or ‘set-jetting’ as it is otherwise known, has long attracted movie buffs to many countries across the world. Nations like Australia have leveraged off the entertainment industry now for decades and with great success.
The tourism industry Down Under has benefited immensely from the exposure of some of these blockbusters that were shot there.
“For decades, Australia’s unique landscapes and iconic landmarks have acted as a backdrop for some of the most renowned film titles and this year is no exception,” elaborates Kate Marks, CEO of Ausfilm.
This year alone, Australia is benefiting from screen exposure from films such as The Fall Guy and Anyone But You, which were both filmed and set in Sydney.
The country was also the film location for blockbusters Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
“Thanks to films like George Miller’s dystopian dynasty, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which showcased the unmistakable terrain of the outback, Australia is having its moment on the big screen in 2024,” Marks said.
Taking a page out of Australia’s playbook is Thailand, which is fast establishing itself as a prominent filming destination for international productions. Earlier this year the destination island of Phuket took centre stage in the Netflix film, Mother of the Bride.
The romantic comedy starring Brooke Shields, Miranda Cosgrove and Benjamin Bratt, revolving around a destination wedding in Thailand was filmed at several locations across the island.
Seen by millions of Netflix subscribers across the world, the film once more emphasised Thailand’s ambition to become a hub for global film production.
In 2022, the Thai government took a bold step to waive personal income tax for foreign talent for five years, augmenting an already attractive film incentive system. Since then, the programme was further enhanced to offer foreign film productions a cash rebate of up to 20%.
“Promoting Thailand’s entertainment contents through films has been among the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Royal Thai Embassy’s priorities,” explains Lada Phumas, ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia.
This vision was also echoed in the “Ignite Thailand” initiative, launched by the Royal Thai Government earlier this year to re-ignite and position Thailand as a global industrial hub, including the film tourism.
The exposure towards tourism and the marketability of Thailand as a filming location aside, the initiative is also designed to grow the country’s film industry and its talents.
Elaborating further, Phumas elaborates that there are several interesting initiatives being discussed and implemented to promote Thailand as a premier destination for high profile film production.
“These include, among others, provision of the film funds and grants to assist domestic and foreign filmmakers and the establishment of online one-stop services to simplify film production permits and licensing processes,” she adds.
In addition to this, there is also a newly launched Visa scheme for foreign talents, including filmmakers, to stay and enjoy their film production in Thailand for up to five years.
All of this, adds Phumas, is further complemented by various training programmes on filmmaking, acting and screenwriting to nurture its local talents needed for the film production in Thailand.
“We invite stakeholders to explore the boundless opportunities the Thai film industry can offer and to experience first-hand the synergy between our state-of-the-art facilities as well as our skilled and creative professionals,” she adds.
“Last but not least, we also want filmmakers, studios and production houses to discover Thailand’s diverse locations – from the vibrant streets of Bangkok to the serene shores of our southern islands – that can serve as the perfect setting for a captivating storytelling and cinematic excellence.”
The initiatives put into place are yielding benefits already for Thailand. Presently, the country will take on a starring role in the third season of the HBO anthology series, The White Lotus.
The Emmy-Award winning series created by Mike White featured Hawaii in its debut season before shifting locales to Sicily. The third outing for the series will be set across several locations in Thailand.
Currently in production, HBO has partnered with Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to help facilitate the shoots at prominent locations in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui.
Commenting on the partnership with TAT, Janet Graham Borba, executive vice-president of production for HBO & Max, said in a statement that HBO is excited to showcase all that the beautiful country of Thailand has to offer as the next group of guests check in to the fictional luxury resort.
The third season of the series will debut in 2025 and will star Leslie Bibb, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey and Natasha Rothwell, as well as two Thai actors, Dom Hetrakul and Tayme Thapthimthong.
“We are honoured to have Thailand featured as the filming location for the highly anticipated upcoming season of The White Lotus,” said TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool.
“The kingdom’s exotic natural beauty, rich historical sites and diverse landscapes are the perfect settings to share our fascinating culture, fantastic cuisine, top-notch wellness and luxury offerings, and most importantly our people and Thai hospitality.”
